Guns & Intimate Partner Violence

Conclusion

Statistics and guns involving domestic violence

Nearly 20 people are physically abused by an intimate partner every minute.
Guns increase the probability of death in domestic violence cases.
Women are five times more likely to be murdered by their abuser if a gun is involved.
More than half of the women murdered in the U.S. in 2011 53% were killed by intimate partners or family members.
Risk of homicide is increased by 500% when there is a gun present.
Per 100,000 female residents 1.11 women are victims of gun violence.

An "order of protection" is a civil order that provides protection from someone who you are married to, separated from, divorced from, have a child in common with, are/were in an intimate/dating relationship with (including same-sex couples) or are related to by blood or marriage.

Restraining Orders
According to The National Network To End Domestic Violence, three American women are killed daily by intimate partners. Experts on the topic say that, "women are in the most danger when leaving a relationship — and that’s why it is imperative that authorities prioritize disarming abusers once a restraining order is granted".

"Often times, when she takes out that order of protection, she’s testing the relationship to find out if she can safely leave, and she’s testing the system to find out if they honor and respect what she says she needs help with,” said Kit Gruelle, an advocate who has worked with domestic violence survivors for 30 years. “Unfortunately, for some women these pieces of paper do become their last will and testament.”

In Los Angeles, a study was conducted involving applications for restraining orders involving domestic violence. It found that the victim and abuser were routinely in dating relationships. These order of protections commonly mentioned guns, especially when those involved were not married or did not live with each other.

Between 1990 and 2005, individuals killed by current dating partners made up almost half of all spouse and current dating partner homicides.
Firearms were used to kill more than two-thirds of spouse and ex-spouse homicide victims between 1990 and 2005.
A recent survey of female domestic violence shelter residents in California found that more than one third (36.7%) reported having been threatened or harmed with a firearm. In nearly two thirds (64.5%) of the households that contained a firearm, the intimate partner had used the firearm against the victim, usually threatening to shoot or kill the victim.
U.S. women are 11 times likely to be killed by guns compared to women in different high income countries.
In 1994 and 1998, misdemeanors involving domestic violence and restraining orders were the second most common reason for denial of handgun purchase applications.
Alarmingly more than 2,800 misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence offenders were able to buy guns from 1998 to 2001 without being identified by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
When background checks are required by a state, there is a 38% decrease of women who are shot by intimate partners.

Youth and guns at home
There are no government statistics on how many children are killed in domestic violence situations. One study reports that children under 17 years old made up the largest group of victims in its study.

Laws that prohibit the purchase of a firearm by a person subject to a domestic violence restraining order are associated with a reduction in the number of intimate partner homicides. Only 23 states and Washington, D.C., prohibits people with domestic violence restraining orders from owning and buying guns. However, 15 states took this law further by requiring that firearms be surrendered if a qualifying restraining order is granted.

There are no national statistics on the percentage of domestic homicide victims who had restraining orders against their killers at their time of death, but research has indicated that restraining orders are violated around 40 percent of the time.

There is also some evidence that strengthening gun laws for abusers may save lives. According to one study, states that restrict abusers subject to restraining orders from accessing guns have been associated with reduced rates of domestic homicides.

Everytown for Gun Safety revealed in a study that domestic violence played a role in mass shootings involving four or more people murdered between January 2009 and July 2014. 57% of these homicides included the killing of a family member or a current or former intimate partner of the shooter.

Police Family Violence

Approximately 40% of the families of police officers fall prey to domestic violence as compared to 10% of the families in the general population. 24% of them involves older and more experienced officers. This indicates that domestic violence is 2-4 times more common within law enforcement families than the overall population.
Victims of police officers are particularly vulnerable because the officer who is abusing them: has a gun, knows the location of the the battered women's shelter, and knows how to manipulate the system to avoid penalty and/or shift the blame on the victim.
Often times victims fear calling the police because they know the case will be handled by officers who are colleagues and/or friends of the abuser. Departments across the country usually handle these cases informally neglecting policies and legislative mandates. in 1994, a nationwide survey of 123 police departments show that almost half (45%) did not have a detailed policy for these type of cases.

The most common discipline imposed for a sustained allegation of domestic violence was counseling.
Only 19% of the departments indicated that officers would be terminated after a second sustained allegation of domestic violence.
A recent study of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department found inconsistent policies and practices for officers accused of domestic violence, regarding arrests, seizure of firearms, and Employee Assistance treatment.There is no reason to believe that the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department is unique in this; rather, this inconsistency is typical for police agencies responding to domestic violence committed by its own members.

References
http://www.ncdsv.org/images/EFGS_America%27s-deadly-DV-problem_2014.pdf
http://www.womensLaw.org
http://www.smartgunlaws.org/facts/statistics/
http://www.womenandpolicing.com/violenceFS.asp
http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org
http://www.domesticshelters.org
https://onsizzle.com/i/11-1-americas-extraordinary-rate-of-lethal-gun-violence-against-women-2919648
http://www.huffingtonpost.com
http://www.thehotline.org

STATISTICS OF GUNS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:
* Almost 20 people are physically abused by a partner per minute.
* Guns increase the probability of death in domestic violence cases.
* Women are 5 times more likely to be murdered by their abuser if a gone is involved.
* More than half of the women murdered in the U.S. in 2011 53% were killed by intimate partners or family members.
* Risk of homicide is increased by 500% when there is a gun present.
* Per 100,000 female residents 1.11 women are victims of gun violence.

An "order of protection" is a civil order that provides protection from someone who you are married to, separated from, divorced from, have a child in common with, are/were in an intimate/dating relationship with (including same-sex couples) or are related to by blood or marriage.
Restraining Orders
According to The National Network To End Domestic Violence, 3 U.S. women are killed daily by intimate partners. Experts on the topic say that "women are in the most danger when leaving a relationship — and that’s why it’s imperative that authorities prioritize disarming abusers once a restraining order is granted".
"Often times, when she takes out that order of protection, she’s testing the relationship to find out if she can safely leave, and she’s testing the system to find out if they honor and respect what she says she needs help with,” said Kit Gruelle, an advocate who has worked with domestic violence survivors for 30 years. “Unfortunately, for some women these pieces of paper do become their last will and testament.”
In Los Angeles, a study was conducted involving applications for restraining orders involving domestic violence. It found that the victim and abuser were routinely in dating relationships. These order of protections commonly mentioned guns, especially when those involved were not married or did not live with each other.

Between 1990 and 2005, individuals killed by current dating partners made up almost half of all spouse and current dating partner homicides.
Firearms were used to kill more than two-thirds of spouse and ex-spouse homicide victims between 1990 and 2005.
A recent survey of female domestic violence shelter residents in California found that more than one third (36.7%) reported having been threatened or harmed with a firearm. In nearly two thirds (64.5%) of the households that contained a firearm, the intimate partner had used the firearm against the victim, usually threatening to shoot or kill the victim.
U.S. women are 11 times likely to be killed by guns compared to women in different high income countries.
In 1994 and 1998, misdemeanors involving domestic violence and restraining orders were the second most common reason for denial of handgun purchase applications.
Alarmingly more than 2,800 misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence offenders were able to buy guns from 1998 to 2001 without being identified by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
When background checks are required by a state, there is a 38% decrease of women who are shot by intimate partners.

There are no government statistics on how many children are killed in domestic violence situations, the Huffington Post reports that children under 17 years old made up the largest group of victims in its study.
Laws that prohibit the purchase of a firearm by a person subject to a domestic violence restraining order are associated with a reduction in the number of intimate partner homicides. Only 23 states and Washington, D.C., prohibits people with domestic violence restraining orders from owning and buying guns. However, 15 states took this law further by requiring that firearms be surrendered if a qualifying restraining order is granted.
There are no national statistics on the percentage of domestic homicide victims who had restraining orders against their killers at their time of death, but research has indicated that restraining orders are violated around 40 percent of the time. There is also some evidence that strengthening gun laws for abusers may save lives: According to one study, states that restrict abusers subject to restraining orders from accessing guns have been associated with reduced rates of domestic homicides.
Everytown for Gun Safety revealed in a study that domestic violence played a role in mass shootings involving four or more people murdered between January 2009 and July 2014. 57% of these homicides included the killing of a family member or a current or former intimate partner of the shooter.
Police Family Violence

Approximately 40% of the families of police officers fall prey to domestic violence as compared to 10% of the families in the general population. 24% of them involves older and more experienced officers. This indicates that domestic violence is 2-4 times more common within law enforcement families than the overall population.
Victims of police officers are particularly vulnerable because the officer who is abusing them: has a gun, knows the location of the the battered women's shelter, and knows how to manipulate the system to avoid penalty and/or shift the blame on the victim.
Often times victims fear calling the police because they know the case will be handled by officers who are colleagues and/or friends of the abuser. Departments across the country usually handle these cases informally neglecting policies and legislative mandates. in 1994, a nationwide survey of 123 police departments show that almost half (45%) did not have a detailed policy for these type of cases.

The most common discipline imposed for a sustained allegation of domestic violence was counseling.
Only 19% of the departments indicated that officers would be terminated after a second sustained allegation of domestic violence.
A recent study of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department found inconsistent policies and practices for officers accused of domestic violence, regarding arrests, seizure of firearms, and Employee Assistance treatment.There is no reason to believe that the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department is unique in this; rather, this inconsistency is typical for police agencies responding to domestic violence committed by its own members.

STATISTICS OF GUNS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:

Almost 20 people are physically abused by a partner per minute.
Guns increase the probability of death in domestic violence cases.
Women are 5 times more likely to be murdered by their abuser if a gone is involved.
More than half of the women murdered in the U.S. in 2011 53% were killed by intimate partners or family members.
Risk of homicide is increased by 500% when there is a gun present.
Per 100,000 female residents 1.11 women are victims of gun violence.

An "order of protection" is a civil order that provides protection from someone who you are married to, separated from, divorced from, have a child in common with, are/were in an intimate/dating relationship with (including same-sex couples) or are related to by blood or marriage.
Restraining Orders
According to The National Network To End Domestic Violence, 3 U.S. women are killed daily by intimate partners. Experts on the topic say that "women are in the most danger when leaving a relationship — and that’s why it’s imperative that authorities prioritize disarming abusers once a restraining order is granted".
"Often times, when she takes out that order of protection, she’s testing the relationship to find out if she can safely leave, and she’s testing the system to find out if they honor and respect what she says she needs help with,” said Kit Gruelle, an advocate who has worked with domestic violence survivors for 30 years. “Unfortunately, for some women these pieces of paper do become their last will and testament.”
In Los Angeles, a study was conducted involving applications for restraining orders involving domestic violence. It found that the victim and abuser were routinely in dating relationships. These order of protections commonly mentioned guns, especially when those involved were not married or did not live with each other.

Between 1990 and 2005, individuals killed by current dating partners made up almost half of all spouse and current dating partner homicides.
Firearms were used to kill more than two-thirds of spouse and ex-spouse homicide victims between 1990 and 2005.
A recent survey of female domestic violence shelter residents in California found that more than one third (36.7%) reported having been threatened or harmed with a firearm. In nearly two thirds (64.5%) of the households that contained a firearm, the intimate partner had used the firearm against the victim, usually threatening to shoot or kill the victim.
U.S. women are 11 times likely to be killed by guns compared to women in different high income countries.
In 1994 and 1998, misdemeanors involving domestic violence and restraining orders were the second most common reason for denial of handgun purchase applications.
Alarmingly more than 2,800 misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence offenders were able to buy guns from 1998 to 2001 without being identified by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
When background checks are required by a state, there is a 38% decrease of women who are shot by intimate partners.

Approximately 40% of the families of police officers fall prey to domestic violence as compared to 10% of the families in the general population. 24% of them involves older and more experienced officers. This indicates that domestic violence is 2-4 times more common within law enforcement families than the overall population.
Victims of police officers are particularly vulnerable because the officer who is abusing them: has a gun, knows the location of the the battered women's shelter, and knows how to manipulate the system to avoid penalty and/or shift the blame on the victim.
Often times victims fear calling the police because they know the case will be handled by officers who are colleagues and/or friends of the abuser. Departments across the country usually handle these cases informally neglecting policies and legislative mandates. in 1994, a nationwide survey of 123 police departments show that almost half (45%) did not have a detailed policy for these type of cases.

The most common discipline imposed for a sustained allegation of domestic violence was counseling.
Only 19% of the departments indicated that officers would be terminated after a second sustained allegation of domestic violence.
A recent study of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department found inconsistent policies and practices for officers accused of domestic violence, regarding arrests, seizure of firearms, and Employee Assistance treatment.There is no reason to believe that the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department is unique in this; rather, this inconsistency is typical for police agencies responding to domestic violence committed by its own members.

References:

womenandpolicing.com
WomensLaw.org
Smartgunlaws.org

Between 1990 and 2005, individuals killed by current dating partners made up almost half of all spouse and current dating partner homicides.
Firearms were used to kill more than two-thirds of spouse and ex-spouse homicide victims between 1990 and 2005.
A recent survey of female domestic violence shelter residents in California found that more than one third (36.7%) reported having been threatened or harmed with a firearm. In nearly two thirds (64.5%) of the households that contained a firearm, the intimate partner had used the firearm against the victim, usually threatening to shoot or kill the victim.
U.S. women are 11 times likely to be killed by guns compared to women in different high income countries.
In 1994 and 1998, misdemeanors involving domestic violence and restraining orders were the second most common reason for denial of handgun purchase applications.
Alarmingly more than 2,800 misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence offenders were able to buy guns from 1998 to 2001 without being identified by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
When background checks are required by a state, there is a 38% decrease of women who are shot by intimate partners.

Approximately 40% of the families of police officers fall prey to domestic violence as compared to 10% of the families in the general population. 24% of them involves older and more experienced officers. This indicates that domestic violence is 2-4 times more common within law enforcement families than the overall population.
Victims of police officers are particularly vulnerable because the officer who is abusing them: has a gun, knows the location of the the battered women's shelter, and knows how to manipulate the system to avoid penalty and/or shift the blame on the victim.
Often times victims fear calling the police because they know the case will be handled by officers who are colleagues and/or friends of the abuser. Departments across the country usually handle these cases informally neglecting policies and legislative mandates. in 1994, a nationwide survey of 123 police departments show that almost half (45%) did not have a detailed policy for these type of cases.

The most common discipline imposed for a sustained allegation of domestic violence was counseling.
Only 19% of the departments indicated that officers would be terminated after a second sustained allegation of domestic violence.
A recent study of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department found inconsistent policies and practices for officers accused of domestic violence, regarding arrests, seizure of firearms, and Employee Assistance treatment.There is no reason to believe that the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department is unique in this; rather, this inconsistency is typical for police agencies responding to domestic violence committed by its own members.

Domestic Conflict

•Americans, by and large, support policies that reduce access to guns. But once these policies are proposed, they are broadly spun by politicians and pundits into attempts to “take away your guns.” So nothing gets done, and preventable deaths keep occurring.
•The psychological profiles of self-destructive killers, whether underwear bombers or school shooters, are not so different from those of the 34,000 Americans who commit suicide every year, burdened by mental illness, social isolation, personal and professional failures.
• Underneath the political rhetoric in suicide letters, videos and testimonies of grieving family and friends there is evidence of deep psychological pain.

Psychology:
Several studies conducted in recent years have given us great insight into the psychology of gun ownership; meaning the beliefs and behaviors frequently exhibited by gun owners and the motivations behind them keeping weapons.

Who should own a gun? Should people get psychological screenings to be determined if they should own a gun?

"Men who carry guns suffer from a “crisis of confidence.”
"Holding a gun can make you paranoid"
"Gun owners tend to be angry and impulsive."
"Those with racist views are more likely to oppose gun reform."
"Risk-taking students are more likely to have guns at college."
"Holding a gun can make you paranoid"

Zina Haughton had taken out a restraining order against her estranged husband. Shw worked in a spa in Wisconsin and was the mother of two girls. The straining order against her husband prohibited him from buying a gun under federal law. He proceeded to put in ad up on the Amrslist.com website and found someone who wantd to sell him a .40 caliber FNH. They agreed to meet up in the parking lot of a McDonalds. No background check was required for this purpose. One day after posting his ad on the website Zina's estranged husband walked into walked into the spa she worked at, and killed her and two co-workers and injured several more people before taking his life.
This is just one of many stories that show just how easy it is to obtain a gun and kill someone. The death of Zina and her co-workers could have been prevented had Armslist.com made you go through a bakground check.

•This suggests that those who have the most rage toward others and therefore end up killing the most victims, would also feel the most guilt and ashamed about their crimes. They are therefore more likely to engage in “self-punishment” via suicide or suicide by cop.
• How do mental health and mental illness affect the prediction of gun violence? Is there anything that can be done at the individual and community level to prevent gun violence and Mass Shooting?
•I believe Individuals can seek help and assistance from churches when they feel swallowed by the pressures of everyday life.
•Parental guidance could also play an important role to help troubled children and family members to desist from destructive behaviors like Mass Shooting and Suicide

13 states that do not require alleged domestic abusers so turn in their firearms
Only 16 states require the removal of guns from those who have a temporary restraining order. It can take weeks before a restraining order is put into place, giving abusive partners time to obtain firearms -- legally -- before they are barred.
Federal laws to identify what behavior constitutes "abuse" may not be rigorous enough.
Background checks for online gun sales, on websites such as Armslist.com, should be required.

Reference: https://www.thetrace.org/2016/10/why-domestic-abusers-get-to-keep-their-guns/

Loopholes in our laws and failure to actually enforce these laws, is what causes problems between women and their abusers. There are gaps pertaining to domestic violence and guns that render laws ineffective.

Federal Law does not keep guns away from convicted stalkers or dating partners. More women are killed by dating partners than by spouses.

In 35 states the law does not keep people who are covicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes from the purchasing of guns.
In most states federal law does not keep abuser from purchasing guns from unlicensed, private sellers.
41 states do not require domestic abusers to turn in guns they already own.

Reference: https://everytownresearch.org/reports/guns-and-violence-against-women/

13 states that do not require alleged domestic abusers so turn in their firearms
Only 16 states require the removal of guns from those who have a temporary restraining order. It can take weeks before a restraining order is put into place, giving abusive partners time to obtain firearms -- legally -- before they are barred.
Federal laws to identify what behavior constitutes "abuse" may not be rigorous enough.
Background checks for online gun sales, on websites such as Armslist.com, should be required.

Reference: https://www.thetrace.org/2016/10/why-domestic-abusers-get-to-keep-their-guns/

Physicological Aspects of criminals

Psychological Aspects of Abuse

Physiology is the study of how organisms function. The physi- part of the word comes from a Greek word that is broadly translated as 'natural origin.' The same root is used to form the words physician, physical, and physics. When we think of physics today we think of the study of how matter and energy work, but another way to think about physics is as a study of how nature functions. In that sense, physiology is also a study of how nature functions - in this case, within a living organism. Physiology can be divided into many sub-fields, including plants, animals, bacteria, and more, but most early physiology records focused on how human systems work.

We ought to be asking research questions concerning the psychological motivations to own or to use firearms. For example,
How did those who have committed a crime using a gun feel before the crime, during the crime, and after the crime?

Within three years of being released from jail, two out of every three inmates in the US wind up behind bars again -- a problem that contributes to the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world. New research suggests that the degree to which inmates' express guilt or shame may provide an indicator of how likely they are to re-offend. ( science daily 1)

It is also said that the feelings of these inmates do play a huge part of the outcome of these criminals. In this article the reasearchers

“When people feel guilt about a specific behavior, they experience tension, remorse, and regret,” the researchers write. “Research has shown that this sense of tension and regret typically motivates reparative action — confessing, apologizing, or somehow repairing the damage done.”Feelings of shame, on the other hand, involve a painful feeling directed toward the self. For some people, feelings of shame lead to a defensive response, a denial of responsibility, and a need to blame others — a process that can lead to aggression.

Tangry and her colleagues interviewed over 470 inmates, asking them about their feelings of guilt, shame, and externalization of blame soon after they were incarcerated. The researchers followed up with 332 of the offenders a year after they had been released, this time asking them whether they had been arrested again and whether they had committed a crime but had not been caught. They also compared the self-reported data to official arrest records.Overall, expressions of guilt and shame were associated with recidivism rates, but in different ways.“Proneness to guilt predicts less recidivism — a lower likelihood of re-offense,” Tangney says. That is, the more inclined an inmate is to feel guilt, the less likely he or she is to re-offend.The implications of proneness to shame, on the other hand, were more complex.Inmates inclined to feel shame, and who were also defensive and blameful of others, were more likely to slip back into crime. Inmates who were shameful but who didn’t blame others were less likely to end up in jail again.

Are these people who are convicted due to committing a crime using a gun; get tested psychologically right away or do they have to show or say they suffer from any mental health problems?

Many cases show examples of people pretending to have a mental illness and blaming what they "suffer from" for committing the crime. ( Insanity Defense) Different types of test are done such as right/wrong test and lie detector (polygraph) test. I noticed that it is not taken into consideration and seriously if the person does suffer from a mental illness the system is more focused to determine if the person is lying or telling the truth.

The psychology of why people might want firearms:
What do those who have committed a crime using a gun felt like before the crime, during the crime and after the crime?
Within three years of being released from jail, two out of every three inmates in the US wind up behind bars again -- a problem that contributes to the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world. New research suggests that the degree to which inmates' express guilt or shame may provide an indicator of how likely they are to re-offend. ( science daily 1)
It is also said that the feelings of these inmates do play a huge part of the outcome of these criminals. In this article the reasearchers
“When people feel guilt about a specific behavior, they experience tension, remorse, and regret,” the researchers write. “Research has shown that this sense of tension and regret typically motivates reparative action — confessing, apologizing, or somehow repairing the damage done.”Feelings of shame, on the other hand, involve a painful feeling directed toward the self. For some people, feelings of shame lead to a defensive response, a denial of responsibility, and a need to blame others — a process that can lead to aggression.Tangney and her colleagues interviewed over 470 inmates, asking them about their feelings of guilt, shame, and externalization of blame soon after they were incarcerated. The researchers followed up with 332 of the offenders a year after they had been released, this time asking them whether they had been arrested again and whether they had committed a crime but had not been caught. They also compared the self-reported data to official arrest records.Overall, expressions of guilt and shame were associated with recidivism rates, but in different ways.“Proneness to guilt predicts less recidivism — a lower likelihood of re-offense,” Tangney says. That is, the more inclined an inmate is to feel guilt, the less likely he or she is to re-offend.The implications of proneness to shame, on the other hand, were more complex.Inmates inclined to feel shame, and who were also defensive and blameful of others, were more likely to slip back into crime. Inmates who were shameful but who didn’tblame others were less likely to end up in jail again.

Are these people who are convicted due to committing a crime using a gun; get tested psychologically right away or do they have to show or say they suffer from any mental health problems?

Many cases show examples of people faking to have a mental illness and blaming what they "suffer from" for commiting the crime. ( Insanity Defense) Different types of test are done such as right/wrong test and lie detector (polygraph) test. I noticed that it is not taken into consideration and seriously if the person does suffer from a mental illness the system is more focused to determine if the person is lying or telling the truth.

Why would a person want a gun ?

Protection
Collection
Hunting
Leisure

Mental Health problems: Should a person with schizophrenia be considered or not to have the access of obtaining a legal gun?
Schizophrenic people have stages in which they can determine if they experiencing a crisis or if they are completely fine and "normal."

When someone commits a crime and the words "mentally ill" comes up it is more common to relate the illness to schizophrenia, which is not taken into consideration that schizophrenia is not the only mental illness a person can suffer from.

People with schizophrenia are far more likely to harm themselves than be violent toward the public. Violence is not a symptom of schizophrenia. News and entertainment media tend to link mental illnesses including schizophrenia to criminal violence. Most people with schizophrenia, however, are not violent toward others but are withdrawn and prefer to be left alone. Drug or alcohol abuse raises the risk of violence in people with schizophrenia, particularly if the illness is untreated, but also in people who have no mental illness. When violence does occur, it is most frequently targeted at family members and friends, and more often takes place at home.

Different Criminal minds / mental illness:
http://www.criminalmindsfanwiki.com/page/Criminal+Minds+Psychology+101

Examples of some mental illness:

Abnormal Psychology:
The scientific of abnormal behavior in order to describe, predict, explain and change abnormal patterns of functioning.

Acute Stress disorder: An anxiety disorder in which fear and related symptons are experienced soon after a traumatic event and lasts less than a month. Which causes: intense fear, threats to life or serious injury to oneself or others. Dissociative symptons: Emotional detachment, temporary loss of memory.
Examples of crime: Rape, mugging, combat, natural disasters etc.

Anti social personality disorder:
A personality disorder marked by a general pattern of disregard for and violation of other peoples rights. (This condition is most closely linked to adult criminal behavior)

Boarderline Personality disorder:
A personality disorder characterized by repeated instability in interpersonal realtionshps, self image, mood and by impulsive behavior.

Delusion:
A strange false belief firmly held despite evidence to the contrary.

Why is it the judge's job to determine if the person should or should not own a gun if the person suffers from any mental health problems? why do they continue to fight against the metical records which state the person do suffer from a mantal illness>?
Based of what I have read I concluded that the judge cares alot about making sure that the person who committed the crime understand and know that what they did was wrong and what they did they chose to do it, whether the person was mentally well or mentally ill.

Schizophrenia is a serious disorder which affects how a person thinks, feels and acts. Someone with schizophrenia may have difficulty distinguishing between what is real and what is imaginary; may be unresponsive or withdrawn; and may have difficulty expressing normal emotions in social situations. Contrary to public perception, schizophrenia is not split personality or multiple personality. The vast majority of people with schizophrenia are not violent and do not pose a danger to others.
Schizophrenia is not caused by childhood experiences, poor parenting or lack of willpower, nor are the symptoms identical for each person.This program examines schizophrenia, an often heartbreaking mental illness that can rob people of the chance to pursue normal goals. After noting that one percent of the world's population suffers from this disability and describing its symptoms, experts discuss how this insidious disease affects the human brain and a person's ability to function socially.

Psychology:
Several studies conducted in recent years have given us great insight into the psychology of gun ownership; meaning the beliefs and behaviors frequently exhibited by gun owners and the motivations behind them keeping weapons.

10 qualities of criminal minds:
1. Parts of the brain might be disformed
2. A tumor could be to blame
3. Chemical levels on the brain are off
4. The brain does not respond to face expression
5. They are fearless
6. There are warning signs as early as age three
7. The rational side and irrational side communicate too much
8. They are genetically predisposed to crime
9. Teens brains are not fully formed yet
10. Smoking while pregnant can lead to children with criminal tendencies

Eligibility to obtain a license for a firearm in New York:
Have no prior felony or serious offense convictions

Be of good moral character
Have a legally recognized reason for wanting to possess or carry a firearm
Be ready to open the business for which the license is being applied
Must be 21 years old
Must be a New York state resident

Personal information asked to obtain a New York firearm license:

- Date of Birth
- Social Security Number
- Address
- Physical Description
- Criminal History
- Mental Health History
- Character Reference
- You will also need to provide a form of identification

Common characterizations of the psychological states of gun owners:
"Men who carry guns suffer from a “crisis of confidence.”
"Holding a gun can make you paranoid"
"Gun owners tend to be angry and impulsive."
"Those with racist views are more likely to oppose gun reform."
"Risk-taking students are more likely to have guns at college."

How can we think critically about the intersection between guns and human psychology?