Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

About the author: The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, formerly called Handgun Control, Inc., is a gun control advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C.

In order to reduce gun crime and violence, the United States needs a more effective national system of gun licensing and registration. Effective gun licensing would require potential gun purchasers to undergo a comprehensive background check and to complete a firearm safety course before a gun could be purchased. Effective gun registration would entail the creation of a national database in which the serial number of every handgun is recorded. This information would enable law enforcement to trace a gun used in a crime to its owner and to the person who sold the gun. For licensing and registration to be most...