Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-2025
Abstract
This article examines a multifaceted approach to reducing illegal gun violence in the United States through the implementation of layered defense strategies. While acknowledging the constitutional protections afforded by the Second Amendment, the author argues that targeted legislative and community-based interventions can effectively reduce gun violence without infringing on lawful gun ownership rights. The analysis explores several key defensive measures, including extreme risk laws (risk protection orders), which allow for temporary firearm removal from individuals posing credible threats to themselves or others—a practice recently upheld by the Supreme Court in United States v. Rahimi. The article further examines the constitutional framework for firearm regulation in sensitive places and for certain high-risk individuals, while advocating for bipartisan legislative solutions to strengthen existing defense mechanisms. By drawing parallels to layered security approaches in other contexts, this work provides a pragmatic framework for balancing individual rights with public safety concerns to prevent illegal gun violence through coordinated governmental and community action.
Recommended Citation
Samuel Kan, Building Layered Defenses to Reduce Illegal Gun Violence, 78 Ark. L. Rev. 55 (2025).