The first essay argues that the fewer the guns in a society the safer is that society, since more guns inevitably means easier access to guns by those intent on violence and killing. This is followed by an essay that maintains more responsible citizens should purchase guns and be prepared to use them in self-defense against criminals, so as to reduce death from the criminal use of guns. The next two essays present opposing arguments regarding whether gun control reduces crime, followed by essays that present the pros and cons of allowing more people to carry concealed weapons. Opposing viewpoints are presented on the banning of handguns and assault-type rifles, as well as the impact on crime of increasing the regulation of gun sales at gun shows. Concluding essays argue for and against holding gun manufacturers liable for the illegal use of guns. Gun-control advocates and opponents do agree that crime is a serious problem in the United States. What they disagree on is whether the prevalence of guns in American society contributes to crime by making guns easily available to those intent on using them to threaten, harm, and kill people or deters and thwarts crime by making it easy for responsible citizens to purchase guns for self-defense. A list of organizations to contact and a 39-item bibliography