Guns, violence and gun control - it's literally a matter of life and death. Extend your knowledge of this controversial issue with the resources listed below.

Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture
by Michael A. Bellesiles
A nonpartisan look at the rise of guns in America's culture and consciousness, author Bellesiles takes a carefully researched look at the history of the United States and the role of gun ownership and legislation in its settlement.

Making a Killing: The Business of Guns in America
by Tom Diaz
A former political activist and Congressional aide, author Diaz is unabashedly anti-gun. The book advocates extreme hard-line measures against the gun industry and discusses the possibility of adopting the strategies of the successful anti-tobacco lobbies.

More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws
by John R. Lott, Jr.
Does allowing people to conceal and carry firearms deter violent crime, or does it simply lead to more fatal accidents that could have been avoided? Legal scholar John Lott presents his answer to this question with extensive research and analyses of the effects of gun control laws. His conclusion: more guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens equals less crime.

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Do you understand the Second Amendment? Many Americans don't. Read about federal and state laws addressing the right to bear arms:

The Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment
http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html

Sources on the Second Amendment and the Right to Keep and Bear Arms in State Constitutions
http://www.law.ucla.edu/faculty/volokh/2amteach/sources.htm

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For information on recent California legislative efforts and currently existing laws concerning gun control, check out the links below:

Guns and Crime
Shows gun control laws passed in California this past year:
http://www.gunsandcrime.org/gun_laws.html

The Pacific Center for Violence Prevention
Maps California gun legislation at a state and local level. Includes info about contacting your local Congressperson.
http://www.pcvp.org/pcvp/firearms/leg5.shtml

THOMAS — U.S. Congress on the Internet
An up-to-date list of bills put forth to Congress regarding gun control.
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/textonly.html#gun

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Bay Area Junk Gun Controls
Lists legislative updates on ordinances banning the sales of "junk guns" (e.g., Saturday Night Specials).
http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/junkguns/guncont.htm

East Bay Public Safety Corridor Partnership
Targeting Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, this program focuses on comprehensive gun violence reduction strategies.
http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/pubs/gun_violence/profile05.html

Legal Community Against Violence
An SF-based non-profit that mobilizes legal professionals nationwide in order to reduce violence.
http://www.lcav.org

Pacific Center for Violence Prevention
Centers on community-based prevention instead of incarceration as a means of keeping youths away from guns, alcohol and drugs.
http://www.pcvp.org

The Packard Foundation
Founded by David and Lucile Salter Packard, this private organization uses its funds for public purposes like community-building.
http://www.packfound.org/index.cgi?page=home

Physicians for a Violence Free Society
Works via education and policy work to prevent violence promotion of all kinds, including gun and domestic violence.
http://www.pvs.org

The Trauma Foundation
Based out of SF General Hospital and affiliated with the http://www.pcvp.org Pacific Center for Violence Prevention</a>, this organization focuses on policy development and advocacy.
http://www.tf.org/

STATE:

California Gun Safety
The organization's main goal is to end access to guns by kids and criminals via legislation and petitions.
http://www.CAgunsafety.org/

NATIONAL:

The Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice
Seeks alternatives to incarceration as a way to prevent at-risk youths from committing violent acts.
http://www.cjcj.org/

Center to Prevent Handgun Violence
The education affiliate of Handgun Control, Inc., The Center unites law enforcement, educators, legal scholars, public health officials and health care provider to search for solutions to the gun violence epidemic.
http://www.cphv.org

Handgun Control, Inc.
Works to close goals in handgun laws and educate the public about current gun legislation and how to petition for change.
http://www.handguncontrol.org

Join Together
Comprehensive site featuring news, activism and events for gun control.
http://www.jointogether.org/gv/

Violence Policy Center
Goals include increasing public awareness about gun violence as a widespread public health problem rather than solely a crime issue.
http://www.vpc.org

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Armed Informed Mothers' March (AIMM)
Aims to prove that '" " do not work. Site is sponsored by the Libertarian Party of Chicago.
http://www.lpchicago.org/events/
armedinformedmothersmarch/armedinformedmothersmarch.htm

Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms
Site combines current news, legislation, petitions and activism for citizens against gun control.
http://www.ccrkba.org

Citizens for Safe Government
Based in Alabama and Georgia, this nonprofit's goal is preserving the Second Amendment.
http://www.arms.org/

Concealed Carry, Inc.
Main cause is the preservation of private citizens to keep and carry concealed weapons.
http://www.ConcealCarry.org/

Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership
Based in Claremont, CA, DRGO contains testimonials, articles and briefs by physicians against gun control.
http://www.claremont.org/1_drgo.cfm

The Firearms Coalition
Provides Second Amendment news and alerts. Founded by Neal Knox, a writer with an interest in guns.
http://www.nealknox.com/

Gun Owners Action League
A Massachusetts-based association that promotes firearms ownership for competition, recreation, and self-protection.
http://www.goal.org/

Gun owners of America
An active gun-ownership advocacy group. Has news, legislation updates, and take-action initiatives at a national and local level.
http://www.gunowners.org/

Guns Save Lives
Seeks to abolish gun control and advocates gun ownership as beneficial to preserving human life.
http://GunsSaveLives.com/

The Lawyers' Second Amendment Society
The LSAS is dedicated to preserving the Second Amendment and mobilizing lawyers around that effort.
http://www.thelsas.org/

National Rifle Association
The most well-known organization against gun control, the NRA urges gun safety education rather than new gun control laws.
http://www.nra.org

NRA Civil Rights Legal Defense Fund
Provides legal and financial aid for court cases to protect gun ownership; also sponsors research and education toward that aim.
http://www.legal-defense-fund.org/

National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action
The lobbying and activist arm of the National Rifle Association.
http://www.nraila.org/

Second Amendment Foundation
Dedicated to Second Amendment preservation, SAF carries news, articles, legislative action and ways to contact local representatives.
http://www.saf.org/

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Artnotguns
An online journal featuring writing and art from survivors of gun violence.
http://www.artnotguns.org/

The National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children
Provides emotional support as well as resources to deal with the criminal justice system.
http://www.pomc.com/

Survivors of Firearms Violence
An outlet for surviving families of those killed by guns; contains stories and testimonials for survivors.
http://www.cphv.org/survivors/index.html

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" "
The Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company is a multicultural group of youth activists and artists who stage original performances based on violence prevention. Their current production runs Friday and Saturday, May 4 and 5 at 7:30PM. Contact the Center for more information on the performance and advance ticket sales: (510) 597-1619.

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Handgun Epidemic Lowering Plan (H.E.L.P.) Network
An international network of medical and allied organizations and individuals dedicated to reducing the epidemic of handgun violence.
http://www.helpnetwork.org/

Project Exile
This federally supported program seeks federal prosecution of felons in all local cases involving illegal firearm possession.
http://www.vahv.org/Exile/

For local press coverage of Project Exile's implementation in Oakland, go to http://www.oaklandprojectexile.com/press.htm

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FEDERAL:

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
Provides news, updates and resources for the ATF, which is the nationwide enforcement authority in matters affecting the firearms, explosives, alcohol, and tobacco industries.
http://www.atf.treas.gov/

Bureau of Justice Statistics
Contains crime and violence statistics as well as information about the justice system.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/

Federal Bureau of Investigation
Includes " " lists and information on current ongoing investigations, which include violent crime, organized crime, white collar crime, terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, civil and rights.
http://www.fbi.gov/homepage.htm

U.S. Department of Justice
Comprehensively explains the justice enforcement at a federal and local level.
http://www.usdoj.gov/

STATE:

California Department of Justice Firearms Division

A comprehensive source for news about gun control laws, requirements, eligibility and policies for California.
http://caag.state.ca.us/firearms/

LOCAL:

San Francisco Department of Public Health — Roadmap for Preventing Violence
Provides guidance to preventing violence for communities, public/private agencies, and neighborhood .
http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/PHP/PreventViolence.htm

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American Firearms Industry
Information for licensed dealers and gun retailers. Includes buyers' guide and how to find a local dealer.
http://www.amfire.com/index.html

Standard Arms of Nevada
Makers of popular lightweight guns. From the former President and CEO of Lorcin Engineering, Co., which went out of business in 1999 while it was the target of several lawsuits.
http://www.standardgun.com/

National Shooting Sports Foundation
Trade association designed to promote interest in shooting sports.
http://www.nssf.org/

Southern Ohio Guns
The mail-order gun distributor where Sean Twomey purchased many of his guns before reselling them illegally in the Bay Area.
http://www.southernohiogun.com/

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