Running Head: Week Two Assignment: Research Question and Hypothesis Week Two Assignment: Research Question and Hypothesis Patrick J. O’Connell American Military University 1 Running Head: Week Two Assignment: Research Question and Hypothesis 2 Homeland security is a very broad, dense and flashy topic that is frequently in the news and is included within an everyday conversation. A lot of times it is linked with cyber-attacks, radicalization of individuals, groups, hackers, terror attacks, so on and so forth. There are times that it can be linked to the military, most of the time it is not in a good way. There is a small percentage of the United States population who raised their right hand and took an oath voluntarily. Conscription would make it mandatory for everyone over the age of eighteen to do an enlistment according to however the policy would be written. There are many countries who have mandatory military service; two of them being Russia and Israel. Here in the United States of America, in times when people are scared, usually right after an incident, such as gun violence or terrorism, mandatory military service or conscription gets thrown around a lot. Being a part of the military brings about a set of unique skills, one of them being weapon familiarization and weapon safety. Thus, if mandatory military service or conscription is established then weapon related violence and injuries should decrease. If that could be proven true, shouldn’t the United States of America adopt a policy of mandatory military service? Dependent Variable: Weapon related violence and injuries Independent Variable: Mandatory Military Service or Conscription Running Head: Week Two Assignment: Research Question and Hypothesis 3 References Simon, C. A., & Lovrich, N. P. (2009). Sources of Support for Mandatory Military Service in the Context of the War on Terrorism: Survey Evidence Pre- and Post-September 11, 2001. Social Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell), 90(2), 368-386. doi:10.1111/j.1540-6237.2009.00622.x Letzing, J. (2013, Sep 22). Swiss voters reject initiative to end mandatory military service; voters rejected an initiative that would have phased out one of switzerland's distinguishing institutions: Mandatory military service. Wall Street Journal (Online). Retrieved from https://search-proquestcom.ezproxy2.apus.edu/docview/1434625627?accountid=8289 Bandow, D. (2002). Fighting the War against Terrorism: Elite Forces, Yes; Conscripts, No. (Policy brief 430). http://www.ciaonet.org.ezproxy1.apus.edu/record/4276?search=1 Bick, E. (2013). Equality, orthodoxy and politics: the conflict over national service in Israel. Israel Affairs, 19(3), 505-525. doi:10.1080/13537121.2013.799862 Rostker v. Goldberg, 453 U.S. 57 (1981). Phillips, T.R. (Thomas Raphael), 1892-1965 ed, ([1941]) Roots of strategy; a collection of military classics. Retrieved from the Digital Public Library of America, http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001526641 Yiannaros, A.C. (2013). Conscientious objection to military service: legal standards and practice within the Council of Europe (Doctoral thesis). Retrieved from http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.619304 Israelashvili, M. & Wegman-Rozi, O. (2007) Longitudinal Evaluation of a Preparation Program for Mandatory Military Service, Military Psychology, 19:3, 175-196, DOI: 10.1080/08995600701386333 Lebowitz, D. (2017). German military: 200 soldiers classified as far-right extremists since 2008. Retrieved from https://www-trackingterrorism-org.ezproxy2.apus.edu/chatter/germanmilitary-200-soldiers-classified-far-right-extremists-2008 Llana, Sara Miller. March 7, 2018. Switzerland has lots of guns. But its gun culture takes different path from US. The Science Christian Monitor. Retrieved from https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2018/0307/Switzerland-has-lots-of-guns.-Butits-gun-culture-takes-different-path-from-US Running Head: Week Two Assignment: Research Question and Hypothesis Criteria Synthesis of Knowledge Foundation of Knowledge Application of Knowledge Organization of Ideas/Format Writing and Research Skill Total Exemplary 16-20 X Accomplished 11-15 Developing 6-10 Beginning 0-5 4 Total 20 X 20 X 20 X 20 X 11 91 GUN OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL IN SWITZERLAND AND ISRAEL Gun Ownership and Control in Switzerland and Israel Patrick J. O’Connell HLSS500 B001 Dr. Monique M. Chouraeshkenazi 22 April 2018 1 GUN OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL IN SWITZERLAND AND ISRAEL 2 The issue of gun control has raised debate over the years on whether the civilians should be allowed to own guns. The issue raised again in 2011 after the attempted assassination of a US representative. The gun advocates argue that such scenarios could be mitigated if civilians could own guns and intercept shooters. They argue that gun laws should be permissive. They give examples with Israel and Switzerland as the countries where permissive gun laws have led to improved safety and public health. On the other hand, gun control advocates argue that gun ownership increases violence, suicides and homicides. This paper discusses gun laws in Switzerland and Israel and will investigate whether gun ownership improves public health and safety. Gun licensing and gun ownership rates in Switzerland and Israel are very low compared to the rate of gun ownership in the United States (Rosenbaum, 2012). In both countries there are laws governing gun ownership. In both countries, those with guns are required to renew their permits several times a year. Like in other countries, violence, suicides and homicides have been witnessed in homesteads of gun owners. Gun ownership in these countries is therefore restricted and it cannot be concluded that gun ownership has promoted safety in these countries and has prevented crime and terrorism. Gun advocates in the US claim that the widespread gun ownership and permissive gun laws in Israel and Switzerland has led to improved safety and public health in these countries. The major claims they make is that; in Switzerland and Israel there are minimal GUN OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL IN SWITZERLAND AND ISRAEL 3 laws restricting gun ownership, the rate of gun ownership and licensing is at least as high as the rate in the United States and the third claim is that the governments of these countries encourage their citizens to own guns as a way of preventing terrorism and crime as well as for personal defence (Rosenbaum, 2012). Gun Control Laws in Israel and Switzerland In Switzerland, to acquire a gun, one is required to demonstrate specific risk that make them need a gun. There are regulation tests that the applicant should pass before been given a gun. In Israel, there are rules too restricting gun ownership. To own a gun in Israel, one should have a permit from the Interior Ministry. The guns have limits depending on the owner’s occupation, residence or the role they play in national defence (Rosenbaum, 2012). Permit holders are only permitted to have only one handgun and it should be renewed annually or when there are changes in occupation, national defence role or residence. Gun permits are not given to applicants who take psychotropic drugs or if the applicant have ever been arrested for domestic violence or drug abuse. In both countries, there are rules that restrict gun ownership and the claim made by gun advocates that there are minimal or no rules restricting gun ownership in these countries is not true. Gun Ownership in Israel and Switzerland Small Arms Survey contacted in 2002 showed that there were 16 firearms per 100 residents in Switzerland and 83-97 firearms per 100 residents in the United States. In 2007, the survey showed 31-60 firearms per 100 residents in Switzerland which was still less than the number of firearms in the United States (83-97 firearms per 100 residents). More US household’s own handguns compared to Swiss household. Only 13 per cent of household GUN OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL IN SWITZERLAND AND ISRAEL 4 guns in Switzerland are owned for non-military reasons. A quarter of household guns are for army service. In Swiss only 5 percent of household guns are for sport. In US household guns reported for sport contribute 12 percent of American households. Generally, the United States has more guns per capita as compared to Switzerland. In Israel, only 7.3 percent of Israelis own any kind of firearm. It ranks 81 out of 179 countries in gun ownership per capita. The United States has more guns than any of these two countries. The rate of gun ownership and licensing the United States cannot be compared to the rate of gun ownership in Israel and Switzerland. Government Gun-Related Programs The gun advocates claim that the governments of Switzerland and Israel encourage their citizens to own guns for security purposes which is not true. They claim that many households in Switzerland keep their guns after army service. According to International Crime Victimization Survey (ICVS) data, the number of households that keep their guns after army service add up to only 2 percent. In Israel, gun access is limited and the soldiers access guns only the time of service and during that time they live on base. The claim that the citizens are encouraged to own guns to prevent terrorism and crime is false. The Interior Ministry does not issue permits for ordinary crime prevention and it bans usage of personal firearms for terrorism prevention guard duty. Armed civilians are also not allowed to perform guard duty with personal guns. The Israeli army only provides guns to communities that live in areas that are potentially dangerous and during times of war these communal arsenals are withdrawn. Gun Violence In both countries, gun ownership does not mitigate gun violence as the gun advocates claim. The rate of gun violence increases with increased gun ownership. Gun owners are GUN OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL IN SWITZERLAND AND ISRAEL 5 likely to get involved in violence and injuring others more than non-gun owners. In Switzerland many firearm suicides were reported between 1998 and 2007 but have decreased with gun ownership decline and the same for homicides (Rosenbaum, 2012). In Israel, many suicides were committed using personal firearms. The number of suicides has been decreasing with the decrease of soldiers’ access to firearm when they are off-duty. Conclusion Many of these claims that the gun advocates have been making about Israel and Switzerland are not true. These countries have laws that regulate access to firearms. In both countries gun holders must meet certain requirements and are given limitations. It is false that the citizens are encouraged to own personal guns. It is clear in both countries that extensive gun ownership does not prevent crime and terrorism. Instead, cases of suicides, homicides and violence increase with increase in gun ownership. Generally extensive gun ownership is not the solution to improving the public safety. GUN OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL IN SWITZERLAND AND ISRAEL 6 References Rosenbaum, J. E. (2012). Gun utopias? Firearm access and ownership in Israel and Switzerland. Journal of Public Health Policy, 33(1), 46-58. Criteria Synthesis of Knowledge Foundation of Knowledge Application of Knowledge Organization of Ideas/Format Writing and Research Skill Total Exemplary 16-20 X Accomplished 11-15 Developing 6-10 Beginning 0-5 Total 20 X 20 X 20 X 20 X 13 93 WEEK 4: REVIEW OF LITERATURE Week 4: Review of Literature Patrick J. O’Connell HLSS500 B001 Dr. Monique M. Chouraeshkenazi 29 April 2018 1 WEEK 4: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2 It does not matter what side of the aisle you side with on the partisan, it does not matter your skin color, your race, age, ethnicity, religion etc. Gun violence affects everyone. The issue of gun control has raised debate over the years on whether the civilians should be allowed to own guns. The second amendment comes into play at that point. It is a very touchy issue for both sides of the partisan line and with the United States population as a whole. The gun advocates argue that such scenarios could be mitigated if civilians could own guns and intercept shooters. The second amendment says that “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” (U.S. Const. amend. II). Is it possible that people are not looking deep enough into the issue? Gun violence is a big deal and it is on an upward trend or, so it seems. There are a lot of guns and gun owners, but how many of them have the knowledge to handle and use their weapons safely? That is an issue that does not seem to be raised when it comes to gun related injuries and violence. Now, there is also another big topic that comes about after a gun related incident occurs, but it usually gets overshadowed. That is mandatory military service. There are many countries out there today that still have mandatory military service, some of them even had stopped the policy and then brought it back because they saw the benefits. The United States is not one of those countries. The military uses weapons of all shapes and sizes. They teach their soldiers how to operate and handle them safely. Additionally, the soldiers must qualify on them if they want to continue to be able to use the weapon. If a soldier does not have the weapon knowledge or fails to qualify on the weapon, they are not allowed to carry or operate it. Is that not reasonable? Maybe there is a correlation between weapon knowledge and gun injuries and violence. Maybe if ever citizen served a couple of years in the military, gained weapon knowledge and safety, there would be less gun related injuries and gun violence. So, if mandatory military service or conscription is established then gun violence and gun related injuries should decrease. WEEK 4: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 3 Gun utopias? Firearm access and ownership in Israel and Switzerland Rosenbaum wrote about gun licensing and gun ownership in both Israel and Switzerland. Both countries have mandatory military service and the paper discusses gun laws in Switzerland and Israel and whether gun ownership improves public health and safety. Gun licensing and gun ownership rates in Switzerland and Israel are very low compared to the rate of gun ownership in the United States (Rosenbaum, 2012). Gun advocates in the US claim that the widespread gun ownership and permissive gun laws in Israel and Switzerland has led to improved safety and public health in these countries. The major claims they make is that; in Switzerland and Israel there are minimal laws restricting gun ownership, the rate of gun ownership and licensing is at least as high as the rate in the United States and the third claim is that the governments of these countries encourage their citizens to own guns as a way of preventing terrorism and crime as well as for personal defence (Rosenbaum, 2012). In Switzerland, to acquire a gun, one is required to demonstrate specific risk that make them need a gun. There are regulation tests that the applicant should pass before been given a gun. In Israel, there are rules too restricting gun ownership. To own a gun in Israel, one should have a permit from the Interior Ministry. The guns have limits depending on the owner’s occupation, residence or the role they play in national defence (Rosenbaum, 2012). Gun permits are not given to applicants who take psychotropic drugs or if the applicant have ever been arrested for domestic violence or drug abuse. In both countries, there are rules that restrict gun ownership and the claim made by gun advocates that there are minimal or no rules restricting gun ownership in these countries is not true. Many of these claims that the gun advocates have been making about Israel and Switzerland are not true. These countries have laws that regulate access to firearms. In both countries gun holders must meet certain requirements and are given limitations. It is false that WEEK 4: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 4 the citizens are encouraged to own personal guns. It is clear in both countries that extensive gun ownership does not prevent crime and terrorism. Instead, cases of suicides, homicides and violence increase with increase in gun ownership. Generally extensive gun ownership is not the solution to improving the public safety. Sources of Support for Mandatory Military Service in the Context of the War on Terrorism: Survey Evidence Pre- and Post-September 11, 2001 The United States has always had a flip floppy time supporting mandatory military service. It honestly depends on; which president is in office, how foreign relations are going, proximity to the last terror attack, etc. The United States has employed a mandatory service process during the Civil War and then switched over to a draft system around the turn of the century. The World War II Selective Service System was maintained for decades, through the Korean and Vietnam Wars, until it was ultimately terminated in 1973 (Simon & Lovrich, 2009). It was replaced with the all-volunteer system, that is still in effect today. The war on terrorism has brought about a change in the way people are thinking when they come into the service. They are more diversely minded. They are not all coming in to join the military and become a ‘lifer.’ This has cause many new problems for recruiting and retention offices (Simon & Lovrich, 2009). The research that is presented is from an analysis of citizen survey data that was conducted in “18 major U.S. metropolitan population centers over the period 2000–2002 (Simon & Lovrich, 2009).” The results are “the majority of respondents in the three-year period (51.2 percent) do not believe that all young men should serve in the military, while 36.8 percent support such mandatory service (Simon & Lovrich, 2009).” One of the most interesting aspects of the data, is that over the three year period, more people changed from disagreeing to neutral/depends and those that agree stayed WEEK 4: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 5 relatively the same. The data analysis presented in this article suggests that Americans seem to be more aware of the complex motives and goals of the state and non-state actors involved in the War on Terrorism but still have a patriotic duty and responsibility to the United States (Simon & Lovrich, 2009). Swiss Voters Reject Initiative to End Mandatory Military Service; Voters rejected an initiative that would have phased out one of Switzerland's distinguishing institutions: mandatory military service. Mandatory military service is one of the many policies of Switzerland. “After turning 18, every Swiss man is called in for physical and psychological testing. Most are then drafted into the military, where they spend between 18 and 21 weeks in basic training as part of the total of 260 days of exercises in the field they are responsible for until they turn 32 (Letzing, 2013).” However, there are men in big cities who tend to find ways to avoid service, while a greater number of soldiers are from the country. There are certain cases when men can avoid service completely by paying an annual fee or volunteering for civil service (Letzing, 2013). Some say that conscription keeps Switzerland prepared for the worst and serves as a bond to the Swiss men, that they “need to sacrifice for their postcard-perfect homeland (Letzing, 2013)”. According to Peter Minder, a Swiss Defense Department spokesman, there is a security risk if conscription were to end, due to it being unclear how many people would opt for military service on their own (Letzing, 2013). WEEK 4: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 6 Fighting the War against Terrorism: Elite Forces, Yes; Conscripts, No. (Policy brief 430). The United States military is one of the world’s biggest and most powerful. There was a time when the most important aspect of a great military was size, huge hordes of soldiers and warriors fighting on the open battlefield. That is not really the case anymore. It is more about the elite special forces, small surgical teams, that attack with speed, lethality, and finesse. Mass conscription would “degrade the military’s performance, requiring induction of less-qualified personnel, who are rejected today, and raising the rate of “indiscipline” by filling the armed services with people who don’t want to serve (Bandow, 2002). The article goes on saying that “18-year-olds would do nothing to protect America from terrorism; a few skilled personnel can do far more to make us safe than can masses of untrained young people (Bandow, 2002).” Finally, Bandow says; “in America homeland defense does more than secure a plot of land. It protects an ideal, a free society built on respect for and protection of individual liberty. Renewing conscription would destroy the very thing we are supposed to be protecting (Bandow, 2002).” Equality, orthodoxy and politics: the conflict over national service in Israel. Israel Affairs, 19(3), 505-525. Mandatory military service is a staple of Israeli domestic policy. Everyone male and female must serve in the military for at least two years. Conscription was a controversial issue in Israel during the early years of the state. However, now days it has become more of a stapled idea that it is a part of who they are. There was a law that was passed in August of 1953 that required religious girls to be exempted from the military and instead do two years of mandatory civic service and it was never implemented (Bick, 2013). This article goes into WEEK 4: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 7 how politics played a role in who should be allowed to serve, and it also shows how Israeli politics are affect by religious groups. Rostker v. Goldberg, 453 U.S. 57 (1981) Rostker v. Goldberg was a United States supreme court case in which the Selective Service Act was deemed not in violation of United States citizens fifth amendment rights. According to Justice Rehnquist, who delivered the opinion, “Congress is given the power under the Constitution ‘To raise and support Armies,’ ‘To provide and maintain a Navy,’ and ‘To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces’ (Rostker v. Goldberg, 1981).” Rehnquist goes on to state that the Selective Service Act “empowers the President, by proclamation, to require the registration of ‘every male citizen’ and male resident aliens between the ages of 18 and 26. The purpose of this registration is to facilitate any eventual conscription (Rostker v. Goldberg, 1981). However, in the two dissents, both Justice Marshall and White agree that the Selective Service Act is not fair towards females. That their civil obligation to this country is not relevant (Rostker v. Goldberg, 1981). Today there are women who are serving in combat arms. If this were to go to court again under some other constitutional issue besides the fifth amendment, maybe then women might have a chance to sign up for Selective Service. If they are already serving in combat arms, why not allow them to be drafted if the need should arise? Roots of strategy; a collection of military classics This book is a collection of military works from Sun Tzu’s Art of War, Vegetius’ The Military Institutions of the Romans, Marshal Maurice de Saxe’s My Reveries on the Art of War, The Instruction of Frederick the Great for His Generals from 1747, and the Military WEEK 4: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 8 Maxims of Napoleon. These are some of the greatest works ever written and comprised of about the military. Sun Tzu’s Art of War is still used today from business owners to the military to the everyday joe. In the Military Maxims of Napoleon, it says that “it is very difficult to create an army when it has not already a body of officers and non-commissioned officers to serve as a nucleus, and a system of military organization (Phillips, 1941).” This statement says that a nation cannot make up an army without it's core nucleus. It can be believed that if there was to be a mandatory military service, there is already a core nucleus here in the military awaiting to train and make the military ready for whatever is coming. Additionally, the reading states that “a good general, good officers, commissioned and noncommissioned, good organization, good instruction and strict discipline make good troops independently of the cause for which they are fighting. But enthusiasm, love of country and the desire of contributing to the national glory may also animate young troops with advantage (Phillips, 1941).” Discipline is one of the core aspects of the military. Now put this into weapon knowledge and weapon safety. If a solder has instructors and leadership that instils discipline into them when it comes to weapons, then that soldier will have the weapon knowledge and safety to be able to operate the weapon. Thus, leading to less weapon related injuries. Also, if the same soldier happens to be at a place where gun violence is occurring, that soldier knows what to do, how to handle the situation, and how to eliminate the threat thus maybe saving lives. Imagine that every single qualified individual had the same training, no one would think twice about going on a mass shooting. Conscientious objection to military service: legal standards and practice within the Council of Europe (Doctoral thesis). WEEK 4: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 9 Mandatory military service is making a comeback on the continent of Europe. There are 47 countries that make up the Council of Europe and they have been effectively implementing mandatory military service into their domestic laws and practices (Yiannaros, 2013). This doctoral thesis goes into the legal standards that citizens have on their conscientious objection to mandatory military service. Additionally, it explores international human rights standards and if they play any effect with mandatory military service. Yiannaros “aims to contribute to academic knowledge by proposing the development of a more coherent framework of legal and procedural obligations, based on the need to review and adapt national legislation in accordance to indicators and benchmarks derived from the Council's standard-setting policies (Yiannaros, 2013).” In the end, Yiannaros concludes that “as a result of the recent developments in the jurisprudence of the European Court and the Human Rights Committee on conscientious objection, the Member States of the Council of Europe are now required not only to recognize the right of conscientious objection in their domestic legal systems, but, most importantly, to also respect the full range of standards and guarantees elaborated throughout the years by the UN and the Council of Europe (Yiannaros, 2013).” This is huge. Even though countries are stating there is mandatory military service, they have to recognize a citizen’s right to conscientiously object. This could play a big factor in the United States if they decide to in act a mandatory military service policy. German military: 200 soldiers classified as far-right extremists since 2008. The Bundeswehr translates to federal defense. In other words, it is the national army of Germany. Since 2008, “Germany's Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) has classified about 200 Bundeswehr soldiers as right-wing extremists (Lebowitz, 2017).” That is an average of 20 soldiers per year. Back in 2011, Germany had repealed its policy of mandatory military service and there has been a decrease in the number of right-wing WEEK 4: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 10 extremist cases (Lebowitz, 2017). There are some who believe that the right-wing extremists are using their military training to aid their cause and there are some who think that the military are the ones who are causing these soldiers to become extremists. Hopefully there will be more data in the near future to help explain what the correlation is. German Defense Minister von der Leyen wants €12 billion more for Bundeswehr The German Defense Minister von der Leyen would like billions more euros to help the Bundeswehr catch-up and modernize. She has put in a request for an increase of 12 billion euro, about $14.6 billion. According to the graph in the article, less than half of their big ticketed equipment is not operational. This is part of the reason the Defense Minister would like an increased budget. There is a lack of necessary equipment and it is perceived that the Russian threat would overwhelm Germany (“German Defense Minister von der Leyen wants €12 billion more for Bundeswehr,” 2018). 11 WEEK 4: REVIEW OF LITERATURE References Rosenbaum, J. E. (2012). Gun utopias? Firearm access and ownership in Israel and Switzerland. Journal of Public Health Policy, 33(1), 46-58. United States Constitution Amendment II Simon, C. A., & Lovrich, N. P. (2009). Sources of Support for Mandatory Military Service in the Context of the War on Terrorism: Survey Evidence Pre- and Post-September 11, 2001. Social Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell), 90(2), 368-386. doi:10.1111/j.1540-6237.2009.00622.x Letzing, J. (2013, Sep 22). Swiss voters reject initiative to end mandatory military service; voters rejected an initiative that would have phased out one of switzerland's distinguishing institutions: Mandatory military service. Wall Street Journal (Online). Retrieved from https://search-proquestcom.ezproxy2.apus.edu/docview/1434625627?accountid=8289 Columbia International Affairs Online Journals (CIAO) Bandow, D. (2002). Fighting the War against Terrorism: Elite Forces, Yes; Conscripts, No. (Policy brief 430). http://www.ciaonet.org.ezproxy1.apus.edu/record/4276?search=1 Bick, E. (2013). Equality, orthodoxy and politics: the conflict over national service in Israel. Israel Affairs, 19(3), 505-525. doi:10.1080/13537121.2013.799862 Rostker v. Goldberg, 453 U.S. 57 (1981) Phillips, T.R. (Thomas Raphael), 1892-1965 ed, ([1941]) Roots of strategy; a collection of military classics. Retrieved from the Digital Public Library of America, http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001526641 Yiannaros, A.C. (2013). Conscientious objection to military service: legal standards and practice within the Council of Europe (Doctoral thesis). Retrieved from http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.619304 Lebowitz, D. (2017). German military: 200 soldiers classified as far-right extremists since 2008. Retrieved from https://www-trackingterrorismorg.ezproxy2.apus.edu/chatter/german-military-200-soldiers-classified-far-rightextremists-2008 German Defense Minister von der Leyen wants €12 billion more for Bundeswehr. 2018, April 29. Deutsche Welle. Retrieved from http://www.dw.com/en/german-defenseminister-von-der-leyen-wants-12-billion-more-for-bundeswehr/a-43581186 12 WEEK 4: REVIEW OF LITERATURE Criteria Synthesis of Knowledge Foundation of Knowledge Application of Knowledge Organization of Ideas/Format Writing and Research Skill Total Exemplary 16-20 X Accomplished 11-15 Beginning 0-5 Total 20 X 20 X X Developing 6-10 16 20 13 89 WEEK 5: THEORETICAL APPROACHES Week 5: Theoretical Approaches Patrick J. O’Connell HLSS500 B001 Dr. Monique M. Chouraeshkenazi 06 MAY 2018 1 WEEK 5: THEORETICAL APPROACHES 2 Reduction of Gun Violence by Mandatory Military Service Reduction of Gun Violence Before and after the wake of modernity, most countries in Europe have had mandatory military service programs for the youth of their country. Some of the countries still have these programs and they are effective to the needs of the country in their war against crime. Countries such as France, Italy, and Germany have had these programs but recently terminated them. Countries such as Switzerland and Australia still have such programs that target the youth of their countries. Mandatory military service programs are put in place to help fight and reduce different forms of violence, specifically gun violence. This has helped many countries in their fight against such (Jung and Jason, 1988). Mandatory military service is a program where the youths who have completed high school studies are incorporated into the military service wing for purposes of utilizing their time and avoiding incidences of crime that are perpetrated by such groups of individuals. These military service programs are tailored to provide a military service society for the young people. It promotes the togetherness and the interaction of young people from various different backgrounds as they are able to serve together in the military. In the process, these young people are occupied with such programs thus preventing them from engaging in public violence and criminal activities. Different approaches have been theoretically made to be able to combat gun violence through mandatory military service. These include: Public health approach This approach has been widely recommended by many organizations worldwide. It is an approach to gun violence containing key factors that guide one in the course of fighting gun violence. The key factors outlined in the approach define and monitor the problem, identify the risk and protective factors, help in developing and the test of prevention strategies to be WEEK 5: THEORETICAL APPROACHES 3 put in place to combat such acts of violence, and assures that such strategies are effectively adopted by the public to help prevent such acts of violence majorly perpetrated by the youth (Mathew Makarios, 2012). This approach is effective because it addresses all parts of a problem that a group of people or the public is facing. The public health approach has a model of developing assessment strategies of a problem. The public health model consists of four major steps that a government or an institution should follow when tackling the issue of gun violence, these steps are; Defining the problem, identifying risk and protective factors, developing and testing prevention strategies, and assuring widespread adoption of such prevention strategies (Emde,2002). One should be able to select the planning models for health education and also be able to come up with theory-based strategies and interventions in order to achieve a set goal or objective. To realize an objective or a goal, the researcher should be able to implement this theory and model in a real-life situation. In the United States, this approach has been proven workable and effective in combatting gun violence. Institutions such as the Division of Violence Prevention have been able to apply this approach in dealing with gun violence and it has worked out for them (Mathew Makarios, 2012). Evidence-based strategies and decision making This approach helps solve a problem by providing sufficient pieces of evidence. Evidenceinformed strategies help formulate workable plans on how to tackle the matter of gun violence. Institutions have also come up with courses that aid in battling violence. They teach about violence prevention and evidence-based decision-making processes (Jung and Jason, 1988). WEEK 5: THEORETICAL APPROACHES 4 Through mandatory military service, young people have been kept off the streets hence reducing the existence of a problem that may result in violent acts. While under these military programs, they have been equipped with the knowledge to tackle problems brought about by violence. They are able to define a problem and design effective prevention strategies that can be used in such situations. Evidence-based strategies for violence prevention are then employed by this group in the fight against gun violence. After coming up with a public health approach, the actual implementation of the theory takes place based on evidence and decision-making process. This is the implementation and decision making the stage of a strategy to fight and prevent gun violence. Conducting background checks are also an effective way of preventing gun violence. In the United States, the 2ndAmendment and the constitution give guidance as to what pertains to the right to bear firearms and gun laws. They also dictate how the concerned institutions should conduct background checks on public firearm owners. These strategies help in the prevention of violence, specifically gun violence (Emde k, 2002). In conclusion, these two approaches have helped in the prevention and control of gun violence. Mandatory military service programs have helped equip the young people with the necessary knowledge and skills to fight gun violence. Also, these programs have helped keep the young people occupied as they serve in the military. They also provide a military society that enables the exchange of diverse cultures thus promoting unity and peace among the young people from diverse communities. 5 WEEK 5: THEORETICAL APPROACHES References Mathew Makarios (2012). Crime and Delinquency: The Effectiveness of Policies and Programs That Attempt to Reduce Firearm Violence. Emde, K (2002). Cops and Docs: A Gun Injury Prevention Program. Jung, Jason (1988). Firearm Violence and the Effects of Gun Control Legislation. Criteria Synthesis of Knowledge Foundation of Knowledge Application of Knowledge Organization of Ideas/Format Writing and Research Skill Total Exemplary 16-20 X Accomplished 11-15 Developing 6-10 Beginning 0-5 Total 20 X 20 X 20 X 20 X 9 89 Research and Data Collection Methods Patrick J. O’Connell HLSS500 B001 Dr. Monique M. Chouraeshkenazi 13 May 2018 Mandatory military service can reduce gun violence Research and Data Collection Methods 1. Specific research study for the research project Will instituting a mandatory enrollment and introduction into the military service reform the state and reduce gun violence the state of the United States? 2. State whether your project would be more suitable for a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods approach. The project would be more suitable for a quantitative approach since the respondents are given a questionnaire to fill in. The questionnaires consist both closed and open-ended questions. a. If you use a quantitative approach, list the dependent and independent variables from your course research project’s hypothesis and provide a short explanation about how you would go about analyzing those variables. Dependent Variable: Realization of a gun violence free state in the US In the realization of a gun violence free state in the US, we have three indicators; resource utilization, accountability and transparency. Each of the indicators will be evaluated through the participants giving their feed on their level of agreement to the reformation of state’s military service help in realization of a gun violence free state in the US. They give their feedback on a likely scale of 1-5. The scale will comprise of; (strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and strongly disagree) respectfully. They will tick the statement that best describes their opinion. We will use descriptive statistics to analyze the responses collected. We will use the following descriptive statistics elements; mean and standard deviation to determine where most responses from respondents lies. Independent Variable 1: Reforming of the military service enrollment and induction In reforming of the military service enrollment and induction in the US, we have two indicators; judicial reforms and the police service reforms. Each of the indicators will also be evaluated using a likely scale of 1-5 with the statements (strongly agree, agree, neutral disagree and strongly disagree). The respondents will be expected to respond by ticking the statement that best describes their opinion, on that scale. On analyzing, we use descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation to determine where most response from respondents lies. Independent Variable 2: Legislating of Anti- gun violence laws In reforming of the military service enrollment and induction in the US, we have three indicators; Investigation of gun ownership cases, prosecution of illegal gun usage cases and adjudication of gun violence cases. Each of the indicators has statements which are based on the likely scale of 1-5 (strongly agree, agree, neutral disagree and strongly disagree). The respondents will be expected to respond by ticking on the scale of their preferred response. On analyzing, we use descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation to determine where most response from respondents lies. Finally, on analysis of the relationship between the dependent variable and independent variables we will apply multiple regression analysis, which is given by X1= Reforming the state military service enrollment and introduction X2 = Legislating of Anti-gun violence laws b. If you would choose a qualitative approach, what is your working definition of the central phenomenon or idea that you are studying? How are you going to explore this idea or phenomenon? My central idea is to know how each respondent or participants feel Mandatory military service and what their experience on matters related to gun violence. I will explore this idea by formulating questionnaires with questions that will guide the respondents to give their opinion on how they think reforming of state military service enrollment and introduction and legislating of anti-gun violence laws will realize a secure and gun violence Free State in the US. c. What other qualitative approaches would be useful to your study? These could include content analysis, case studies, or any other of the approaches in your week’s material. Explain the value of this approach to your research objective. In my study, I will also use both content analysis and case study qualitative approaches. In case study, I will analyze the decisions made by the focus group while in content analysis I will analyze the information obtained from interview and coding textual material 3. If you were going to conduct surveys, how would a survey contribute useful data for your course research project? In conducting a survey, it will enable me to know the target population, the sample size that I will need in my study and the techniques of sampling I will use. This knowledge will add to the quality and the progress of my project. a. What is the population for your survey and what is the corresponding sample size you would need for a 95% confidence level in the survey results? For my survey, I will target the population of people in the US. Since this target population is large, we use the Taro Yamane formula to calculate sample size required. The mathematical formula of Taro Yamane is presented as follows: Where: Substituting numbers in Yamane’s formula: b. Provide a short discussion of how you would carry out such a survey. What process must you use to conduct any research on human research subjects? In my research, I will first use purposive sampling to identify the four state departments that are believed to have the required information with respect to the objectives of the study. Then, after selecting the four state departments, I will apply stratified sampling technique to identify different strata or subgroups in the state departments.’ In addition; I will classify services the departments and agencies of the state government into the top management level, the middle management level, and the lower management level. 4. Interviews or Focus Groups: a. What special considerations must you consider when conducting interviews or focus groups? The special consideration to consider in conducting the interviews will include the consideration of the positions the respondents hold in those departments, the information required from the focus group and the questions that would asked or discussed. These will be the primary driving considerations for the interviews. c. Who would you want in your focus groups (what types of people as far as backgrounds, experience, education, etc.)? In my study, I will require the focus group to consist people from top level of management to lowest management; I need top state officials in the military service, middle service men and women up to lowest public civilians. Secondly, I will require focus group to have people of different levels of education. The group will include people primary to tertiary level education as their highest educational attainment. This composition will help me to the views of all the societal members represented in the study. Lastly, the length of working or people with different experience will also be a factor to consider in the focus group. d. What data could one or more focus groups contribute to your course research data collection that could not have been collected using intensive interviews? Focus group discussions can provide insight into issues, which cannot be covered on a survey. In my study, the focus group will provide the information on whether one of them has engaged or been caught up in a gun violence bizarre. In addition, they will provide a different understanding of the research questions. This will help me to decipher the responses and thus help develop a more informed report and conclusion of the study. Criteria Synthesis of Knowledge Foundation of Knowledge Application of Knowledge Organization of Ideas/Format Writing and Research Skill Total Exemplary 16-20 X Accomplished 11-15 Developing 6-10 Beginning 0-5 Total 20 X 20 X 20 X 20 X 9 89
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