A student takes a picture in order to report a gun in a backpack. While the See Something Send Something app may be effective on a small scale, much larger reforms are needed to prevent gun violence across the country. Illustration by Audrey Kennedy
Despite the good intentions behind the See Something Send Something app, it is not an effective solution to widespread crises such as gun violence.
While the See Something Send Something app is a good idea in theory, it is a band-aid solution to the greater problem of gun violence. The best way to address this issue is through comprehensive structural reform.
The See Something Send Something app was created by tech company My Mobile Witness in partnership with law enforcement agencies in 2008, according to the MMW website. The app is intended to connect students and citizens with law enforcement officials to reduce incidences of criminal activity, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
While the app may be helpful for identifying some suspicious activity or incidents such as drug possession, it is no replacement for the structural reform necessary to address current U.S. crime rates. For example, according to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been over 33,000 deaths from guns so far in 2019 alone.
Moreover, according to an article published by NPR, the U.S. is ranked 28th globally for highest
gun violence per capita, at 4.43 deaths per 100,000 people. Estimates by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation found that, when adjusted for socioeconomic status, the U.S. should be at 0.46 deaths per 100,000 people — nearly one tenth of the reality.
While some contend that greater limitations on guns will not have an impact on gun violence because criminals will disregard the laws, this is flawed logic. Many states with “stand your ground” laws, which defend the use of guns in confrontational situations, are at greater risk for gun deaths. For example, after Florida implemented their “stand your ground” legislation, their rates of homicide by gun increased by 32%, according to SafeHome.org.
The U.S. can look to other countries with low rates of gun violence for inspiration. Japan, for example, has one of the lowest rates of gun violence at 0.04 deaths per 100,000 people, according to NPR. Guns are highly regulated, with bans on all but hunting weapons, according to the University of Sydney’s GunPolicy.org. Licenses require background checks, special training, and a stated purpose for the possession of a firearm.
While small changes such as the See Something Send Something app may have localized benefits, they do little to protect the U.S. at large from pandemic issues. Instead, in order to address the root of these crises, the U.S. should work to implement comprehensive legislative reform.
