Only 100 words Instructional Objectives for this activity: Illustrate the significance of social control. Most schools have had rules in place that prohibit imitation (toy) guns on school grounds and...

You will become familiar with these course objectives:
Most schools have had rules in place that prohibit imitation (toy) guns on school grounds and campuses. This became even more wide spread after the shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado. Some people argue that this is too extreme, and that kids should be allowed to play with their toys on school property. Others will argue that kids who violate these laws should be subject to legal consequences.
A perspective:
Discussions by law enforcement personnel at professional meetings and in news stories and public clamor have addressed mounting concern about violence in communities nationwide. Specifically aggravating the concerns about violence by firearms is the prevalence of guns in the illicit drug trade.
Various assertions have made about popularized through media attention, become “self-evident truths. “ Yet, these”truths” have had little scrutiny to determine their veracity. Among the more critical fallacious assertions are:
Firearm violence is largely an inner-city “African American problem.”
The carrying of firearms by citizens in inner-city areas is commonplace.
Assault weapons are prevalent and involved in many shooting.
Shooting involving multiple victims are generally the product of a person who is mentally deranged.
Shooting are, to a large part, a result of either gang conflict or drug deals gone bad.

Characterization of Violence:
When speaking of violent crime, there is a tendency to refer to violence as a one- dimensional problem. However, as illustrated in Figure 12-1, violence can occur in many forms. Importantly, the motivation for these various forms. For example, gang members may be involved in a drive- by shooting for revenge against another gang.
Collective Behavior: page 332
There are many different classification id social groups. Some groups are established, some are casual. Examples of the former are cortical and horizontal groupings, in groups and out- groups, primary and secondary groups. Casual groups include crowds, mobs, and assemblages. Then there are related types of groups include behavior, such as social movements, social epidemics, fashions, fads, and crazes.
Complicating factors: page 360
These factors collectively illustrate the complexity of imitation gun incidents faced by the police. Unfortunately, the community does not recognize these things. Instead, questions arise about the motives of police actions and the recurring issues of discrination or officers being overly willing to shoot. Citizens, quite innocently, ask, “Couldn’t that cop tell that gun was a toy?” Obviously not, when there is a shooting involved.