In recent events, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting has brought gun violence issues to residents of the United States. To understand the causes of gun violence in the United States, a comparison of gun laws and gun violence rates in Massachusetts and Mississippi is displayed, possible solutions to gun violence are discussed, along with a comparison of gun violence in the United States and Canada. . CONCLUSION SENTENCE Gun violence, "can be defined as a category of violence and crime committed through the use of firearms" (Gun Violence, 2013, para. #1). Gun violence can cause physical or mental injury and death. Guns are owned by a large population in America. Most people own guns for protection or self-defense, but some purchase them for illegal activities that can result in violence. Kleck (1998) suggests that, “When firearms are used in violent crimes, the likelihood that the crime will be completed increases…” (p 114). Compared to other countries, the United States ranks 12th in the world in gun deaths (Rapoza, 2012). Although not the leading country in the world, the increase in gun violence in the United States is causing pain and disappointment to the residents of America. The main factor that generates gun violence is the availability of the weapon to the person committing the crime. Gun violence is mainly used in criminal activities such as robberies, murders and suicides. Although research shows that the media and the Internet can also have an effect on gun violence. The availability of a gun will increase the likelihood that a person will use the gun in criminal activity to commit the crime or to protect themselves from the crime. “The availability of guns greatly increases the risk of violent death in America due to many acts of false death. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2012/12/17/worst-countries-for-firearms-parent-deaths/Rev,TL (1994-1995). Concealed Carry, 703-704. Rogers, S (2012). Gun crime statistics by US state: latest data. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/jan/10/gun-crime-us-state#data Stell, LKThe Production of Criminal Violence in America: Strict Gun Control is the Solution. Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics, 32(1), 38-46. Retrieved from http://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=sih&AN=14039648&site=ehost-live&scope=siteWebster, DW & Vernick, J. S., & Bloomberg, M. R. (2013). Reducing gun violence in America: Informing policy with evidence and analysis. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved November 9, 2013 from the MUSE project database.