Violence and crime are increasing and affecting American society. By strengthening background checks, we could reduce crime and limit easy access to guns for people with mental illnesses. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) is a database in which the names of people who have committed crimes, the mentally ill, or drug addicts are kept to prevent them from obtaining weapons. Most criminals purchase firearms from unlicensed sellers at gun shows who do not properly conduct background checks through NICS, making it easier for criminals to purchase firearms. Another issue is missing records or information that was not reported to the background check system. Better background checks could reduce crime and gun violence in America. The background check system can help reduce crime and violence with the help of NICS. This system is in charge of or named after criminals, mentally ill people, or drug addicts. Their names must appear in the database when they wish to purchase a gun, and they must be shared with the FBI. However, since the Virginia Tech massacre, they realized that the background check system was missing many records and was not working. Through this Congress, the NICS Improvement Amendments Act was passed to help with the cost of collecting and submitting agency and state information to the FBI, to create a more accurate database, and to speed up the loading of new information into the NICS. According to Christine Watkins, “Every day, 34 Americans are murdered with guns, and most of them are possessed illegally” (Watkins 1). Even if the NICS is more up to date, gun trafficking cannot be stopped. Only people who admit to selling firearms are required to have a license, maintain...... middle of paper ......r in order to deny access to firearms to dangerous people . , Matthew. Gun Control: Prevent Violence or Overwhelm Constitutional Rights? Minneapolis: Lerner, 2012. 7-61-63. Print. “Gun Control”. Online collection of opposing viewpoints. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Internet. September 15, 2013. “Gun Control Reform.” Problems and controversies. Facts On File New Services, February 28, 2011.Web, October 2013.Valdez, Angela and John Ferguson Jr. Gun Control: Firearms Ownership, New York: Chelsea House, 2012. 58-60. Print.Vogel, Steve; Horwitz, Sari and David A. Fahrenthold. “Sandy Hook Massacre: New Details but Few Answers.” » Washington Post December 17, 2012: Pro Quest. Internet. September 17, 2013. Watkings, Christine. “An updated background check system will help prevent gun violence. » Opposing viewpoints in context. Greenhaven Press, 2012. web. September 17. 2013.