Reflection on Nursing Handover - 2240 Words

REFLECTION on Nursing Handover I have decided to reflect upon the first time I did a nursing handover. In accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2004) Code of professional conduct, confidentiality shall be maintained and the patient’s name is changed to protect indentity. Reflective writing is considered a key component of portfolio assessment because it provides evidence of skills development and increasing clinical competence (Smith 2005). What is reflection? Reflection is defined by Wilkinson (1996) as an active process whereby the professional gains an understanding of how historical, social, cultural, cognitive and personal experiences have contributed to professional knowledge and practice. Reflective practice can take†¦show more content†¦Even though I had been caring for this lady for the duration of my shift I was unprepared to give the next shift a handover. I assumed my mentor would do it since she had been doing it on all my previous shifts. However, on this occasion my mentor said to do it at the end of her last handover. I listened to her giving the handover for her patients then when it was my turn, I panicked and muffled up my information. I started with basic information about the patient such as name, date of birth , age and the reason for her admission. Unfortunately, I became flustered after that and it was clear to both my mentor and the other nurse that I was out of my depth and needed help. My mentor then took over and continued the handover. I therefore decided an action plan to develop my nursing knowledge in this area. I looked at various websites and nursing journals detailing how to give effective handovers. I also used advice that I found in the nursing journals and from my mentor to plan out how I would deliver my handovers. The nursing handover was defined in 1969 by Clair and Thrussel as the oral communication of pertinent information about patients. This was supported by Thurgood in 1995 who adopted the view that patient centred care is central to any definition of handover and that it is its primary function. FEELINGS Whilst performing my handover, I was more concerned with trying to remember all the information about Mrs V that I wantedShow MoreRelatedReflection Essay1616 Words   |  7 Pagesa good nursing documentation is an integral part of nursing. It will also demonstrate how reflection enabled me to make sense of and learn from this experience, as well as identify any further learning developments needed to improve my practice and achieve the level of competency needed for when I qualify as an assistant practitioner. While discussing the knowledge underpinning practice, evidence based literature will be reviewed to support my discussion and for the purpose of reflection the essayRead MoreReflective Analysis Of My Personal And Professional Development1518 Words   |  7 Pagesof my knowledge, skills, attitudes, showing how one aspect of my training has developed over year two of my nursing degree. It shall focus on communication, by using the nursing handover as an example. A handover can be described as a communication that results in a transfer of information and responsibility for a patient (Tregunno, 2009). I recognised in my first communication reflection in year one that it is a complicated and sometimes difficult activity, that requires the use of active listeningRead MoreReflection on Video Vignette Pregnant Stroke1011 Words   |  5 Pagescommunication prior to and after observing the video ‘Handover’ relating to ‘Pregnant stroke’; scenario-based videos. In particular, my focus is to relate the techniques utilized in the video for therapeutically communicating with the client with construction and enhancement of my personal skills of therapeutic communication, through analyzation and reflection. The video initiated as the paramedic staff informed the client, Sally that he was going to handover the related information to the nurse. It progressedRead MoreThe Registered Nurse Should Access And Analyse The Best Available Evidence Essay1517 Words   |  7 Pages Standard 1.1 outlines that the registered nurse should access and analyse the best available evidence which includes research to ensure they provides safe and quality practice (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2016). This was absent in scenario one as a result of a fast verbal medical handover Mary to Nicole. There was no guidance as to which patient was being discussed, and no time to write down all the important medical information required about her patients (Edith Cowan UniversityRead MoreInterprofessional Communication in Healthcare910 Words   |  4 PagesReflection on the Handover Video Vignette The issue of inter-professional communication is a critical aspect of contemporary healthcare to enhance team communication and collaboration; its unique principle is the ability of building mutual trust, understanding and support in healthcare environment (Portsmouth, Coyle amp; Trede, 2012). More importantly, it ensures patient’s intensive care and outcomes effectively. In this reflective essay, by approaching the 5Rs framework for reflection,Read MoreReflection On Mental Health802 Words   |  4 PagesIn my opinion, mental illness is also called psychiatric disorder, which affects an individual’s way of thinking, behaving and perceiving, and interacting with other people. Upon reflection, I felt that my anxiety was largely due to my negative preconceptions about mental illness especially my belief that mentally ill people are violent, unpredictable, and dangerous. These views were not only a result of a lack of knowledge about mental illness but also due to t he impact of negative media and culturalRead MoreCommunication Among The Health Care Professionals1855 Words   |  8 PagesAustralian healthcare system.One of the most important roles inside a care facility such as hospital are the nurses caring for the patient. This past years, nursing care being render has been continually developing new accepted standards through evidence base practice which guide nurses in their practice.Furthermore, nurses are encourage to do a reflection to re-evaluate the experience and learn from it.In relation to my experience on this placement , I have written down predetermined learning goals whichRead MoreImproving The Right Patient Care1467 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Ensuring the right patient care to the correct patient is an essential, every day part of nursing care (Dhatt, Damir, Matarelli, Sankaranarayanan, James, 2011). Failure to follow out correct procedure-patient matching may lead to incorrect interventions or treatments being performed on the wrong person (Zipperer, 2014). Unfortunately, this can sometime result in negative effects on patient outcomes, or even sentinel events (Zipperer, 2014). According to the Australian Commission onRead MoreMy Reflections On A Clinical Incident3570 Words   |  15 Pagesreminded about key professional/practice issues throughout their nursing course. One of these issues is handover as a form of commination between nurses and other health care providers and sometimes with the patients placed under their care. Healthcare professional are thus encouraged to communicate effectively during handover as this a direct bearing on the promotion of patient safety. In this assignment I will employ my reflections on a clinical incident (see Appendix I) that occurred within aRead MoreMedication Error Vs. Standard 1 Of Nursing Practice1758 Words   |  8 PagesMedication Error in relation to standard 1 of nursing practice Introduction The words medication error elicit fear in every nurse. According to Stefanacci and Riddle (2016), preventable medication errors are responsible for third reason of death apart from heart disease and cancer in the United States. As a nurse, it is important to obtain skills and knowledge to prevent them as these errors could result in extended hospitalisation of patients, simultaneously a burden of health care cost. These errors

The Alcoholics Anonymous 12 Step Recovery Program Guide...

Running head: 12-Step Meeting Reaction Paper 12-Step Meeting Reaction Paper Carissa Hardy ADRE 6703 Abstract The Alcoholics Anonymous 12-Step recovery program guides alcoholics through a series of behavioral, emotional, cognitive, spiritual and social actions towards sobriety and wellness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive drinking has lead to approximately 88,000 deaths in the United States each year and accounts for 1 in 10 deaths in working age adults, aged 20-64. Alcoholics Anonymous, a spiritual fellowship of men and women focused on a common goal of stopping drinking, has helped over 2 million people get sober and stay sober. The 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are designed to promote†¦show more content†¦I also enjoyed the prayer at the end. I didn’t like when everyone had to admit aloud that they were alcoholic (I get that it’s part of the 12 steps but it seemed like they had already admitted it to themselves because they were there). I did like that the meeting was held in a church. The atmosphere was relaxed, calm and no n judgmental. Even in a room full of what could’ve been total first timers or strangers, they had an amazing and supportive energy that just filled the room. I loved watching the people connect, grow, and heal over a tragedy that took over their life. It was also amazing and empowering to see them make the step to give themselves and the people they love a better future. I feel the 12-Step program is successful because others who can empathize, offer advice, and understand exactly what the other is going through are there for support and encouragement. By the time you decide to enter the meeting you are usually self-aware that there is a problem and you want to help yourself; to me that can and will make all the difference in determining your success in the program. I really like that 12-Step Programs are faith based, I think believing in something bigger than yourself is crucial to the process. I also like that its catered to a lifestyle change overall, not just one singular change like to stop drinking but changing the way you live yourShow MoreRelatedHistory Of Organization : Alcoholics Anonymous ( A.a )1691 Words   |  7 PagesOrganization Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio, and is a spiritual based organization with the sole purpose â€Å"to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety† threw fellowship. Alcoholic Anonymous (A.A.) foundation is built on a 12 step program that involves taking 12 step that will guarantee your sobriety (according to A.A.) because you start the 12 steps but you never end, it is designed for you to consistently work the 12 steps for theRead MoreThe And Its Effects On The Community844 Words   |  4 Pagesreligion playing a major role in recovery is, in many ways, universal in its prevalence in established forms of recovery. For example, step two of the 12-step programs states that you must â€Å"come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity† (Alcoholics Anonymous). This idea that addicts must devote their lives to a being greater than their own symbolizes that they are not in control of their actions. They must look to a greater being to guide them away from their sinful pathsRead MoreAn Anonymous Group For My Understanding Group Dynamics Project1492 Words   |  6 Pages I chose to visit an Alcoholics Anonymous group for my Understanding Group Dynamics project. I went on March 20th 2016, to an open discussion group titled Pass it On Group for Beginners that are Living Sober. It was held at the First Congregational Church at 14 Brookside Road in Darien, CT 06854 at 6:15 p.m.. I chose to go to this group as I felt it was a group that I could most strongly connect to, as I am a recovering alcoholic. I have been cold turkey for two years now. I choose to live a soberRead MoreMy Critique Of Yoga And The Clinical World Of Counseling1633 Words   |  7 Pagesarticles for Yoga Journal and yoga instructor Annalisa Cunningham who has also written Healing Addiction with Yoga. Both clearly believe and have witnessed firsthand the benefits that yoga can contri bute to addiction recovery. The article explains that a yoga practice will help the recovery process on two fronts. A yoga practice will help the physical body by helping it rid itself of the physical impurities that have built up over time through the ingestion of substances such as alcohol and variousRead MoreCounseling For Alcohol And Drug Abuse1679 Words   |  7 Pagesentering into recovery or actively in recovery, the clinician must take their time with introducing the 12 Steps. The individual may not be open to the 12 Step philosophies at the onset. Addiction is very complex and actively affects the person on a daily basis; therefore, it is so important to start from the beginning of counseling to create a structured program. Alcoholics Anonymous has given a wonderful platform of structure for the addicted ones to create a safe, solid, 12 Step guideline toRead MoreSocial Work Observation Paper974 Words   |  4 Pagesturns reading from the introduction guide to N.A. Power and control are the next stages, once members decide they are invested in the group, there is a shift that focuses on autonomy, power, and control (Hepworth et al., 2017, 2013). I did not observe a shift in autonomy, power, and the need to take control. The facilitator shares similar struggles, and the group demonstrated respect, support, and listening as they all identify themselves as an addict in recovery. Intimacy is about connecting andRead MoreCultural Sensitivity And Social Sensitivity801 Words   |  4 Pages the dominant culture established for N.A. is of faith based which focuses on the twelve-steps for recovery, and hope. The culture is also built upon the twelve traditions of NA; unity, loving god, desiring to stop using, autonomy, carrying out the message to the addict who still suffers, financially self supporting, group built by addicts for addicts, anonymity (An Introductory Guide to Narcotics Anonymous, 1991). Raul shares that the message of N.A. is the same for all different cultures i.eRead MoreThe Importance Of A Counseling Student Studying Chemical Dependency957 Words   |  4 Pagescounseling student studying chemical dependency, I was assigned to attend two 12-step meetings to better understand the 12-step process. I attended two Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings at the Episcopal Church in Starkville; MS. AA is a worldwide fellowship of alcoholic men and women who are banded together to solve their common problems and to help fellow sufferers in recovery from alcoholism. These particular Alcoholics Anonymous meeting opened with a serenity prayer, a reading of the AA preamble, aRead MoreEssay on Alcoholics Anonymous: 12-Step Program2169 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿ Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the largest and most commonly known self-help group in the world. Since the creation of AA in 1935, there have been many programs modeled after it, which are also based on the 12-Step Program. Some of these include Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Chemically Dependent Anonymous, as well as programs for specific drugs, such as Cocaine Anonymous (CA) and Crystal Meth Anonymous (NIDA, 2012). Attendance and participation for self-help groups are open for anyone to attendRead MoreCounseling For Alcohol And Drug Abuse2108 Words   |  9 Pagesentering into recovery or actively in recovery, the clinician must take their time with introducing the 12 Steps. T he individual may not be open to the 12 Step philosophies at the onset. Addiction is very complex and actively affects the person on a daily basis; therefore, it is so important to start from the beginning of counseling to create a structured program. Alcoholics Anonymous has given a wonderful platform of structure for the addicted ones to create a safe, solid, 12 Step guideline to

Round-Trip Copper Reactions Lab Report Free Essays

AP Chemistry 12/13/11 Round-Trip Copper Reactions Lab The purpose of this lab was to evaluate our skills of decanting a supernatant liquid without losing the solid and successful completion of a series of reactions. This was done through five chemical reactions involving copper. In this lab, elemental copper was put through five different chemical reactions in order to convert it into different compounds. We will write a custom essay sample on Round-Trip Copper Reactions Lab Report or any similar topic only for you Order Now By the end of the fifth reaction, the copper was back to its elemental state. In the first reaction, 0. 95 g of pure copper was reacted with 4. 0 mL of concentrated nitric acid under the fume hood. The solution was swirled until all of the copper had dissolved. The balanced equation for this reaction is as follows: Cu (s) + 4HNO3 (aq) a Cu(NO3)2 (aq) + 2NO2 (g) + 2H2O (l) When the nitric acid came into contact with the solid copper, a brown gas was immediately released into the fume hood. This brown gas was nitrogen dioxide as the balanced equation above shows. As the copper dissolved, the solution slowly turned blue because of the copper ions. In the second reaction, distilled water was added to the copper (II) nitrate solution until the beaker was half full. Then, 30 mL of 3. M sodium hydroxide was added to the solution. The balanced equation for this reaction is as follows: Cu(NO3)2 (aq) + 2NaOH (aq) a Cu(OH)2 (s) + 2NaNO3 (aq) When sodium hydroxide was added to the copper (II) nitrate solution, a bright blue gel-like precipitate was formed instantly. This precipitate was copper (II) hydroxide. The precipitate was blue because of the copper ions. In the third reaction, the c opper (II) hydroxide solution was heated above a Bunsen burner. Continual stirring was required to reduce the â€Å"bumping†, or formation of bubbles that release gas very quickly that have the potential to cause injury. The balanced equation for this reaction is as follows: Cu(OH)2 (s) a CuO (s) + H2O (l) When the solution was heated, the bright blue precipitate slowly began to darken, at first by showing flakes of black, then eventually turning completely black. This is due to the copper reacting with oxygen, or oxidizing. The black precipitate was allowed to settle and then the supernatant, the clear liquid that lies above a precipitate, was decanted, or poured carefully off. Then, 200 mL of hot distilled water was added and the precipitate was allowed to settle to repeat the decanting process again. In the fourth reaction, 15 mL of 6. 0 M sulfuric acid was added to the copper (II) oxide while stirring. The balanced equation for this reaction is as follows: CuO (s) + H2SO4 (aq) a CuSO4 (aq) + H2O (l) + SO2 (g) When the sulfuric acid was added to copper (II) oxide, the solution turned blue. This was due to the formation of aqueous copper (II) sulfate, which produced the copper ions to change the color of the solution. In the fifth reaction, 2. 29 g of zinc was added to the copper (II) sulfate solution under the fume hood. The balanced equation for this reaction is written as followed: Zn (s) + CuSO4 (aq) a ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu (s) When the zinc was added to the copper (II) sulfate solution, the solution started to bubble. As the solution was stirred, it turned a cloudy blue. Small flecks of a brown solid were visible. As the solution became colorless, the brown solid settled to the bottom of the beaker. The solid formed was copper in its elemental state. The color faded from the solution as the copper ions slowly formed into solid copper. The copper was poured into a funnel with filter paper and washed three times with 25 mL of distilled water and ethanol. In order to dry the copper, it was placed on a watch glass weighing 29. 91 g over a beaker half full of water on a hot plate. One the copper appeared to be dry, the beaker was removed from the hot plate and allowed to cool. The copper was massed on the watch glass and was recorded as 30. 79 g. This was left to sit overnight and was massed again the next and recorded as 30. 77 g. By subtracting the mass of the watch glass from the final mass of the copper and watch glass, the mass of the copper was obtained and recorded as 0. 86 g. In conclusion, the percent yield of copper from the original copper was calculated to be 90. % by the formula: actual x 100 = percent yield theoretical 0. 86 g x 100 = 90. 5% 0. 95 g In theory, the amount of copper at the end of the lab should have been the same amount that was started out with. Due to decanting and changing containers, some of the mass was lost. The calculated percent yield above is fairly accurate considering that some of the mass was los t during decanting and transferring the copper from the filter paper onto the watch glass. How to cite Round-Trip Copper Reactions Lab Report, Papers

Gun Control and Crime Rates A Comparative Study free essay sample

Gun control has been an issue in the United States of America since its founding in 1776. After all, the first shots that were fired in the Revolutionary War at Lexington and Concord were an effort by the American colonists to keep the British army from taking the guns from the colonial armory. Even after gaining freedom from British control, the American people were obviously still concerned about their rights to own guns. This can be seen in the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution which says â€Å" the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. † Owning guns has been a staple of the conservative portion of America. More recently however, many have been clamoring for more restrictive gun laws. These calls for increased regulation on guns have been from those who perceive guns and gun-owners as potential threats to peace. The pro-gun crowd responds by emphatically stating that they have a right to own guns. With every mass shooting and tragedy that occurs both sides get louder and louder. The debate rages on and on. It is important to ask several questions in this debate. Does gun ownership deter crime or increase crime? Do states with a higher gun-ownership rate have a lower crime-rate or is it the opposite? Do gun control law have an affect on crime rates? If so, how long does it take a gun control law to affect the rate of crime? This article aims to answer those questions. The ultimate purpose of this article is to prove that states with looser gun control laws have a lower crime rate and violent crime rate than those with more restrictive gun control laws. A second purpose of this paper is to look at the theory of why this may be the case. The theory that is being proposed herein, is that states who make it easier for people to own guns legally are states with lower crime rates. To put it simply, the more law-abiding citizens with guns, the less crime that occurs. Literature Review Before quoting stats and citing numbers it is essential to look at what both sides are saying about the current gun-control controversy. It is impossible to get an accurate look at this debate without fairly considering both sides. There have been an inordinate amount of gun related articles published in the last decade or so. That being said its not hard to distinguish the two side in this debate. On one side there are the traditional conservatives who are in favor of little to no gun-control. On the other side are those who favor a stricter gun control policy. Let us first consider those who speak in favor of additional gun-control laws. The predominant theory among those who hold this point of view is that more guns equals more violence. Consider what Fareed Zakaria had to say in his article entitled â€Å"The Case For Gun Control. † â€Å"Gun violence in America is off the chart compared with every other country on the planet. † Zakaria says. He goes on to compare the United States to a few other countries and then finishes the paragraph by stating â€Å" We have many, many more guns. † Zakaria is not the only person that holds these sentiments. U. S Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has had harsh words for assault weapons in the past. Recently, in an interview with the New York times she said â€Å"How many assault weapons do you need circulating? To have these mass killings is such a blight on everything that America stands for. † By â€Å"mass killings† Feinstein is referring to recent tragedies such as the Newtown, CT, shooting which claimed the lives of twenty-six and the Aurora, CO, shooting which claimed twelve. Those who favor tighten gun control point to these examples as proof that more guns makes for more violence and death. Many of them also argue that it is possible for these murderers to go on these deadly rampages because it is too easy for them to get their hands on high-powered guns. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) said in an article in the Junior Scholastic Journal that, â€Å"Its too easy for criminals, the mentally unstable, and even terrorists to buy dangerous weapons. † He went on to advocate tighter controls on prospective gun-buyers and more thorough background checks. He concluded by saying â€Å"People shouldnt have to live in fear of guns. Thats why I want to make it harder for dangerous people to get hold of them. † Many of those who advocate for more gun-control are not actively trying to restrict the rights of the people. Oftentimes they are just trying to do what they think is best for the nation and the people as a whole. The other side of the aisle have arguments that are equally strong. One of the most cited studies used to combat further gun control is a book written in 1997 by John Lott entitled â€Å"More Guns, Less Crime. † Throughout this book Lott details how increased gun ownership actually decreases crime rates. He starts by giving examples of how gun-owners used concealed handguns to deter criminals from potentially harming them or their families. He goes on to explain that if criminals know that there may be a cost involved with an attempted crime, then the criminal is much less likely to engage in that criminal activity. Several other conservative authors have further extrapolated Lotts study and agreed with his analysis. As of late, many conservative authors, scholars and columnists have spoken out against increased gun control laws that have resulted because of mass shootings. Erich Pratt, a columnist for U. S News and World Report had this to say, â€Å"The president and members of Congress are pouncing on the recent shooting in Connecticut and are trying to exploit it for political gain. Sadly, if they get their way, we will see even more of these horrific tragedies. † He goes on to explain that most of the shootings that have happened have taken place in â€Å"gun-free zones. † He points out that criminals who want to break the law do not care about signs that tell them that they cannot have guns in a specified areas. The only people who are restricted are law-abiding citizens. He then goes on to give examples of people who stopped potential mass shootings with weapons of their own. Wayne LaPierre, CEO of the National Rifle Association echoes Pratt. â€Å"Gun-control laws have never, and can never, reduce violent crime. â€Å"Thats because anti-gun laws dont affect criminals, who ignore all laws. Government studies prove it, finding that most criminals get guns through theft or the black market, where gun laws have no effect† says Lapierre in an article published in the New York Times Upfront. The conservative right seems to be quite united in their stand against more gun control. Beyond the rhetoric that both sides hurl at each other, there have been several great studies that have been conducted on the subject of gun control and crime. Specifically, there are two studies, one by the University of Harvard, called Would Banning Firearms Reduce Murder and Suicide? Another poll conducted by Quinnipiac University, called â€Å"Background Checks Could Lead To Gun Confiscation, Many Voters Tell Quinnipiac University National Poll; But 91 Percent Want Universal Gun Checks. † The study produced by Harvard, which was published in the Harvard Journal of Law Public Policy, is actually a European study that compares several different countries and their varying levels of gun control. After analyzing the gun laws in each country the study takes a look at the crime-rate in each country. The study looks at a total of eighteen countries. The results were interesting. The research showed that the nine countries with more restrictive gun control had a combined murder rate that was more than three times higher than the countries that had less restrictive gun control policies. The studys authors write, â€Å"If the mantra more guns equal more death and fewer guns equal less death were true, broad cross-national comparisons should show that nations with higher gun ownership per capita consistently have more death. Nations with higher gun ownership rates, however, do not have higher murder or suicide rates than those with lower gun ownership. Indeed many high gun ownership nations have much lower murder rates. † The poll that was conducted by Quinnipiac University is a little different. Qunnipiac sent out several questions regarding gun control and various laws that could be passed or bans that could be introduced. The poll shows that most Americans favor stricter gun control. Specifically, the results show that 91% of Americans favor universal background checks before purchasing guns of any type. This is interesting considering that recently, American voters said, by a margin of 48%-38% (with the rate among gun owners sitting a a much higher 53%-34%), that the government could use extensive background checks to repossess legally owned and acquired guns. Still, the study shows that Americans do generally support more restrictive gun control, including a ban on high capacity magazines and a ban on all assault weapons. Data And Methods Before numbers can be accurately looked at, it is important to define the terms that will be used. When defining gun control The Brady Campaign is one of the most accurate measures of gun control by state. Every year The Brady Campaign gives every state a scorecard. The scale on the scorecard is 0-100. Zero being the least restrictive gun control measures and one hundred being the most restrictive. Points can be scored in several different categories. The categories are: gun dealer regulations, record retention, crime gun identification, owner must report lost/stolen guns, background checks, permit to purchase, ammunition regulation, assault weapons ban, large capacity magazine ban, child safety, guns in public places and local control, CCW discretion, no state preemption, and finally, a limit on bulk purchases. These will be the categories that will be considered when comparing the levels of different states gun control policies. Another set of terms that must be defined and operationalized is crime-rate. This study will compare not only the overall crime-rate of each of the states, but also the violent crime-rate. These statistics will pulled from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI takes these statistics every year and publishes them for the public to see. The FBI uses the Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR) to obtain their information on crime. The UCR is a collection of over 18,000 different city, university/college, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies all voluntarily reporting crime to the program. Crime information can be submitted either to the state branch of UCR or to the federal UCR. In this particular study statistics from the year 2010 will be used. Lastly, population must be defined. In this study the population of each state will be the population that was measured in 2010 by the United States Census Bureau. This is to be consistent with the crime-rate statistics, which, as has already been mentioned, are the numbers from 2010. Also, 2010 is the most recent country-wide census that has been conducted by the government. Research Design A total of six states will be compared in this study. The states will be divided up into three different side-by-side comparisons. The states that will be studied are: Indiana, Illinois, New Jersey, Delaware, Texas and California. Indiana will be compared to Illinois, New Jersey to Delaware and California to Texas. These states were chosen and pair together for three main reasons. First, the gun control laws of the states in each comparison are very different. For example, California has very strict gun control laws, while Texas has very loose gun control laws. Second, geographical proximity. Illinois and Indiana are neighbors in the Mid-West. New Jersey and Delaware border each other on the East Coast and California and Texas are relatively close in the West. Texas and California also both share a border with Mexico which could factor into the crime-rate. Finally, varying sizes, location, population and laws. In order for this study to be as accurate as possible states of different size, geographical location, total population and specific laws must be measured. For example, Illinois has moderate gun control laws, but they are not nearly as restrictive as Californias, at the same time they are not nearly as loose as Indianas. The geography has been explained, but to further the point, different areas of the United States have different sub-cultures, by looking at several different states we can see how gun control works in these different sub-cultures. Also, the variable of population comes into play. Each of these states has a different level of population and population density. Again, by looking at varying levels of population we can see how different levels of gun control affect each state. Obviously states with a much higher population will have more total crimes simply for the fact that it has more people. This will be controlled by measuring the average number of crimes committed per 100,000 persons. The varying levels of gun control laws that these states have will be compared and analyzed. Then, the crime-rates and violent crime-rates will be compared and analyzed. The study will be testing to see if there is any correlation between the individual states gun laws and its crime rate. A second item that will be considered is the effect that gun control laws have had in the states. The crime rate in each state will be measured and compared for the last ten years the states that have more gun laws this is to see if the gun control legislation has any measurable affect on the state crime-rate. For states that have very loose gun control laws this is done to see if crime was trending down anyway. Main Body (Research) First, lets consider the levels of gun control laws in each of the states that will be compared. The study specifically chose six states that did not have a zero according to The Brady Campaign. Below is visual representation of each states gun control score according to The Brady Campaign. As can be seen Indiana has a score of 4, which is being compared to Illinois score of 35. Delaware has a 13 which is being compared to New Jerseys 72. Finally, California comes in with a nation-high score of 81 which is being compared to Texas score of only 4. Referring to the different categories that are scored on pages 5 and 6. Both California and New Jersey score at least some points in all categories, Illinois scores in about half of the categories. While Indiana, Texas and Delaware only score in the two most basic categories; Gun Dealer Registration, and Guns In Public Places and Local Control categories. Now that the level of gun control in each state is known, we can now begin the side-by side comparisons. First, lets consider the small states, New Jersey and Delaware. In 2010 Delaware had a population of 897,934 according to the U. S Census Bureau. That same year Delaware reported an overall crime-rate of 4,077. 2 crimes per 100,000 persons and a violent crime rate of 620. 9 crimes per 100,000 people. Remember that Delaware had the relatively low score of 13 according to The Brady Campaign. In 2010 New Jersey reported a total population of 8,791,894. That same year New Jersey reported an overall crime rate of 2387.6 crimes per 100,000 persons and a violent crime rate of 307. 7 crimes per 100,000 persons. Again, remember that New Jersey had the high score of 72 on The Brady Campaign scorecard. Another factor that should be taken into account is the fact that New Jersey has a much higher population than Delaware. This reduces the affect that each crime has on the rate per 100,000. Delaware has a much smaller population, so each crime has a significantly higher affect on the crime-rate per 100,000 inhabitants. If you were to look at the number of crimes committed you would see that Delaware reported just 36,686 total crimes compared to New Jerseys  210,097. Again this is because of the population difference, but since Delawares total population is so small compared to New Jerseys it was important to note. It is also important to note that New Jersey has a much higher percentage of its population in a metropolitan area than Delaware does. In fact, the FBI reported that, technically, 100% of New Jerseys population resides in a metropolitan area. Below is a visual representation of the trend of the violent crime-rate per 100,000 persons in both New Jersey and Delaware over the last ten years. Now lets take a look at the second side-by-side comparison. The more medium-sized, mid-western states Indiana and Illinois. In 2010 Indiana had a population of 6,483,802 people according to the U. S Census Bureau. That same year Indiana reported an overall crime-rate of 3,393. 5 crimes per 100,000 persons and a violent crime-rate of 323. 3 crimes per 100,000 persons. Also in 2010, Illinois had a population of 12,830,632 people. In 2010 Illinois reported an overall crime-rate of 3,118. 1 crimes per 100,000 persons and a violent crime-rate of 444.  9 crimes per persons. It is important to note that, while Indianas total crime-rate is higher than that of Illinois, Illinois violent crime-rate is substantially higher than Indianas. This discrepancy is because Indiana has a higher property crime rate than Illinois, but Illinois has a higher murder rate and aggravated assault rate. Below is a visual representation of the trend of the violent crime-rate per 100,000 persons in both Indiana and Illinois over the last ten years. Last, but not least, let us consider the final side-by-side comparison of this study. The final comparison will be between the two larger, western states, California and Texas. Before looking at the numbers from each state it is important to remember two things. First, both of these states border Mexico. Because of the recent problems with illegal immigration and drug trade, the crime rates of both states may be slightly inflated. Second, these two states have distinctly different sub-cultures. California is distinctly more liberal and Texas has a much more independent, conservative flavor. Now, to the numbers. In 2010 California had a population of 37,253,956 people according to the U.  S Census Bureau. That same year California reported an overall crime-rate of 3,069. 5 crimes per 100,000 persons and a violent crime-rate of 439. 6 crimes per 100,000 persons. In 2010 Texas had a population of 25,145,561 according to the U. S Census Bureau. Also in 2010 Texas reported an overall crime-rate of 4,215. 2 crimes per 100,000 persons and a violent crime-rate of 448. 4 crimes per 100,000 persons. Below is a visual representation of the trend of the violent crime-rate per 100,000 persons in both California and Texas over the last ten years. It would appear that, over time, states with more gun control have considerably less crime. It would be worth someones time in the future to look at individual cities in each state and include additional controls for population and population density. Also, it may be interesting to see the murder rate for each state in comparison to the gun laws. After examining the results there are a few conclusions that can be made. First of all, it is easy to see that my initial hypotheses were mostly wrong. The only state with loose gun control that had a violent crime-rate lower than the state with tighter gun control was Indiana. Even then, Illinois violent crime-rate was trending down and was rapidly catching up to Indianas. Not only that, but Indianas overall crime-rate was higher than Illinois. All of the states that had more restrictive gun control laws showed a downward trend in violent crime over the given ten-year span. Texas also showed a consistent downward trend, but both Indiana and Delaware fluctuated to some extent. It is worth noting that all of the states with more gun laws had a higher population than those with fewer gun laws. Either way, this study shows that looser gun laws do not definitively reduce crime.