Can Gun Control Work?

By James Jacobs. Oxford University Press, 287 pages, $27.50

The terror recently inflicted by the Washington-area sniper may have been frightening enough to rouse the public once again to demand measures that would reduce the carnage caused by gun violence in America. But is there anything that Congress can usefully do? The answer to that question is not as obvious as many advocates of gun control believe. The harsh reality is that many proposed remedies would have no effect on gun violence. But a few policies can make a difference, and it is vital to understand what they are.