Juvenile Gun Violence

Juvenile Gun Violence

Juvenile gun violence is an ever-increasing problem in our country. With a wave of school shooting behind us it is time to get this under control. Many studies have been done on how to effectively diminish juvenile gun violence. It is clear that this must be handled on a state and local level with the federal government backing the states. Prevention and law enforcement is the key to successfully eradicate our nation of the ugly stain caused by youth gun violence.

Prevention should begin in the home. Studies show that "gun ownership by adults and the introduction of their children into recreational gun culture appears to reduce problems associated with teenage violence" (Bilchik 11). If a child has grown up around guns and is taught from an early age the proper usage and safety, they are less likely to use it in an inappropriate manner. Legal gun owners usually learn about guns at home, while the illegal owners learn on the street.

Many juveniles claim that they carry a gun for protection. They feel that they need protection on the way to and from school, which makes schools a prime setting for violence. According to Welsh, "Thirty-seven percent of all violent crimes experienced by youths aged twelve to fifteen occurred on school grounds" (Welsh 185). An astonishing thirty percent of students surveyed said they had been victims of assault while en route to or in school.

Juveniles resort to violence, usually involving guns, instead of communicating with each other. "Although guns are more available today, youth also now show an increasing tendency to use them to settle disputes. When youth who are already predisposed to violence have easy access to guns, they may be more likely to beco...

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...lt for criminals to acquire guns but not infringe on the law-abiding citizen. The laws we have should be enforced and more juveniles should be prosecuted in order to make it a risk to possess a firearm. A combination of prevention and law enforcement strategies must be enacted in order to resolve this problem within our country.

Bibliography:

Works Cited

Bilchik, Shay. "Reducing Youth Gun Violence: An Overview of Progress and Initiatives. National Criminal Justice Reference Service. 09 October 2001. .

Connors, Jason. "NRA Gun Safety Rules." NRA 05 April 2001. 09 October 2001. .

Giller, Henri, Ann Hagell, and Michael Rutter. Antisocial Behavior By Young People. New York: Cambridge UP, 1998.

Welsh, Wayne N. "United States." Teen Violence: A Global View. Eds. Allan M. Hoffman and Randal W. Summers. Westport, CT: Greenwood P, 2001.