What we know about gun use among adolescents

The current generation of American teenagers has grown up surrounded by gun violence. Guns have played a significant role in shaping the developmental trajectories and behaviors of many inner-city youths. In this essay, we examine the role of guns in the lives of young people, and especially in the social and symbolic construction of violent events among adolescents, primarily focusing on males. First, we review studies of gun attitudes and behaviors as well as several epidemiological studies of firearm experiences and risk factors for violence among youth. Second, we summarize several recent studies on the trends in youth violence in relation to firearms. Next, we review findings from our original research based on in-depth interviews with 377 active gun offenders from two socially isolated inner-city neighborhoods. We present descriptive counts for the sample on variables relating to gun acquisition and use. Data on the use of guns in violent events among adolescents are generally lacking in prior research. We attempt to fill that knowledge gap by presenting a summary of our more detailed analysis of gun and nongun use in violent events reported by our respondents.