NCJ Number
145351
Journal
Journal of Adolescent Health Volume: 14 Dated: (July 1993) Pages: 350- 355
Date Published
1993
Length
6 pages
Annotation
A convenience sample of 89 male youths aged 15-18 years who were detained in the King County (Wash.) Youth Services Center, a short-term detention facility, voluntarily completed an anonymous survey that gathered information about the frequency and correlates of handgun ownership and firearm injury experiences among these youths.
Abstract
Results revealed that the youths had an average age of 16.6 years and that 59 percent of the youths reported owning a handgun. Their firearm experiences included carrying a gun to school (46 percent), firing at another person (68 percent of handgun owners), firearm injury to self (27 percent), and death of a close friend or family member to firearm homicide or suicide (35 percent). Personal safety far exceeded recreational use of guns as the motivation for self-arming (52 percent versus 4 percent). Handgun ownership was more common among youths who reported problem behaviors. Adjusting for age and controlling for covariation of problem behaviors, gang membership, committing assault and battery, and selling drugs were associated with handgun ownership. Findings indicated that gun experiences for youths in detention pose health risks equal to or far exceeding other high-risk behaviors in this population. Tables and 28 references