NCJ Number
159319
Date Published
1994
Length
42 pages
Annotation
The National Rifle Association (NRA) contends the availability of firearms to children has not increased since the 1970's and that assault rifles are rarely used by juveniles to commit crimes.
Abstract
According to the NRA, research studies, statistics, and media portrayals exaggerate the incidence of gun-related deaths and the harm to children and adolescents, and the NRA believes the problem of firearm-related violence among children has been invented as an excuse for restricting firearms owned by adults. For the most part, gun-related violence is a growing problem among young black and Hispanic males in urban areas. This phenomenon should be addressed by rebuilding the social structure of inner cities rather than by enacting more stringent gun laws. In general, the NRA favors regulations related to the access and misuse of firearms by minors, as long as these regulations meet certain criteria. The NRA indicates there is no relationship between ordinary gun ownership and relatively recent increases in gun-related violence involving children and teenagers and believes common risk factors associated with teenage violence involve factors rarely associated with ordinary gun ownership. Policy implications of the NRA position focus on firearms education and violence in schools. Efforts of the NRA to respond to the problem of gun-related youth violence are discussed, with particular emphasis on gun safety training, violence in the entertainment industry, the treatment of violent juvenile offenders as adults, and early intervention for at-risk youth. 94 references