Specifying the Role of Exposure to Violence and Violent Behavior on Initiation of Gun Carrying: A Longitudinal Test of Three Models of Youth Gun Carrying

• NCJ Number: 242858
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 27 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2012 Pages: 158-176
• Author(s): Richard Spano; William Alex Pridemore; John Bolland
• Date Published: January 2012
• Length: 23 pages
• Grant Number(s): HD300060
• Sponsoring Agency: University of Alabama; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Two waves of longitudinal data from 1,049 African-American youth living in extreme poverty are used to examine the impact of exposure to violence and violent behavior on first time gun carrying.

Abstract

Two waves of longitudinal data from 1,049 African-American youth living in extreme poverty are used to examine the impact of exposure to violence (Time 1) and violent behavior (Time 1) on first time gun carrying (Time 2). Multivariate logistic regression results indicate that (a) violent behavior (Time 1) increased the likelihood of initiation of gun carrying (Time 2) by 76 percent after controlling for exposure to violence at Time 1, which is consistent with the stepping stone model of youth gun carrying, and (b) youth who were both exposed to violence at Time 1 and engaged in violent behavior at Time 1 were more than 2.5 times more likely to initiate gun carrying at Time 2 compared to youth who had neither of these characteristics, which supports the cumulative risk model of youth gun carrying. The authors discuss the implications of these findings in clarifying the role of violence in the community on youth gun carrying and the primary prevention of youth gun violence. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage Journals.