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Prevention DSS

CSAP Substance 

Abuse Resource 

Guide: Youth 

Firearm Violence 

2000 CSAP 20 Pages 220 to a 

Box The resources listed in this 

guide suggest the need for a 

comprehensive approach to 

prevention that focuses on both 

individual and interpersonal 

factors to discourage youth from 

considering firearm violence. As 

is true among adults, firearm 

violence among youths has been 

linked to criminal behavior in 

three major ways: through the 

drug market, through actions 

taken to obtain money to support a drug habit, and the physical or emotional effect of 

drugs. The cycle is often started, too, by substance-abusing parents. 

The listing of materials of programs in this resource guide does not constitute or imply 

endorsement by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the Public Health 

Service, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or the 

Department of Health and Human Services. The materials have been reviewed for 

accuracy, appropriateness, and conformance with public health principals. 

This Substance Abuse Resource Guide was compiled from a variety of publications 

and data bases and represents the most current inforamtion to date. It is not an allNelba Chavez, Ph.D.

Administrator 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration 

Ruth Sanchez-Way, Ph.D.

Acting Director, Center for Substance 

Abuse Prevention 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration 

Table of Contents: 

•Books

•Booklets, Brochures, and Fact 

Sheets

•Magazines and Newsletters

•Classroom Materials and Kits

•Videos, Posters, and Other 

Items

•Studies, Articles, and Reports

•Organizations and Internet 

Sites

15736

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inclusive listing of materials on this topic. This guide will be updated regularly, and your 

comments or suggestions are welcome. To suggest information or materails that might 

be included in future editions, please write to SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for 

Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI), P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847-2345. 

Produced by SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, 

Denise C. Jones, editor. 

For further information on alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs, call 800-729-6686, 301-

468-2600, or TDD 800-487-4889. Or visit us on our World Wide Web Site at 

http://ncadi.samhsa.gov. 

Books

Kids and Guns: The History, the Present, the 

Dangers, the Risk, and the Remedies 

Kids and Guns examines the history of guns and gun use, issues of gun ownership 

and control, and the relationship between guns and violence involving young people. 

Its research provides background for today’s headlines of teen and pre-teen violence. 

Through the course of this book, all aspects of the issue are addressed: the history of 

guns and gun use, gun control and gun safety, causes of violence, what students can 

do to protect themselves and help their friends. Also includes an overview of 

successful anger-management programs in use in some school systems. 

Sourcebook on Criminal Justice Statistics, 1998 

This book, published by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 

brings together data about all aspects of criminal justice in the United States, 

presented in more than 600 tables from more than 100 sources 

Youth Violence, Crime and Justice, Volume 24 

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: Schwartz, T.

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1999 

Length: 128 pages 

Topic: Youth firearm violence 

Target Audience: Educators and parents 

Availability: Bookstores 

Format: Book 

Cost: $9.95 

Internet Address: 

Organization: 

Editor: Maguire, K. 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1998 

Length: 638 pages 

Topic: Criminal statistics 

Target Audience: General public 

Availability: Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20531; 202-307-0765 

Format: 

Cost: $5 

Internet Address: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs

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Youth violence is one of the most complicated issues in current debates on crime 

policy. Featuring articles by leading American and European scholars from many 

fields, Youth Violence provides an overview of policy issues and research 

developments concerning crime and violence among the young. 

In the Line of Fire: Youth, Guns, and Violence in 

Urban America 

Violence committed by and against juveniles has increasingly come to define the 

public's image of the crime problem and the larger debate over anti-crime policy. In the 

Line of Fire describes the most extensive study to date of the means and methods of 

gun-related violence among urban youth. Focusing on the number and types of 

firearms juveniles possess as well as where, how, and why they acquire and carry 

guns, the authors use data collected from male inmates in juvenile correctional 

facilities in four States and from male students in 10 inner-city public high schools in 

those same States. Their findings confirm the prevalence of firearms in these selected 

populations, but challenge a number of stereotypes concerning the reasons for gun 

possession and use by juveniles. Fear, rather than the needs of criminal activity, drug 

trafficking, and gang affiliation, motivates juveniles to arm themselves. 

Lethal Passage: The Story of a Gun 

This book traces the history of a machine gun in America until a 16-year-old boy 

tragically uses it to kill his schoolteacher. The author also describes America’s gun 

culture—its manufacturers, dealers, buffs, and propagandists, and offers solutions to 

the firearm epidemic in America. 

Organization: 

Editor: Moore, M.; and Tonry, M. 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1998 

Length: 464 pages 

Topic: Youth violence 

Target Audience: Prevention program planners and researchers 

Availability: Bookstores or contact University Chicago Press at 5801 

South Ellis, Chicago, IL 60637; 773-702-7700; 

Format: Book 

Cost: $23 

Internet Address: http://www.press.uchicago.edu

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: Sheley, J.; and Wright, J.

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1995 

Length: 180 pages 

Topic: Youth gun violence 

Target Audience: General audience 

Availability: Bookstores or contact Aldine De Gruyter Publishing 

Company, at 200 Sawmill River Road, Hawthorne, NY 10532 

Format: Book 

Cost: $19.95 

Internet Address: 

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: Larson, E.

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1995 

Length: 288 pages 

Topic: Guns in America 

Target Audience: General audience 

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Booklets, Brochures, and Fact Sheets

Exploding the NRA’s Second Amendment 

Mythology: A Guide for Gun Control Advocates 

This guide contains a step by step rebuttal to traditional claims made by the National 

Rifle Association. 

Guns in the Home 

This quick fact sheet details the truth to parents that having a gun in the home does 

not make them safer. Rather, a gun in the home increases the likelihood that family 

disputes will end in homicide, and raises the incidence of accidental shootings, 

especially among children. 

The School Shootings and Beyond: Kids and 

Guns in America 

This fact sheet gives information about the epidemic of school violence in America. 

Availability: Bookstores 

Format: Book 

Cost: $13 

Internet Address: 

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 2000 

Length: 18 pages 

Topic: Refuting 2nd amendment arguments against gun control 

Target Audience: Gun control advocates 

Availability: Handgun Control, 1225 I Street, Suite 1100, 

Washington DC, 20005; 202-898-0792; www.handguncontrol.org

Format: Brochure 

Cost: Free 

Internet 

Address: http://www.handguncontrol.org/lap/2ndamendment/nramyths.html

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 2000 

Length: 2 pages 

Topic: Guns in the home 

Target Audience: Parents 

Availability: Handgun Control, 1225 I Street, Suite 1100, 

Washington, DC 20005; 202-898-0792; www.handguncontrol.org

Format: Fact Sheet 

Cost: Free 

Internet Address: http://www.handguncontrol.org/facts/ib/gunhome.asp

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

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Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Kids and Guns 

This bulletin examines data on gun use in homicides committed by and against 

juveniles, weapons arrest rates, relationship of handgun carrying to other problem 

behaviors, and firearm-related suicide. The Bulletin notes that the recent decline in 

firearm-related juvenile homicides and suicides is encouraging and reinforces the need 

to remain vigilant in keeping weapons out of the hands of children. 

Annual State’s Report Card on Gun Violence 

Chaired by Sarah Brady, the Handgun Control Institute issues an annual report card 

rating each of the fifty states based on six laws essential to protecting children and 

teenagers from gun violence. This year, as in 1998, each state was carefully rated for 

the existence of five types of legislation that protect children from guns, and also for 

the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of that legislation. In 1999, because the 

Columbine shooting has drawn national attention to the ease with which juveniles can 

get guns through secondary sales, state ratings also reflect the laws which limit 

secondary sales and/or regulate the gun shows at which many of these “private” 

transactions take place. 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 2000 

Length: 1 page 

Topic: School Violence 

Target Audience: 

Availability: Handgun Control and the Center to Prevent Handgun 

Violence, 1225 I Street NW., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005; 

202-898-0792; www.handguncontrol.org

Format: Fact Sheet 

Cost: Free 

Internet Address: http://www.handguncontrol.org/facts/ib/kidsnguns.asp

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1999 

Length: 12 pages 

Topic: Relationship between youth and firearms 

Target Audience: General audience 

Availability: Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6000, 

Rockville, MD 20849; 800-638-8736; 

Format: Report 

Cost: Free 

Internet Address: http://www.ncjrs.org

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1999 

Length: 9 pages 

Topic: State gun control legislation 

Target Audience: Gun control advocates 

Availability: Handgun Control, 1225 I Street, Suite 1100, 

Washington DC, 20005; 202-898-0792; www.handguncontrol.org 

Also available on-line at 

Format: Report 

Cost: Free 

Internet Address: http://www.bradycampaign.org/press/1999/hci/082799-

2.html

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High School Youths, Weapons, and Violence: A 

National Survey 

Using a 1996 survey of male 10th and 11th graders from 53 high schools across the 

Nation, this study examined the firearms experience of these youths. The number of 

respondents who carried or possessed a gun was relatively low compared with 

previous studies, and gun possession levels were highest for firearms suited to hunting 

and sporting uses. Recreational gun use, more common in rural and smaller 

communities, was related to gun carrying and possession levels of every type of 

firearm. Fifty percent of the juveniles surveyed believed that they could obtain firearms 

relatively easily, and family and friends were the primary sources of guns. Criminal 

behavior characterized only a small number of the respondents. A few juveniles 

reported that they carried weapons to gain respect from their peers, but the majority of 

respondents said the primary reason for carrying or possessing firearms was 

protection, not criminal activity or status enhancement. The majority of school 

administrators recalled incidents that involved guns on school grounds in the past 3 

years, but only 2 percent considered guns a serious problem on school grounds 

Children and Guns—What Parents Should Teach 

Their Kids 

In this booklet, age-specific tips offer parents of children ages 6-16 the guidance they 

need to keep kids safe from guns. Parents learn the facts about gun related injuries to 

young people, the type of safety rules each age group should follow, and how to teach 

kids to resolve conflicts without violence. 

Reducing Youth Gun Violence: An Overview of 

Programs and Initiatives 

Reducing Youth Gun Violence presents a wide range of youth violence prevention 

strategies—from school-based intervention to gun market interception. This Office of 

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention program summary describes violence 

prevention programs throughout the Nation and suggests ways to make them more 

effective. It also discusses Federal and local partnerships to implement youth gun laws 

and programs and documents Federal and State legislation to reduce youth gun 

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: Sheley, J.; and Wright, J.

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1998 

Length: 8 pages 

Topic: Youth and Firearms 

Target Audience: Community leaders and prevention program 

planners 

Availability: National Criminal Justice Research Service, P.O. Box 

6000, Rockville, MD 20849-6000; 800-851-3420 

Format: Report 

Cost: Free 

Internet Address: http://www.ncjrs.org

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1997 

Length: 16 pages 

Topic: Dangers to guns to young people 

Target Audience: Parents of school-aged children 

Availability: Channing L. Bete, 200 State Road, South Deerfield, MA 

01373; 800-477-4776 

Format: Booklet 

Cost: $1.05 each for 1-100 

Internet Address: http://www.channing-bete.com

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violence. The summary assesses promising research on the incidence and context of 

youth gun violence and explores potential solutions from the fields of public health, 

criminology, and sociology. 

Magazines and Newsletters

Legal Action Report 

Legal Action Report is a newsletter published by the Center to Prevent Handgun 

Violence. It is designed to educate, describe research, and promote legal advocacy to 

reduce the tragic toll of handgun violence in America. 

Stop Gun Violence Newsletter 

The Stop Gun Violence Network (SGVN) provides support to the anti-gun violence 

grassroots movement by allowing members to communicate and share strategies 

aimed at reducing gun violence. Each member of SGVN receives a copy of the Stop 

Gun Violence Newsletter, published bimonthly. A source of information about the antigun violence movement, the newsletter covers topics such as interviews with leading 

community organizers and updates on firearms litigation 

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1996 

Length: 82 pages 

Topic: Reducing juvenile firearm violence 

Target Audience: Community leaders, prevention program planners, 

parents, and teachers 

Availability: National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), 

P.O. Box 6000, Rockville, MD 20849-6000; 800-851-3420; 

Format: Report 

Cost: Free 

Internet Address: http://www.ncjrs.org

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: Bi-annually

Length: Varies 

Topic: Gun violence prevention 

Target Audience: Gun control advocates 

Availability: Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, 1250 I Street 

NW., Suite 820, Washington, DC 20005; 202-289-7319; 

Format: Newsletter 

Cost: Free 

Internet Address: http://www.cphv.org

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: Bi-monthly

Length: Varies 

Topic: Reducing gun Violence 

Target Audience: General Audience 

Availability: The Educational Fund to End Handgun Violence, 1000 

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Classroom Materials and Kits

Weapons Are Removed Now (WARN) 

This program is designed to reduce the incidence of violence and weapons in schools. 

It features an introductory videotape explaining how to start a WARN program, four 

posters encouraging students to “break the code of silence”, and a detailed handbook. 

The video features interviews and performances by actual WARN members and gives 

hard facts about violence. The handbook includes guidelines for creating a WARN 

program; students’ training materials; program announcements; letters to parents to 

encourage cooperation; and an anti-violence contract to be signed by the principal, 

parents, and students. The posters are a constant daily reminder of each student’s 

obligation to report weapons on campus. 

Steps to Prevent Firearm Injury, STOP II 

This education program is designed for all health care providers from a wide range of 

disciplines (nurses, social workers, psychologists, health educators, counselors, etc.) 

who work with diverse populations. In the United States, nearly 100 people die in 

shootings everyday. Health providers, natural messengers of safety and health 

information, have the daily opportunity to speak with patients/clients and their families 

about guns. Materials in the kit include ways to counsel patients/clients about the 

dangers of guns in the home. 

Let’s Learn About Staying Away from Guns; An 

16th Street, NW., Suite 603, Washington, DC, 20036; 202-530-

5888; 

Format: Newsletter 

Cost: Free 

Internet Address: http://www.gunfree.org

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1992 

Length: 1 video (8 minutes), 1 handbook, 4 posters 

Topic: Removing weapons from schools 

Target Audience: School administrators, teachers, and parents 

Availability: Syndistar, 5801 River Road, New Orleans, LA 70123; 

800-841-9532 

Format: Kit 

Cost: $95 

Internet Address: http://www.syndistar.com

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 2000 

Length: Several materials 

Topic: Gun safety 

Target Audience: Health care providers 

Availability: Center to Prevent Handgun Violence-Education 

Program, 1225 I Street, NW., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005; 

202-289-7319; 

Format: Kit 

Cost: Free to health care providers 

Internet 

Address: http://www.aap.org/advocacy/childhealthmonth/STOPkit.htm

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Information and Activity Book 

This activity book counsels preteen readers on why carrying a gun is an extremely 

dangerous way to protect themselves, appear “cool,” or respond to peer pressure. 

Word games convey important advice about such things as handling anger in a 

nonviolent way, staying away from a gun if one is found, and dealing with pressure to 

carry a gun. 

Stay Away from Guns 

Stay Away From Guns uses simple games to teach young children the dangers of 

guns, and tells them to resist pressure to play with guns or show guns to other kids. It 

urges youngsters to get away fast if they see a gun and to tell an adult they trust. 

Steps to Prevent (STOP) Firearm Injury 

STOP is a firearm prevention counseling program designed specifically for 

pediatricians and pediatric health care providers. This program is a joint project of the 

American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence. It 

provides materials for physicians and parents on ways to nonjudgementally counsel 

parents and patients about the dangers of guns in the home. The materials include 

posters, a monograph, brochures, and an audio cassette 

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1996 

Length: 8 pages 

Topic: Dangers of guns 

Target Audience: Children ages 9-12 

Availability: Channing L. Bete, 200 State Road, South Deerfield, MA 

01373; 800-477-4776; 

Format: Activity book 

Cost: $1.05 each for 1-100 

Internet Address: http://www.channing-bete.com

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1996 

Length: 8 pages 

Topic: Dangers of guns 

Target Audience: Parents, teachers, children 

Availability: Channing L. Bete, 200 State Road, South Deerfield, MA 

01373; 800-477-4776; 

Format: Coloring and activity book 

Cost: $1.05 each for 1-100 

Internet Address: http://www.channing-bete.com

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: Revised 1996 

Length: 

Topic: Preventing firearm violence 

Target Audience: Physicians, parents, and health care 

professionals 

Availability: Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, 1225 I Street, 

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Straight Talks About Risks (STAR) 

STAR is the Nation’s premier gun violence prevention program for school-aged youth 

and their families. It is primarily a prevention program, based on the belief that all U.S. 

children and teens are at risk of gun injury or death. STAR is designed to help youth 

develop victim prevention skills and to rehearse behaviors needed to manage 

problems non-violently and without guns. 

Videos, Posters, and Other Items

Video of the Million Mom March 

This streaming video of the Million Mom March features gun control advocates Jim and 

Sarah Brady. 

Clarence and Guns 

Clarence is a teenager who needs help getting safely through his day. In this 

interactive computer game, users make decisions and guide Clarence through a 

seemingly normal day. However, in each situation, Clarence comes into contact with a 

gun- at school, at soccer practice, and hanging out at his friend’s house. At each turn, 

the game reiterates that the correct decision for children is to never touch a gun and 

tell an adult immediately when they see one. 

NW., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005; 202-289-7319; 

Format: Kit 

Cost: Free 

Internet 

Address: http://www.aap.org/advocacy/childhealthmonth/STOPkit.htm

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1992 

Length: 

Topic: Gun violence prevention 

Target Audience: Parents, educators, school officials, and students 

(grades K-12) 

Availability: Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, 1225 I Street, 

NW., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005; 202-289-7319; 

Format: Curriculum 

Cost: $13.95 

Internet Address: http://www.handguncontrol.org

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 2000 

Length: 5 minutes 

Topic: Million Mom March 

Target Audience: Teenagers 

Availability: Viewable on-line at 

www.handguncontrol.org/mmm/video.asp 

Format: Streaming video 

Cost: Free 

Internet Address: http://www.handguncontrol.org/mmm/video.asp

Organization: 

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One Child a Day Everyday 

This poster depicts a life-sized baby holding a handgun, with frightening statistics on 

gun violence as the text. 

Kid Crime: Violent Crime and Children 

Mike Wallace examines the troubling trend of juvenile crime at a time when reports of 

violent crimes committed by children are growing. Criminologist Dr. James Fox details 

the forces that influence children to take such actions while extensive news reports 

cover cases from the big city to the small towns in America’s heartland. 

Studies, Articles, and Reports

Predictive Model of Weapon Carrying Among 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 2000 

Length: 

Topic: Gun safety

Target Audience: Teenagers 

Availability: Available on the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence 

Web site at www.cphv.org/game/index_0.html 

Format: Interactive computer game 

Cost: Free 

Internet Address: http://www.cphv.org/game/index_0.html

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1995 

Length: One page 

Topic: Reducing handgun violence 

Target Audience: General audience 

Availability: Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, 10001 6th Street NW., 

Suite 603, Washington, DC 20036; 202-530-0340 

Format: Poster 

Cost: $5 

Internet Address: http://www.gunfree.org

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: 

Publication: 

Publisher: 

Year: 1997 

Length: 50 minutes 

Topic: Violent children 

Target Audience: General Audience 

Availability: Library Video Company, 7 East Wynnewood Road, 

Wynnewood, PA 19096; 800-843-3620 

Format: Video 

Cost: $19.95 

Internet Address: http://www.libraryvideo.com

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Urban High School Students: Results and 

Validation 

The purpose of this study was to identify the behavioral, psychosocial, and 

demographic predictors of self-reported weapon carrying among secondary school 

students who attend urban public schools. The study measured indicators of selfperception, depression, stressful life events, and adolescent risk behaviors of 

substance use and sexual behavior, along with self-reported weapon-carrying. Thirtytwo percent of the students reported carrying a weapon at some time in their lives. 

Race, parental education, and family composition were not significant predictors, while 

marijuana use and sexual experience was consistently high in both schools. The study 

found that weapon carrying is associated with multiple and interrelated factors that 

include demographic, psychosocial, behavioral, and school-related characteristics of 

adolescents. Students with more risk factors are more likely to carry a weapon, 

suggesting that the above variables are independent markers. 

Prospective Psychosocial, Interpersonal, and 

Behavioral Predictors of Handgun-Carrying 

Among Adolescents 

This study identifies behavioral and psycho- social/interpersonal factors in young 

adolescents that are associated with handgun-carrying in later adolescence. 2,200 

high school students were surveyed at 9th grade and again at 12th grade. Risk-taking 

preference, depression, stress, temper, and drug use assessed while the students 

were in 9th grade predicted of handgun-carrying in 12th grade for both male and 

female students. 

The Association of Weapon Carrying and Fighting 

on School Property and Other Health Risk and 

Problem Behaviors Among High School Students 

Carrying a weapon at school appears to be associated with other problem behaviors. A 

survey of 3,000 Massachusetts high school students revealed that students carrying 

weapons were more likely to report physically fighting, being threatened or attacked 

with a weapon, having property stolen or damaged, not attending school because of 

fear, and using drugs while at school. A model including age, sex, grades, absentee 

days due to fear, frequency of threats or attacks, frequency of fighting, cigarette 

smoking, alcohol use, and being offered or selling drugs correctly predicted weapon 

carriage 91 percent of the time. 

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: Griffith, J.; Kulig, J.; Ruthazer, R.; and Valentine, J.

Publication: Journal of Adolescent Health, 22(4): 312–319, 1998

Publisher: 

Year: 1998 

Length: 

Topic: 

Target Audience: 

Availability: 

Format: 

Cost: 

Internet Address: 

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: Chou, C.; Flay, B.; Dent, C.; Richardson, J.; and Simon, T.

Publication: American Journal of Public Health, 88(6): 960–963, 

1998

Publisher: 

Year: 1998 

Length: 

Topic: 

Target Audience: 

Availability: 

Format: 

Cost: 

Internet Address: 

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Weapon Carrying Among Black Adolescents: A 

Social Network Perspective 

This report describes social networks and adolescent weapon-carrying. Using a 

random-walk network sampling design, researchers surveyed 113 adolescents about 

topics including weapon carrying. In a probability sample of 12- to 15-year-olds, 20.9 

percent reported ever carrying a weapon. Carriers were eight times as likely as non 

carriers to report weapon carrying by an older associate, and 19 times as likely to 

report weapon carrying by a peer. 

Weapon Carrying and Substance Abuse Among 

College Students 

Results from administering the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey on 61 U.S. campuses 

during the 1994-1995 academic year were analyzed to assess weapon carrying among 

college students. Seven percent of the 26,225 students (11.1 percent of the men and 

4.3 percent of the women) responded that they had carried weapons during the past 

30 days. A comparison with a matched sample of students who did not carry weapons 

revealed that a greater percentage of the armed than the unarmed students had 

experienced harassment, violence, and threats of violence, and that they felt less safe 

on their campuses. Weapon carrying men consumed significantly more alcohol than 

their unarmed counterparts, and a higher percentage reported binge drinking, use of 

other drugs, and adverse consequences from substance abuse. 

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: Beckford, P.; DuRant, R.; Kahn, J.; and Woods, E.

Publication: Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 151(4): 

360–366, 1997

Publisher: 

Year: 1997 

Length: 

Topic: 

Target Audience: 

Availability: 

Format: 

Cost: 

Internet Address: 

Organization: 

Editor: 

Author: Marrow, C.; McGrady, G.; Myers, G.; and Mueller, C.

Publication: American Journal of Public Health, 87(6): 1038–1040, 

1997

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Author: Cashin, J.; Presley, C.; and Meilman, P.

Publication: Journal of American College Health, 46(1): 3–8, 1997

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Weapon Carrying and Youth Violence 

Weapons, and firearms in particular, are widely available in the United States and are 

at the heart of youth violence. Many schools and communities throughout the Nation 

have identified weapon carrying among youths as a substantial health, educational, 

and social problem. One of the national health objectives for the year 2000 is to 

substantially reduce the incidence of weapon carrying among adolescents. This paper 

reviews the prevalence of weapon carrying by youths, reasons they carry weapons, 

ways that firearms are obtained, firearms and violence (especially youth violence), and 

the controlling of weapons in schools. 

Gun Acquisition and Use by Juvenile Offenders 

have easy access to guns. Researchers interviewed 42 men and 21 women between 

13 and 18 years old who were incarcerated in detention centers in Atlanta. Sixty-six 

percent were African-American. Forty-one boys and 12 girls had owned at least one 

gun and 84 percent got the gun before the age of 15. Some were as young as 9 years 

old when they got their first gun. Forty-two percent did not actively seek the gun but 

were given a gun by a friend or relative. Many got the gun for protection since all knew 

someone who had been shot and almost three-fourths had been threatened with a 

gun. Forty percent said they felt safer when carrying a gun and an equivalent 

percentage said they felt powerful. However, one-third also felt anxious that they would 

be caught. Going to a club was the top reason to be armed, according to 35 percent of 

the offenders. Forty-one had pointed a gun at someone at some time. Most bought 

their guns on the street, often from drug dealers. 

Guns in Young Hands: A Survey of Urban 

Teenagers’ Attitudes and Behaviors Related to 

Handgun Violence 

The objective of this study was to determine the nature and causes of gun violence 

among urban young people. It is based on a confidential survey of 1,219 7th and 10th 

graders in Boston and Milwaukee about their attitudes and behaviors toward violence 

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Author: Page, R. ; and Hammermeister, J.

Publication: Adolescence, 32(127): 505–513, 1997

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Author: Ash, P.; Fuqua-Whiteley, D.; and Kellermann, A.

Publication: Journal of the American Medical Association, 275(22): 

1754–1758, 1996

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and handguns. Violence exposure, previous arrest, and the belief that “gun carrying is 

a good idea” or that “only cowards back down from a fight” also were strongly 

correlated in multivariate analysis. Handgun availability and use are high among urban 

youths; gun carrying is mostly related to safety concerns and easy access to guns, 

rather than to hunting or sport. This access may be a cause of high handgun injury 

rates in this group. Gun injury prevention programs must address youth safety 

concerns along with handgun availability. 

Injuries Due to Firearms in Three Cities 

In order to describe the incidence and outcome of injuries due to firearms, we 

conducted a population-based study of fatal and nonfatal gunshot wounds in three 

cities: Memphis, Tennessee; Seattle, Washington; and Galveston, Texas. Records of 

the police, medical examiners, ambulance crews, and hospital emergency 

departments and hospital admissions were monitored to identify all injuries caused by 

firearms that were severe enough to prompt emergency medical treatment. These 

records were linked to generate a complete picture of each event. Census data were 

used to calculate rates of injury for various population groups. A total of 1915 cases of 

injury due to firearms were identified between November 16, 1992, and May 15, 1994. 

The crude rate of firearm injury per 100,000 person-years was 222.6 in Memphis, 

143.6 in Galveston, and 54.1 in Seattle. Approximately 88 percent of the injuries were 

incurred during confirmed or probable assaults; 7 percent were sustained in the course 

of suicide or attempted suicide; unintentional injuries accounted for 4 percent of the 

cases. Handguns were used in 88 percent of the cases in which the type of weapon 

was recorded. Five percent of the 1677 victims who were brought to a hospital 

emergency department could not be resuscitated; 53 percent were hospitalized, and 

42 percent were treated and released. Ninety-seven percent of the deaths occurred 

within 24 hours of the injury. Emergency department and inpatient charges exceeded 

$16.5 million. Injuries due to firearms, most involving handguns, are a major cause of 

morbidity and mortality in U.S. urban areas. The incidence varies greatly from city to 

city. 

Sources of Firearm Acquisition Among a Sample 

of Inner-City Youths: Research Results and 

Policy Implications 

The participants in this study included 765 male high school students from 10 high 

schools in different cities and 835 male inmates incarcerated in 7 facilities for serious 

felony offenses, all under age 21. Both groups reported high levels of gun possession 

and gun carrying, especially the inmate group. The main means of acquisition were 

street sources from whom illegal purchases were made, followed closely by family and 

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Author: Ander, R.; Bergstein, J.; Hemenway, D.; Kennedy, B.; and 

Quaday, S.

Publication: Journal of Trauma, 41(5): 794–798, 1996

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Author: Kellerman, A.L.; Rivara, F.P.; Lee, R.K.; et al.

Publication: New England Journal of Medicine, 335(19): 1438-1444, 

1996.

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friends from whom they purchased or borrowed the guns. Other means were 

mentioned less often; these varied from stealing to purchasing from retail outlets. 

Findings suggested that neither point-of-sale legislation nor more punitive sanctions 

would deter these youths from acquiring firearms. 

Organizations and Internet Sites

Organization: 

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Author: Smith, M.

Publication: Journal of Criminal Justice, 24(4): 361–367, 1996

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American Bar Association Coordinating Committee on Gun Violence 

http://www.abanet.org/gunviol/pubhealth.html

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence 

Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence 

http://www.bradycampaign.org/

202-289-7319 Brady Center

202-898-0792 Brady Campaign

1225 Eye Street, NW 

Suite 1100 

Washington, DC 20005

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms 

http://www.atf.treas.gov/

202-927-8500 

650 Massachusetts Avenue, NW.

Room 8290 

Washington, DC 20226 

atfmail@atfhq.atf.treas.gov

Center for Study and Prevention of Violence 

http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/

303-492-8465 

Institute of Behavioral Science 

University of Colorado at Boulder, Campus Box 442

Boulder, CO 80309 

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Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) 

http://www.samhsa.gov/centers/csap/csap.html

301-443-0365 

800-729-6686 SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information

5600 Fishers Lane 

Rockwall II Building, Suite 800

Rockville, MD 20857 

info@samhsa.gov

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

http://www.cdc.gov

202-512-1800 General Public (annual subscription of single copies)

800-843-6356 Government Employees (free copies from CDC)

1600 Clifton Road

Atlanta, GA 30333

Resources for Parents

Health Topics A-Z

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/tips_4_youth/prentlnk.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/health/diseases.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/

770-488-1506 

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)

Mailstop K65 

4770 Buford Highway, NE 

Atlanta, GA 30341 

CSAP's Decision Support System (DSS) 

http://www.preventiondss.org/

Drive-By-Agony 

http://www.drive-by-agony.org

310-537-8018 

3798 Martin Luther King Blvd.

PO Box 762 

Lynwood, CA 90262 

Educational Fund to End Handgun Violence 

http://www.gunfree.org

202-408-0061 

The Coalition To Stop Gun Violence

1023 15th Street, N.W., Suite 600 

Washington, DC 20005 

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Handgun Epidemic Lowering Plan (HELP) 

773-880-3826 

Children's Memorial Hospital

2300 Children's Plaza 

Chicago, IL 60614 

Join Together 

http://www.jointogether.org

617-437-1500 

441 Stuart Street 

Boston, MA 02116

info@jointogether.org

Gun Violence Project

http://www.jointogether.org/gv/

National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information 

http://www.health.org/links

800-487-4889 TDD

800-729-6686 

PO Box 2345 

Rockville, MD 20847

info@health.org

For Kids Only

http://www.health.org/kidsarea/

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD)

http://www.ncadd.org/

212-269-7797 National Office

20 Exchange Place 

Suite 2902 

New York, NY 10005

national@ncadd.org

National Criminal Justice Reference Service 

http://www.ncjrs.org/

301-519-5500 

800-851-3420 

877-712-9279 TDD

PO Box 6000 

Rockville, MD 20849

Drug Policy Information

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http://www.ncjrs.org/drgsprev.htm

Partnership for a Drug-Free America 

http://www.drugfreeamerica.org

212-922-1560 (M-F 8:30-5:30 EST)

212-973-3502 Press inquires

405 Lexington Avenue

Suite 1601 

New York, NY 10174 

Partnerships Against Violence NETwork 

http://www.pavnet.org/

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 

http://www.samhsa.gov/

301-443-0746 SAMHSA News

301-443-6315 

301-443-8956 Public Affairs Office

5600 Fishers Lane 

Rockville, MD 20857

Violence Policy Center 

http://www.vpc.org

1140 19th Street, NW 

Suite 600 

Washington, DC 20036

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