Most states treat youths 16 or older accused of serious crimes as adults, and every state considers anyone 18 or older an adult. Tragic, but hardly the picture of child firearm deaths painted by the million moms. Among the laws the Million Mom Marchers promoted were that all firearm purchasers at gun show's undergo background checks and that all guns be sold and stored with trigger locks. Gun shows are not a serious source for supplying criminals with guns. A 1997 Justice Department study found only 2 percent of crime guns obtained from gun shows.
Criminals usually obtain guns through black market deals and theft.
About 90 percent of handguns are already sold with trigger or barrel locks. Making these locks mandatory would not stop killers like Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold since gun locks are easily defeated. These proposals would not just be ineffective in reducing firearm fatalities, they would endanger us all. Firearms are used five times more often to prevent crimes than to commit crimes. Fewer guns in circulation equals fewer guns available for self-defense.