The report shows that guns are the key variable in the recent rise and fall of juvenile homicide. Non-gun juvenile homicide remained constant during that period. In the wake of last week's tragic shootings, the President today will also convene a meeting with Congressional leaders to break the logjam on pending common sense gun legislation. The President will ask the leaders to put the safety of American families first, and pass measures to close the gun show loophole, require child safety locks for handguns, and ban the importation of large capacity ammunition clips. The President also will call on the leaders to pass his plan to punish adults who recklessly allow children to have access to deadly weapons.
Guns are the weapon of choice for juvenile homicide offenders.
The number of juveniles murdered with a gun increased 65 percent between 1987 and 1993 while other types of homicide remained constant. The subsequent decrease in juveniles murdered also was all gun-related. Between 1980-1997, nearly 38,000 juveniles were murdered. Teen homicides more likely to involve a gun than adult homicides. The findings of today s report underscore the importance of this Administration s efforts to reduce gun violence, including the Brady Law, the 1994 assault weapons ban, the Youth Handgun Safety Act banning juvenile handgun possession, and the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative to crack down on illegal gun traffickers who supply guns to youth.