Since 1984, the number of juveniles killing with a gun has quadrupled, while the number killing with all other weapons combined has remained virtually constant. Missouri has outlawed possession of a gun to anyone below the age of 21. Even though referrals to juvenile courts for weapons charges have remained relatively stable from 1992 to 1994, this may reflect the fact that, when more than one violation occurs, only the more serious violation is reflected in the data being analyzed. Further analysis is needed to better understand this issue statewide. Statistics show that the largest increase in juvenile homicide nationally involves offenders who are friends and acquaintances of their victims.
Data also show that juvenile violent crimes are most likely to occur at the close of the school day.
For this reason, effective intervention for aggressive and violent behavior in childhood is critical, and the earlier the better. The Commission also acknowledged the research supporting the conclusion that involvement with alcohol and other drugs is an important influence on youth violence. In about 65 percent of all homicides, perpetrators, victims, or both had been drinking, and alcohol is a factor in at least 55 percent of all fights and assaults in the home. The Office of Juvenile Delinquency Prevention, in a study of the relation between family violence and youth violence, found that 69 percent of youths who had been maltreated as children reported involvement in violence as compared to 56 percent of those who had not been maltreated. In other words, a history of maltreatment increases the chances of youth violence by 24 percent.