The statistics are overwhelming. The United States has become the most violent of all the developed countries. The effects of violence on children are fourfold. Children as Victims In New York, homicide is the leading cause of death among youth between the ages of 16 to 19. Every two hours a child dies from a gunshot wound.
Many more children suffer injuries.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, twice as many children are killed by guns as by cancer. Schwab-Stone surveyed 2,536 students in sixth, eighth and 10th grades. More that 40 percent of the youth reported exposure to a shooting or stabbing in the past year, and 74 percent reported feeling unsafe in one or more common environmental contexts. Guns are part of everyday life for many of our children. Violent Entertainment Violence as entertainment is an accepted norm for daily fun and games.