Youth gun carrying and household firearm ownership in 22 US states

Abstract

Youth gun carrying is associated with a range of adverse outcomes, including increased risks for homicide, suicide, school disciplinary problems, and criminal legal involvement. In this study we examined the association between state‐level household firearm ownership rates and the odds of past‐year gun carrying among high‐school‐aged youth. Using survey‐weighted multivariable logistic regression models, results showed that each 1% point increase in state‐level gun ownership was associated with a 2.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.1%, 4.2%], p = 0.001) increased odds of youth gun carrying, controlling for histories of school‐based victimization, physical fighting, and substance use. Among a subset of weapon‐carrying youth, state‐level firearm availability was a significant factor in determining whether the weapon carried was a gun or a less lethal (i.e., nonfirearm) weapon (odds ratio = 1.021, 95% CI = [1.005, 1.038], p = 0.01). These findings show that firearm availability confers additional risk for youth gun carrying beyond the psychosocial risks emphasized in prior research and efforts to restrict youth access to firearms might be particularly important, especially in communities with high levels of household gun ownership.

Seeking the Peace: Anti-Gun Violence Cadres, Concepts, and Connections in Pittsburgh

“…In shootings by civilians and by police, gun use too often has been a first resort. Though assessments of the problem have generated fierce debate, levels of societal violence have been strongly correlated with levels of ownership and availability of guns, including at city levels (Kleck and Kovandzik 2009;Miller et al 2015), state levels (Siegel et al 2014;Chavez et al 2022), and national levels (Hemenway 2004). Overall, as stated by Council of Foreign Relations research, the metrics of US gun ownership are stark, with the USA possessing "46 percent of the world's civilian-owned guns" despite accounting for only 5% of the world's population.…”