NT OF ME J T US U.S. Department of Justice R T A I P C E E D

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O J C S F A Office of Justice Programs V M F O I N A C I J S R E BJ G O OJJ DP O F PR Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention JUSTICE

Shay Bilchik, Administrator February 1999 #93

Strategies To Reduce Gun Violence by David Sheppard, Ph.D.

Gun violence in the United States is both a criminal justice and provide input on the development of this report. Followup problem. Gun-related crime peaked in the late interviews and site visits were conducted to identify those 1980’s and early 1990’s. In 1997, the national rate programs using promising or innovative gun violence reduction declined to a 30-year low of 7 per 100,000 U.S. resi- strategies and those demonstrating an impact on reducing dents. Despite this decline, however, homicide rates remain violence. unacceptably high, and are still the weapons most The strategies and programs featured in the report focus on three frequently used for (Federal Bureau of Investigation, points of intervention: 1998). Firearms were the weapons of choice in nearly two-thirds of all murders, and handguns accounted for over half the gun- ◆ Interrupting sources of illegal guns. related in 1997. ◆ Deterring illegal possession and carrying of guns. The impact of gun violence is even more pronounced on juveniles ◆ Responding to illegal gun use. and young adults. For persons between the ages of 15 and 24, the homicide rate of 15.2 per 100,000 U.S. residents is higher than Strategies focusing on sources of guns include Federal and local the combined total homicide rate of 11 industrialized nations initiatives that disrupt the flow of illegal firearms through gun (Peters, Kochanek, and Murphy, 1998). Between 1984 and 1993, tracing and monitoring of both licensed and illegal gun dealers. the firearm homicide rate for this age group increased 158 Strategies limiting gun sources also include educational initia- percent, which contrasts with a 19-percent decline in murders tives to prevent at-risk youth from accessing firearms. among those age 24 years and older for the same time period. In Strategies focusing on illegal possession and carrying of guns 1997, about 2,100 murder victims were below the age of 18. This include interventions designed to take guns from adults, juve- level was 27 percent below that of the peak year, 1993, when niles, and others at risk for violence, such as probationers, gang 2,900 juveniles were murdered (Snyder, 1998). members, and drug traffickers. As previously noted, gun violence is a public health problem. Strategies focusing on illegal gun use include criminal and Firearm injuries, , and unintentional gunshot injuries juvenile justice interventions designed to aggressively prosecute claim the lives of some 38,000 Americans each year. Firearm and sentence those who commit gun violence and those who injuries are the eighth leading cause of death and the fourth illegally sell weapons to juveniles and adults. These strategies leading cause of years of potential life lost before age 65. A include court-related programs encompassing sentencing and teenager today is more likely to die of a than of educational options for gun-involved youth. all natural causes of disease (Fingerhut, 1993). Promising Strategies Communities Implementing Comprehensive In response to this national crisis, the U.S. Department of Justice Strategies (DOJ) has developed Promising Strategies To Reduce Gun Promising Strategies describes how several communities are Violence. This report describes 60 strategies and programs that implementing comprehensive gun violence reduction strategies jurisdictions can use to address gun violence. Promising Strate- that address multiple risk factors associated with the illegal use of gies is the product of an extensive national survey of more than firearms. These communities include Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, 400 local programs to reduce firearm violence. From that survey, MD; Baton Rouge, LA; Birmingham, AL; Boston, MA; Buffalo, 89 programs were identified as promising or innovative. In July NY; Indianapolis, IN; Minneapolis, MN; Oakland, CA; and 1998, DOJ assembled a focus group of more than 40 experts on Richmond, CA. These jurisdictions have developed comprehen- gun violence (including mayors, researchers, police officials, sive plans that focus on reducing sources of illegal guns, limiting and prosecutors) to review these 89 programs and strategies and possession and carrying of illegal firearms by those at risk for U.S. Department of Justice PRESORTED STANDARD Office of Justice Programs POSTAGE & FEES PAID Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention DOJ/OJJDP PERMIT NO. G–91

Washington, DC 20531 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300

Fact Sheet FS–9993

FS–9993

which is supported by an OJJDP grant. OJJDP an by supported is which

David Sheppard is a Program Manager with the COSMOS Corporation, COSMOS the with Manager Program a is Sheppard David

Prevention’s Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse, 800–638–8736. Clearinghouse, Justice Juvenile Prevention’s

call the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency and Justice Juvenile of Office the call lence,

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Delinquency and Justice Juvenile of Office

Promising Strategies To Reduce Gun Vio- Gun Reduce To Strategies Promising of copy a obtain To

DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Justice of Office Justice, of Department U.S. DC:

For Further Information Further For

Bulletin. , Bulletin. 1997. Arrests Juvenile 1998. H. Snyder,

Division of Vital Statistics. Vital of Division

hoods without being armed. being without hoods

Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Control Disease for Centers GA: Atlanta,

carry, and use guns that they can survive in their neighbor- their in survive can they that guns use and carry,

National Vital Statistics Report (47)9. Report Statistics Vital National 1996. for Data Final

Create strategies to convince those who illegally possess, illegally who those convince to strategies Create ◆

Peters, K.D., Kochanek, M.A., and Murphy, S. 1998. 1998. S. Murphy, and M.A., Kochanek, K.D., Peters, Deaths:

understanding of the risk factors associated with gun violence. gun with associated factors risk the of understanding

Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Health for Center National Prevention,

Develop a comprehensive vision and plan, grounded in an in grounded plan, and vision comprehensive a Develop ◆

Statistics, No. 231. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Control Disease for Centers GA: Atlanta, 231. No. Statistics,

Advance data from Vital and Health and Vital from data Advance 1985–1990. States, United perpetrated.

and Young Adults 1–34 Years of Age, Trends and Current Status: Current and Trends Age, of Years 1–34 Adults Young and Identify where gun violence occurs and by whom it is being is it whom by and occurs violence gun where Identify ◆

Fingerhut, L.A. 1993. 1993. L.A. Fingerhut, Firearm Mortality Among Children, Youth, Children, Among Mortality Firearm

prosecutors, courts, and social service agencies: service social and courts, prosecutors,

ment Printing Office. Printing ment partnerships through which the community, law enforcement, law community, the which through partnerships

Uniform Crime Reports. Washington, DC: U.S. Govern- U.S. DC: Washington, Reports. Crime Uniform 1997. Comprehensive gun reduction strategy sites have developed have sites strategy reduction gun Comprehensive

Federal Bureau of Investigation. 1998. 1998. Investigation. of Bureau Federal Crime in the United States United the in Crime

guns illegally. guns

References violence, and providing appropriate sanctions for those using those for sanctions appropriate providing and violence,