Adolescents In New York Impact Homicide Rates
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Adolescents In New York Impact Homicide Rates
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Introduction
We live in a world where homicides are not uncommon. Every day one can watch the news or read the paper and hear about a homicide that has just occurred. Furthermore, juveniles seem to always be in the mix. Juveniles are likely to become victim to homicide, which involves an illegal firearm. A study done by the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that in the year 2009 84.5% of homicides involved 15 to 19 year olds and firearm possession (Firearm Related Injuries 2012). Mass shootings are deadly but the percentage of homicides is much higher without mass shootings. There are roughly 25 mass shootings and 100 victims per year in the United States; that may seem like a lot, however that takes up only 0.2% of total homicide offenders and only 1% of homicide victims (Uggen 2012). Uggen states that because we are focusing so much on mass shootings, it delays the progress for reducing the rates of violence in the United States. Mass shootings get nation wide coverage; however, not all homicides are a result of a mass shooting. A person under the age of 40 years old is more likely to die from a firearm related incident than from a disease (Miller 2013). Illegal firearms are also a matter of concern. In a study done by Katherine A Vittes, Jon S Vernick and Daniel W Webster, it was concluded that three out of ten offenders convicted used a legal gun. That means seven guns were illegal. They also stated that if stricter laws were put in place, it would have been harder for these inmates to obtain a firearm (Vittes et. al. 2012).
This study deals with rates of homicides impacted by mass shootings involving juveniles and the use of illegal firearms and/or other assault weapons. The null hypothesis states that rate of homicides are not impacted by juveniles and/or illegal firearms. The dependent variable being tested is rates of homicides while the independent variables are mass shootings, juveniles, and illegal firearms. The purpose of this study was to examine how homicide rates are impacted by mass shootings, while at the same time exploring illegal firearms trafficking as it pertains to juvenile crime.
Research Questions
To what extent do illegal firearms and assault weapons impact homicide rates as it pertains to mass shootings in the US?
- a) How do adolescents in New York impact homicide rates?
- b) What percent of homicides do mass shootings make up in the United States per year?
Methods
The population of interest during this study is juveniles between the ages of ten and seventeen. A survey was sent out to juveniles in Northvale, New Jersey in order to obtain a sample. Simple random sampling will be used in order for the study to be generalized to the population. The disadvantage of testing this age group is that they are under the age of consent. In order to overcome these drawbacks, the researcher would either have to obtain parental consent to interview their children or have the parents present during interviews. Trust will be earned by being friendly and kind to these juveniles. They will be told that they will not get in trouble for their answers. The findings of this study will be overt because this topic is something that the public needs to know about. The rates of homicides involving juveniles are alarming and call for a change.
Survey/Interview Questions
1) Do you know anyone who owns a gun?
2) Do you know anyone who has been murdered due to mass shootings or illegal firearms?
3) Do you believe there should be stricter gun laws? If so, why?
4) Homicides involving illegal firearms also nearly always involve adolescents or young adults. ___True, ____False, ____I don’t know.
5) Illegal Firearms take part in a large percent of all homicides in the United States.
True False
6) Homicides involving illegal firearms also nearly always involve adolescents or young adults.
True False
7) To what extent do you worry about illegal firearm possession in your town?
5 (A Great extent) 4 3 2 1 (Not at all)
Annotated Bibliography
- Carter, P. M., Walton, M. A., Newton, M. F., Clery, M., Whiteside, L. K.,
Zimmerman, M. A., & Cunningham, R. M. (n.d.). (2013). Firearm Possession
Among Adolescents Presenting to an Urban Emergency Department for Assault.
Pediatrics. 132(2). from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/132/2/213.full
The authors hypothesized that the leading factor of adolescent deaths is gun violence. In this study, the youth presented were 14 to 24 year olds. The objectives included determining possession rates among adolescents looking for care for assault, the knowledge of risks for the youth involving the possession of a firearm, and the identification of gun possession characteristics. 689 youth who were once victim of assault were administered a survey on the computer. The results of the survey concluded that 23% of the youth reported firearm possession, 17% of that 23% reported that the firearm was obtained legally. Another 22% reported the use of an assault riffle and 37.1% reported some form of firearm protection. The results also stated that some characteristics of firearm possession included popularity with the male gender, higher socioeconomic status, and drug use. The authors concluded that future efforts should be taken in order to prevent the youth from obtaining illegal firearms and that youth who possess a firearm were more likely to have been in a recent serious fight.
- Miller, M., Azrael, D., Hemenway, D. (2013). Firearms and Violent Death in the
United States. In D. Webster & J. Vernick, (Ed.), Reducing Gun Violence in
America (pp. 32 – 49). Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press. from
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.677.8871&rep=rep1&type=pdf#page=32
The authors hypothesized that in the year 2010, there were 31,000 firearm related deaths in the United States, 36% in which were homicides, and that a person under the age of 40 years old are more likely to die from a firearm related incident that from a disease. The study shows that nine out of ten criminals who commit homicide are male and 75% of the victims are male. The article then goes into talking about firearm ownership and how household gun ownership leads to homicides in the home where the killer is usually a family member.
- Uggen, C. (2012, Dec 21). A tragic distraction; mass shootings understandably attract lots of attention. but they account for only a tiny fraction of america’s homicides.National PostRetrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1242363204?accountid=12536
The author hypothesized that mass shootings are deadly but the percentage of homicides is much higher without mass shootings. The study states that there are roughly 25 mass shootings and 100 victims per year in the United States; that may seem like a lot, however that takes up only 0.2% of total homicide offenders and only 1% of homicide victims. Uggen states that because we are focusing so much on mass shootings, it delays the progress for reducing the rates of violence in the United States.
- Vittes, K. A., Vernick, J. S., & Webster, D. W. (2012). Legal status and source of
offenders’ firearms in states with the least stringent criteria for gun ownership.
Baltimore: Center for Gun Policy and Research, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health. from
http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/19/1/26.full.pdf+html
The authors hypothesized that the criminal possession of an illegal weapon by high profiled criminals presents a major threat to citizens of this country. Various data was collected from a nation survey of prison inmates such as the number of criminals in prison for committing a crime with a firearm and the source where that gun was obtained. They concluded that only three out of ten offenders had legal guns. They also stated that if stricter laws were put in place, it would have been harder for these inmates to obtain a firearm.
- (2012). Firearm-Related Injuries Affecting the Pediatric Population. Pediatrics. 130(5).
The American Academy of Pediatrics from
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/5/e1416.short
This article states that a more reliable and effective way to prevent gun violence and injuries involving children and adolescents is to get rid of guns in homes and communities where children are present. “Firearm-related deaths continue as 1 of the top 3 causes of death in American youth.” The study also shows that in the year 2009 84.5% of homicides involved 15 to 19 year olds and firearm possession. Male are more likely to be victimized in these cases and firearm homicide rates are highest with young African American men between 15 and 34 years old. The study concludes that if firearms were to be in the house, precautions should be taken such as lock boxes, trigger locks and the gun should be kept unloaded.