Adolescent Gun Violence Prevention

Book excerpt: Each year, gun violence kills approximately 2,700 and injures approximately 14,500 children in the U.S.; the overwhelming majority of child gun deaths are among teenagers who die by homicide or suicide. Gun violence is the leading cause of death for Black teens. A recent spate of high-profile tragedies involving children, such as the Newtown mass shooting in 2012 and the Parkland mass shooting in 2018, have reinvigorated a national debate about the role of guns in our private and public spaces. Physicians, and in particular pediatricians, have become increasingly vocal about the need to address the epidemic of gun violence in the U.S. This book serves as an in-depth, comprehensive guide to adolescent gun violence prevention. It describes the epidemiology of teen gun violence in the U.S. by focusing on the parallel epidemics that claim the most lives: gun suicide among rural white males, and gun homicide among urban Black males. It offers in-depth reviews of key concepts that are crucial to reaching a meaningful understanding of gun violence. The text also addresses specific methods of intervention at various levels of society, from the individual; to the local community; and finally to the entire nation. This first of its kind book is a valuable reference for physicians, public health scientists, policy-makers, gun reform advocates, and anyone interested in working towards a safer future for young people.