Study: High-risk youth okay with guns, retaliatory violence

[BainsBane]

What gun culture does to our nation's youth.

About a quarter of high-risk youth who go to the hospital for an assault-related injury own a gun, according to a new study. But, even if they don't own a firearm, the majority of these youths say they are okay with retaliatory violence.

Gun violence is the leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults between 14 and 24.

Overall, 467,321 were victims of a crime committed with a gun in 2011, according to the National Institute of Justice. Firearms were used in 68 percent of murders, 41 percent of robberies and 21 percent of aggregated assaults that year.

Researchers talked to 689 high-risk youths between 14 and 24 who had visited Hurley Medical Center's emergency department in Flint, Mich. for an assault-related injury. The vast majority were in the emergency room because of injuries caused by their peers (67 percent), while a fraction (15 percent) admitted their injuries were caused by their partner. About 14 percent were under the age of 18, and 32 percent had a child of their own. Most of the people surveyed were not involved in a gang.

Twenty-three percent said they owned a firearm, with the majority (83 percent of gun owners) admitting they purchased the gun illegally. Out of all the owners, 22 percent had a automatic or semiautomatic weapon.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57592854/study-high-risk-youth-overwhelmingly-okay-with-gun-violence/