NCJ Number
199651
Journal
Crime & Delinquency Volume: 49 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2003 Pages: 231-252
Date Published
April 2003
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Using the National Institute of Justice's body armor threat-level scale, this study classified 1,055 firearms confiscated by police officers from juveniles in St. Louis, MO, from 1992 to 1999.
Abstract
Handguns were the type of firearm most likely to be confiscated from juveniles over the 8-year period examined. The mean threat level for all cartridge sizes of handguns was assessed, excluding nonpowder firearms, rifles, and shotguns from this analysis. Once this was done, the average threat level of handguns remained almost constant over the 8 years. Of the 821 handguns recovered by police, 98 had the greatest threat level. These weapons chambered cartridges in 9mm, .40 Smith and Wesson, .357 magnum, .45 ACP, and .41 and .44 magnums. Typically, these firearms are better made, more reliable, and more expensive than Saturday night specials, which are firearms of .32 caliber or less and have a barrel length of 3.1 inches or less. Regardless of definitions, assault weapons were rarely confiscated; a total of six were recovered from juveniles over the 8 years. One of the most commonly confiscated firearms was the nonpowder firearm, typically called a BB or pellet gun. Although these firearms are considered to have relatively little capacity for injury, the medical literature has documented some cases of death and serious injury. Overall, youths were more likely to have pellet guns, .22 caliber firearms, and Saturday night specials confiscated by the police. Future research should focus on juveniles' motivation for firearms possession and use and also determine how adolescents choose the weapons they possess. 4 tables and 75 references