NCJ Number
196786
Journal
Future of Children Volume: 12 Issue: 2 Dated: Summer/Fall 2002 Pages: 119-131
Date Published
2002
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This document provides a history of efforts to make safer, smarter guns and assesses the potential of the product safety approach for reducing youth gun violence.
Abstract
Injury prevention experts have suggested that gun manufacturers could reduce youth violence by changing the design of guns. Safety features could make guns more difficult for children to fire unintentionally and more difficult to use if stolen or obtained illegally. Research from the injury prevention field suggest that changing product design may be more effective in preventing injures than trying to change personal behaviors. Changing the design of products has been effective in reducing risks of injury in childhood poisoning prevention and motor vehicle safety. As these cases illustrate, behavioral interventions alone are not enough to reduce injuries and death; product safety modifications also play a key role. Existing product safety technologies for guns could reduce unintentional gun injuries, especially to young children. This includes Smith & Wesson’s “childproof” gun, loaded chamber indicators, and magazine disconnect devices. Emerging technologies will enable gun manufacturers to “personalize” guns, preventing unauthorized users of any age from firing the weapons. This could decrease access to guns by adolescents. However, the increased cost of the guns, the immense stock of non-personalized guns in this country, and the potential for an increase in gun sales once personalized guns enter the market make uncertain the impact of smart guns on the safety of children and youth. Gun manufacturers have been slow to incorporate safety features into their products. Legislative, regulatory, and litigation efforts are under way to mandate safer guns. Model legislation has been written that would allow a city, State, or the Federal Government to require all newly manufactured handguns to be personalized after a given date. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) does not regulate handguns as it does other consumer products. Attempts have been made to amend the Consumer Product Safety Act and allow the CPSC to exercise jurisdiction over firearms. 1 table, 37 endnotes