RT Journal
A1 Freed LH, Webster DW, Longwell JJ, Carrese J, Wilson MH
T1 FActors preventing gun acquisition and carrying among incarcerated adolescent males
JF Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
JO Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
YR 2001
FD March 1
VO 155
IS 3
SP 335
OP 341
DO 10.1001/archpedi.155.3.335
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.155.3.335
AB Context 
    Despite the wide availability of guns in the United States, not all delinquent adolescents own guns and not all adolescent gun owners carry them at all times. Research about the factors that prevent high-risk youth from acquiring and carrying guns is limited.Objective 
    To determine, from the perspective of incarcerated adolescent males, factors that prevent acquiring or carrying guns, either on a temporary or permanent basis.Design and Setting 
    In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with randomly selected incarcerated adolescent males at a residential juvenile justice facility from January to May 1998. Transcribed interviews were examined for recurrent themes.Participants 
    Forty-five incarcerated adolescent males.Main Outcome Measures 
    Reported factors limiting gun acquisition and carrying.Results 
    Seventy-one percent of the sample had either owned or carried a gun out of their home. We identified 6 recurring themes that, at least on occasion, prevented or delayed delinquent youth from acquiring or carrying guns. The most commonly cited factors were fear of being arrested and incarcerated and lack of perceived need for a gun. Other themes included not wanting to hurt oneself or others, respect for the opinions of others, inability to find a source for a desired gun, and lack of money to acquire a desired gun.Conclusions 
    We identified 6 factors that limited gun acquisition and carrying among a sample of incarcerated male adolescents. Knowledge of these factors should inform intervention efforts to reduce youth gun acquisition and carrying.