Title: AYS Youth Carrying Handguns Fact Sheet

Publication Date: March 2010

What does it say?

This report publishes findings gathered from the Arizona Youth Survey (AYS) on the prevalence of youth possession of handguns from 2004 to 2008.

The report investigates:  

• Relationships between percieved risk of capture and relative likelihood of handgun possession for youth
• Trends in the rate of overall handgun possession
• Relationships between drug use/sale and handgun possession
• Levels of students who have brought handguns into school
• Percentage of students who reported to be carrying a handgun by academic performance 
• Relationships between social influences and rate of carry by youths

Important to note is the influence the perceived risk of capture while possessing a handgun has on youths’ propensity to carry guns. In the last three administrations of this survey, it was found that when youths perceive the risk of getting caught by either the police or their parents while possessing firearms to be high, the rate of actual possession decreases by at least 50% (see Table 2).

How can I use it?

Use the results of this survey to take proactive measures in your area against the factors that are demonstrated to have an effect on the rate of youth that carry handguns. Pay special attention to the effect that perceived risk of capture has on the rate of handgun possession by youth; urge the local officials and law enforcement to establish prevention programs early in schools.

Citation

Bileski, Matt. Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, AYS Youth Carrying Handguns Fact Sheet (Phoenix, AZ: March 2010)

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