Risky Behavior, Juveniles, Guns, and Unintentional Firearms Fatalities

Abstract

Risky behaviors contribute to a host of teenage misfortunes, including high rates of sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancies, and accidental deaths. This state-level study examines whether these behaviors also contribute to unintentional firearms fatalities in juvenile populations. Controlling for indicators of socioeconomic status, social disorganization, and the firearms density, the authors found that these unintentional deaths are consistently associated with state-level indicators of risky behavior. Accidental firearms deaths were also associated with rural populations as well as reductions in socioeconomic status. Also examined were the influences of child access prevention (safe storage), overall firearms laws, and background checks on firearms fatalities. Contrary to initial expectations, child access prevention laws were significantly associated with lower rates of unintentional firearms fatalities in the general population but were not associated with reductions in accidental firearms deaths in juvenile populations.