Exploring the Individual and Contextual Correlates of Juvenile Firearm Offending

• In Event: Exploring the Role of Contextual, Legal, and Political Factors Influencing Gun Violence

Abstract

Although youth violence has generally declined over the past decade, juvenile gun carrying and firearm offending have increased in recent years and persist as a prominent public policy issue. However, empirical research on the social and ecological risk factors underlying juvenile gun use remains limited. The current study seeks to address this gap in the literature by examining the individual and contextual correlates associated with youth firearm offending. Using data from a large and demographically diverse statewide juvenile justice system, two-level logistic regression models examined the odds of firearm use during violent crime for 83,957 youths referred to the juvenile justice system between 2015 and 2019. The results identify multiple correlates of juvenile firearm offending at both levels of analysis that may inform the development of juvenile risk assessments, juvenile justice decision making, and firearm violence reduction treatment.

Authors

• Antonia M. La Tosa, Florida State University

• Emma E. Fridel, Florida State University

• Keller Sheppard, Florida State University