The Jackson County Libertarian : Kids and Guns
The Jackson County Libertarian
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"Do guns turn children into criminals?
Myth-shattering federal study says: No"
WASHINGTON, DC -- Want to dramatically reduce the chance that
your child will commit a gun-related crime or -- heaven forbid -- go on
a shooting spree? Here's a surprising suggestion from the Libertarian
Party: Buy your youngster a gun.
"The evidence is in: The simplest way to reduce firearm-related
violence among children is to buy them a gun and teach them how to use
it responsibly," said Steve Dasbach, national director of the
Libertarian Party.
"When it comes to preventing youthful violence, the Second
Amendment apparently works better than the so-called solutions being
proposed by politicians, such as a ban on assault weapons or mandated
'child-proof' safety locks on guns."
Says who? Says a detailed study by the federal government
entitled "Urban Delinquency and Substance Abuse."
The study was conducted from 1993-1995 by the U.S. Department
of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. In
an attempt to determine the relationship between "problem behaviors"
like drug use, teen pregnancy, and crime, child psychologists tracked
4,000 boys and girls aged 6 to 15 in Denver, Pittsburgh, and Rochester,
NY.
The findings were a slap in the face to "conventional wisdom"
about children and guns, said Dasbach -- and a sharp rebuke to the
recent vote by the U.S. Senate to enact new gun-control laws that
impact on teenagers.
According to the study:
* Children who get guns from their parents don't commit gun
crimes (0%), while children who get illegal guns are very likely to do
so (21%).
* Children who get guns from parents are less likely to commit
any kind of street crime (14%) than children who have no gun in the
house (24%) -- and are dramatically less likely to do so than children
who acquire an illegal gun (74%).
* Children who get guns from parents are less likely to use
drugs (13%) than children who get illegal guns (41%).
"Boys who own legal firearms have much lower rates of
delinquency and drug use [than boys who own illegal guns] and are even
slightly less delinquent than non-owners of guns," the study reported.
If the federal government knows that children and guns are
not -- in and of themselves -- a dangerous combination, why are so many
politicians demanding that new laws be passed to "protect" children?
"Politicians are apparently more interested in demonizing
guns -- and repealing the Second Amendment on the installment plan --
than they are in facts," suggested Dasbach. "But as this study shows,
if gun ownership by kids is not the problem, banning gun ownership by
kids can't be the solution."
So are Libertarians saying that every parent should buy their
child a gun?
"Of course not," said Dasbach. "Deciding whether to give your
son or daughter a gun is a serious decision that every parent will have
to make. Many parents may decide that their children are not mature
enough to responsibly and safely learn how to use a gun, and you have
to respect that decision.
"But the point is: Parents are better able to make that
decision than a bunch of poll-driven politicians in Washington, DC.
Parents seem to understand that the best way to reduce gun crimes by
juveniles is to promote more responsible gun ownership -- not more
irresponsible gun bans."
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