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The association between weapon-carrying and the use of violence among adolescents living in or around public housing

1995; Wiley; Volume: 18; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1006/jado.1995.1040

1095-9254

Robert H. DuRant, Alan G. Getts, Chris Cadenhead, Elizabeth R. Woods,

Crime Patterns and Interventions

The study examined social and psychological factors associated with the frequency of weapon-carrying by Black adolescents living in a community where there is extensive poverty and a high level of violent crime. Using a cross-sectional anonymous survey design adolescents (N=225; males=44%) ages 11 to 19 years living in or around nine HUD housing projects in Augusta, Georgia were administered an anonymous questionnaire. The dependent variables were the number of days that a weapon, such as a gun, knife, or club was carried in the previous 30 days and the frequency that a hidden weapon was carried in the last year. Carrying a weapon during the previous 30 days was significantly (p<0·05) associated with previous exposure to violence and victimization, age, corporal punishment scale, depression, family conflict, purpose in life, and the self-appraised probability of being alive at age 25, and was higher among males. Based on multiple regression analysis, previous exposure and victimization to violence, gender, age, and self-appraised probability of being alive at age 25 explained 17 per cent of the variation in frequency of weapon-carrying. The exposure to violence and victimization scale, school grade, and probability of being alive at age 25 explained 12·1 per cent of the variation in frequency of carrying a hidden weapon in the last year. The two indicators of weapon-carrying were not associated with family structure, religious behavior, or any other demographic variable.