Questionnaires were voluntarily and anonymously completed by 835 male serious offenders incarcerated in six juvenile correctional facilities in four States. A total of 758 male students in 10 inner-city high schools near the correctional facilities also completed the questionnaire. Because of the characteristics of the samples, the results are not generalizable to the U.S. population. Eighty-three percent of the inmates and 22 percent of the students possessed guns. Fifty-five percent of the inmates carried guns all or most of the time in the year or two before their incarceration; 12 percent of the students did so, with another 23 percent carrying guns now and then. The firearms of choice were high-quality, powerful revolvers, closely followed by automatic and semiautomatic handguns and then shotguns. Most of those surveyed considered it easy to acquire a gun. When asked how they would get a gun, 45 percent of the inmates and 53 percent of the students said they would "borrow" one from family or friends; 54 percent of the inmates and 37 percent of the students said they would get one "off the street." A total of 43 percent of the inmates and 5-6 percent of students said they used hard drugs. More inmates than students reported selling drugs. The main reason given for owning or carrying a gun was self- protection. Researchers concluded that the fundamental policy problem is convincing youths they can survive in their neighborhoods without being armed. 4 tables, 7 notes, and 15 references
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