Firearms Safety at Home
As violent crime sweeps the nation, more and more parents are arming themselves with handguns. However, fewer than half of the parents who own a gun keep it safely locked up, out of reach. And with guns replacing fists and knives as ways of settling disputes, violence against and among children is becoming ever more lethal. Homicide rates are decreasing for all Americans – except for children and young adults. Homicide is the No. 1 killer of 15- to 24-year-old blacks and Latinos. Seventy-eight percent of the more than 4,000 children, ages one to 19, who were murdered last decade died from gunshot injuries. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that for every gun death, there are about seven gun injuries. The toll of gun violence goes beyond children’s injuries and deaths. Every child’s death or serious injury causes great pain among mothers, fathers, siblings, [...]