In theory, therefore, stricter age limits on purchasing or possessing a firearm could reduce the incidence of defensive gun use by youth and potentially increase perpetration of violence against younger populations if offenders believe that the likelihood of encountering armed resistance is lower (Marvell, 2001).Ĭonceptually, by restricting youth access, minimum age restrictions could also reduce rates of firearm suicide or unintentional shootings by the affected age group. Of all 2017 deaths among those aged 16–21, 16.8 percent were homicides, which is greater than the homicide rates for the next-highest risk ages (12.7 percent for those aged 22–27 8.4 percent for those aged 28–33) (calculated using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019a). However, youth are similarly at high risk of victimization. By influencing the possession of guns among youth, minimum age laws could, in theory, reduce rates of firearm crime perpetrated by juveniles.
Of the 8,545 firearm homicides committed in 2016 for which the age of the offender was known, 46.8 percent were perpetrated by individuals aged 12–24 (Puzzanchera, Chamberlin, and Kang, 2018), although this group represents only 17.7 percent of the general U.S. Indeed, in 2012, arrest rates for violent crimes peaked at age 18 (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2016). With some exceptions, federal law prohibits individuals under age 18 from possessing handguns, but it does not place age restrictions on the possession of long guns (18 U.S.C. 922).įirearm homicides and violent crimes disproportionately involve individuals under age 21, both as perpetrators and as victims. Unlicensed individuals cannot sell, transfer, or deliver handguns to individuals under age 18. Under federal law, licensed dealers cannot sell or deliver handguns to individuals under age 21 or long guns to those under age 18.
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