Literature review that explores the topic of gun violence from a family perspective. This paper demonstrates the importance of family life and how one’s emotional climate can greatly affect their development.

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Gun Violence from a Family Perspective
Parissa S. Shedd
HDFS 2300
Dr. Jennifer George, Ph.D.
December 6, 2019

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Introduction
This project will study gun violence from a family perspective. The goal of this project is
to find out what role, if any, families play when it comes to gun violence. Gun violence can
affect everyone, no matter their social status. This project is seeking to understand what causes
high gun violence rates in some children and youth. The topic of gun violence can be a
controversial topic with differing views on gun control. The goal of this project is to view gun
violence strictly from the family perspective. This paper is seeking to answer the question,
“What role do families play on the topic of gun violence?”
This project is important because it seeks to understand gun violence in children and
families. Gun violence is an issue that has affected many families in the United States. It is
important to understand why this has become an issue and what can be done to help lower the
prevalence of gun violence. Most of the time, the topic of gun violence is discussed from a
political perspective. However, this paper is looking at the issue of gun violence from a family
perspective. By viewing this issue from a family perspective, it can help to change the way that
society views this issue. A change in viewpoint could help facilitate a change in the programs
that are currently in place to reduce gun violence.
Literature Review
The main data will be coming from ten empirical articles and the data that was gathered
from the researchers. Qualitative research was one of the main ways that the researchers gathered
data. Qualitative research is primarily exploratory research. It is used to gain an understanding of
underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations. Qualitative research provides insights into the
problem, which in this case is gun violence in children and youth. Researchers were seeking to

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understand why gun violence in children was increasing, while recognizing the increasing deaths
related to gun violence, and seeking to find more insight into the issue of gun violence.
Children and Families Exposed to Gun Violence
Numerous children are exposed to gun violence each year—at home, at school, in their
communities, and throughout the media (Garbarino, Bradshaw, & Vorrasi, 2002). Researchers
found that these youth exposed to gun violence reported significantly more anger, disassociation,
post-traumatic stress, and total trauma (Slovak & Singer, 2001). Youth that are exposed to this
type of violence also reported to have lower levels of parental monitoring (Slovak & Singer,
2001). Slovak (2002) reiterated the importance of one’s family environment and how it can
greatly affect their development. Decreased levels of parental monitoring can lead to an
increased exposure to violent content, which in return can lead to an increase in violent behaviors
(Slovak & Singer, 2001).
Gun violence imposes notable costs on children, families, and the American society as a
whole. These costs can be difficult to quantify, since much of the weight of gun violence results
from intangible concerns about injury and death (Cook & Ludwig, 2002). Children and a
family’s quality of life can be greatly reduced because of threats of gun violence (Cook &
Ludwig, 2002). Children being exposed to gun violence at home, at school, in the community, or
through the media can cause psychological harm to the child and decrease their quality of life
(Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002). A stable family environment can play a huge role in helping
youth avoid behaviors that may lead to an increase in gun violence (Blumstein & Cork, 1996).
There are substantial psychological costs to children who are exposed to gun violence.
Children who are exposed to gun violence, no matter their role, can experience negative
psychological effects over the course of their life (Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002). Some

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common effects associated with the exposure to gun violence include sleep disturbance, anger,
withdrawal, postromantic stress disorder, decreased school performance, lower career
aspirations, increased delinquency, risky sexual behaviors, substance abuse, and a desensitization
to violence (Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002).
Gun Related Deaths and the Family
The availability of guns has exacerbated youth violence in the United States (Reich,
Culross, & Behrman, 2002). The number of deaths in children and youth due to gun violence
such as homicide, suicide, and unintentional shooting are far higher in the United States
compared to other industrialized countries (Fingerhut & Christoffel, 2002; Reich, Culross, &
Behrman, 2002). Gun violence affects children and youth in many ways: psychologically,
emotionally, financially, and legally (Fingerhut & Christoffel, 2002). Most of all, gun violence
affects children’s physical safety.
The rate of firearm deaths affecting children and adolescents in the United States is too
high, compared both with rates in other developed countries and with historical rates in this
country (Fingerhut & Christoffel, 2002). Each year, more than 20,000 children and teenagers
under the age of 20 were killed or injured by firearms in the United States (Fingerhut &
Christoffel, 2002; Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002). Countless children are exposed to gun
violence. Regardless if they are injured or killed, they are still scarred by the effects of violence
in their homes, schools, or communities (Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002). After being
exposed to gun violence, they can grow up to become perpetrators using guns to kill or harm
others (Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002). These children that are exposed to gun violence are
also at an increased risk for psychological trauma (Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002). Gun
violence is a vicious cycle that starts in the home and, if it is not stopped, can lead to continued

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violent behavior (Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002). Each of these effects can make children
more prone to violence themselves, feeding a continuous cycle within some families (Reich,
Culross, & Behrman, 2002).
Approaches Within the Family to Reduce Gun Violence
Evidence shows that ways to reduce children’s unsupervised exposure to guns in the
home is to have close parental supervision, safe storage of weapons, and to initiate parent
education and awareness (Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002). Parents play a key role in
supervising their child and making sure their child does not have access to firearms (Hardy 2002;
Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002). A stable family environment can play a huge role in helping
youth become aware and helping to decrease gun violence rates (Blumstein & Cork, 1996). It is
important to initiate change in the personal behavior of both parents and children (Hardy 2002).
To reduce firearm deaths among children, it will be necessary to develop a broad range of
approaches—in public health, criminal justice, and educational spheres (Fingerhut & Christoffel,
2002). Fingerhut and Christoffel (2002) found that these deaths and injuries are preventable and
unnecessary with the right policies put into place. One aspect of this is gun storage in the home.
A big way to prevent gun violence is to keep children away from unsecured firearms
(Hemenway, 2013). About one-third of homes with children have guns, with many guns stored
unsafely (Hemenway, 2013). Safe gun storage practices have the potential to decrease
unintentional shootings by making guns less accessible to children and youth (Reich, Culross, &
Behrman, 2002). This echoes the large role that parents play in controlling children’s access to
guns.
Close parental supervision can help keep children away from dangerous environments
and situations. This is especially effective in neighborhoods where violence is more common

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(Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002). Parents who monitor their children may also be able to more
easily spot signs of violent behavior in their children, compared to those parents who are less
involved (Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002). In addition to this, it is important that parents also
monitor their child’s media use and limit their exposure to violent forms of media (Reich,
Culross, & Behrman, 2002). An overall increase in parental monitoring can help to decrease a
child’s exposure to guns and gun violence. Children who grow up with access to firearms can
have negative impacts on the community, such as shootings in the school or other public places
(Redding & Shalf, 2002). Mass shootings have been an issue for years in the United States and
other countries (Redding & Shalf, 2002). Many of these violent acts could have been prevented
if the children had grown up in an environment where their exposure to violence was limited
(Redding & Shalf, 2002). However, much of this is hard to control because people cannot choose
into what family they are born. I think that an increase in parental education and gun safety could
help to decrease gun violence.
Conclusion
This paper is seeking to understand gun violence from a family perspective and what can
be done to decrease the high rates of gun violence in children. This paper demonstrates the
importance of family life and how one’s emotional climate can greatly affect their development.
Just like with many other things, the way a child grows up impacts them for the rest of their
lives. Many of the important stages of development are happening when we are younger, so our
parents’ beliefs and actions can shape what we believe and how we act. Our parent’s views on
guns can shape our view on guns. No family wants to suffer through the agonizing pain of losing
a loved one due to gun violence. Something has to be done to remedy this issue. The gun
violence dilemma is not something that will be solved overnight. However, with increased

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parental education and gun safety education, I think that we could begin to see a gradual
decrease in gun violence.

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References
Blumstein, A., Cork, D. (1996). Linking gun availability to youth gun violence. Law and
Contemporary Problems, 59(1), 5-24. doi:10.2307/1192207
Cook, P. J., Ludwig, J. (2002). The costs of gun violence against children. The Future of
Children, 12(1), 87-99. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfred_Blumstein/publication/11192889_Youth_Gu
ns_and_Violent_Crime/links/00463529f8fbe1b4be000000/Youth-Guns-and-Violent-
Crime.pdf#page=89
Fingerhut, L. A., Christoffel, K. K. (2002). Firearm-related death and injury among children and
adolescents. The Future of Children, 12(2), 25-34. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfred_Blumstein/publication/11192889_Youth_Gu
ns_and_Violent_Crime/links/00463529f8fbe1b4be000000/Youth-Guns-and-Violent-
Crime.pdf#page=103
Garbarino, J., Bradshaw, C. P., & Vorrasi, J. A. (2002). Mitigating the effects of gun violence on
children and youth. The Future of Children, 12(2), 72-85. doi:10.2307/1602739
Hardy, H. S. (2002). Behavior-oriented approaches to reducing youth gun violence. The Future
of Children, 12(2), 101-110. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfred_Blumstein/publication/11192889_Youth_Gu
ns_and_Violent_Crime/links/00463529f8fbe1b4be000000/Youth-Guns-and-Violent-
Crime.pdf#page=103

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Hemenway, D. (2013). Preventing gun violence by changing social norms. JAMA Internal
Medicine, 173(13), 1167-1168. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.6949
Redding, R. E., Shalf, S. M. (2002). The legal context of school violence: the effectiveness of
federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts to reduce gun violence in schools. Law &
Policy, 23(3), 298-343. doi:10.1111/1467-9930.00115
Reich, K., Culross, P. L., Behrman, R. E. (2002). Children, youth, and gun violence: analysis and
recommendations. Future of Children, 12(2), 5-23. Retrieved from https://proxy-
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Slovak, K. (2002). Gun violence and children: factors related to exposure and trauma. Health &
Social Work, 27(2), 104-112. doi:10.1093/hsw/27.2.104
Slovak, K., Singer, M. (2001). Gun violence exposure and trauma among rural youth. Violence
and Victims, 16(4), 389-400. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.16.4.389