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Youth Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis: Understanding Risk,...
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Youth Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis: Understanding Risk, Resilience, and Recovery

A special issue of Youth (ISSN 2673-995X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 June 2026) | Viewed by 2606

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Nicholas D. Thomson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departments of Surgery, Psychology, and Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Interests: psychopathy; biopsychosocial risk factors for violence; violence intervention and prevention; developmental psychopathology; forensic psychology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Gun violence remains one of the leading causes of death among U.S. youth, marking a critical inflection point in youth public health. This Special Issue of Youth will examine therefore youth gun violence from a developmental health perspective, with a focus on identifying risk and protective factors that influence both exposure and recovery, and it will also emphasize the ways in which firearm violence disrupts youth well-being across clinical, behavioral, and community domains.

We invite interdisciplinary contributions that explore the following areas:

  • Risk factors, such as trauma exposure, mental health conditions, access to firearms, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and community disinvestment.
  • Protective factors, including strong caregiver relationships, access to quality mental health care, positive peer networks, school connectedness, and community resilience initiatives.
  • Evidence-based interventions that reduce firearm injury and improve health outcomes among youth.

The Special Issue will center on health consequences and developmental recovery pathways, in alignment with Youth’s focus on clinical and translational research, health service innovation, and public health relevance.

Proposed topics may include the following:

  • The longitudinal health outcomes of firearm-injured youth;
  • Cumulative risk exposure and developmental pathways to firearm involvement;
  • The protective effects of family engagement and school belonging in violence-exposed youth;
  • Pediatric trauma recovery models in clinical settings;
  • The neurocognitive impacts of firearm exposure during youth;
  • The effectiveness of hospital-based and community wraparound programs;
  • Screening and intervention for PTSD and depression following firearm injury;
  • Disparities in firearm injury rates and access to care based on race, gender, and geography;
  • Digital and school-based interventions for firearm violence prevention in youth;
  • Innovative technologies that support firearm violence prevention and recovery in youth, including digital health tools, virtual reality, and data-informed early warning systems.

Dr. Nicholas D. Thomson
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Youth is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • youth firearm injury
  • youth public health
  • violence prevention
  • violence intervention risk and protective factors
  • technology-based violence intervention

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 267 KB  
Article
Modifiable Risk Factors for Youth Firearm Violence Prevention: A Baseline Descriptive Analysis from a Hospital Violence Intervention Program Evaluation
by Lexie M. Contreras, Joseph Constans, Sharven Taghavi, Katherine P. Theall, Taylor Kaser and Julia M. Fleckman
Youth 2026, 6(2), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth6020074 (registering DOI) - 6 Jun 2026
Abstract
Individuals who have experienced a violent injury are at an increased risk of subsequent reinjury. The traumatic event may increase one’s motivation to change the modifiable factors that are associated with violence risk. The current paper describes the assessment of potentially modifiable risk [...] Read more.
Individuals who have experienced a violent injury are at an increased risk of subsequent reinjury. The traumatic event may increase one’s motivation to change the modifiable factors that are associated with violence risk. The current paper describes the assessment of potentially modifiable risk factors in a recently developed hospital-based violence intervention program (HVIP) for youth. Individuals aged 17–24 who sought hospital treatment for violent injury at a Level 1 Trauma Center enrolled to participate in a quasi-experimental study designed to evaluate a motivational-interviewing-informed case management HVIP (N = 48). Descriptive analyses of modifiable risk factors assessed at baseline for participants, including substance use, employment, housing, mental health issues, and firearm-related beliefs and behaviors, were conducted. Participants identified primarily as male (85%) and Black (87%). Commonly acknowledged risk factors included: PTSD (38%), unemployment or marginal employment (73%), low educational attainment (44% < high school equivalency), and daily marijuana use (55%). Participants’ acknowledgement of unsafe firearm behaviors was highly variable, with 50% denying any firearm carriage in the past 12 months. Nevertheless, participants reported neutral-to-moderate firearm beliefs, with moderate endorsement of needing a firearm for protection (M = 3.77, SD = 2.2) and acknowledgment that most people they knew carry a firearm (M = 3.6, SD = 2.0). However, there was mild disagreement with the idea that firearm carriage would reduce the likelihood of being victimized (M = 2.67, SD = 2.2). Given the variability in the reporting of unsafe firearm behaviors, HVIPs overly focused on firearm behaviors may not be appropriate for youth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis: Understanding Risk, Resilience, and Recovery)
24 pages, 333 KB  
Article
Social and Economic Correlates of Weapon-Carrying in Violence-Exposed Urban Young Black Males
by Chuka N. Emezue, Jessica Bishop-Royse, Tipparat Udmuangpia, Adaobi Anakwe, Wrenetha A. Julion and Niranjan S. Karnik
Youth 2026, 6(2), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth6020067 - 25 May 2026
Viewed by 246
Abstract
Firearm homicide is a leading cause of death among children and young men in the U.S. (ages 1–19), with young Black males in urban environments facing rates 18-to-24-fold higher than their non-Hispanic White peers in 2023. A key precursor to firearm violence victimization [...] Read more.
Firearm homicide is a leading cause of death among children and young men in the U.S. (ages 1–19), with young Black males in urban environments facing rates 18-to-24-fold higher than their non-Hispanic White peers in 2023. A key precursor to firearm violence victimization is weapon-carrying behavior (WCB), defined as carrying, concealing, or displaying firearms or other weapons in community or social contexts that elevate risk for injury, interpersonal threats, or law enforcement contact. Several structural, behavioral, and trauma-based risk factors fuel weapon-carrying. Yet these WCBs are rarely studied in tandem, leaving a critical gap in our understanding of these high-risk behaviors for youth. This cross-sectional study leveraged baseline data from a convenience sample of 226 violence-exposed urban young Black males, ages 15–24 (Mage = 18.3 years; SD = 3.1) enrolled in a trauma-informed digital firearm violence prevention pilot study. Eligibility required prior personal or witnessed experience of youth violence; reported prevalence therefore characterizes a high-risk subgroup rather than urban young Black males as a whole. Past-30-day weapon-carrying frequency was measured across five YRBS-aligned categories (0, 1, 2 to 3, 4 to 5, and 6+ days) and modeled as a categorical index under negative binomial regression. Associations with peer and community violence exposure, substance use, sociodemographic, and socioeconomic factors were estimated as incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% CI. Past-30-day weapon carrying was reported by 42.5% of participants, with carrying frequency ranging from 1 day to 6 or more days. Participants reported high levels of direct victimization (64.8%), witnessing community violence (76.4%), and use of nonprescribed medications, including in instances preceding violence. In the fully adjusted model, indicators of violence exposure were the most consistent correlates of carrying. Direct victimization (IRR = 1.15, p < 0.05), general exposure to violence or aggression (IRR = 7.82, p < 0.01), and physical fighting (IRR = 1.11, p < 0.05) remained independently significant. Conversely, associations with substance use, dating aggression, and employment were attenuated, suggesting shared ecological vulnerability rather than independent causal pathways. Findings underscore the central role of chronic violence exposure and support the need for trauma-informed, multilevel prevention strategies in clinical and community settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis: Understanding Risk, Resilience, and Recovery)
22 pages, 838 KB  
Article
Firearm Ownership and Acquisition Among Adults and Youth: A Mixed Methods Study
by Colleen S. Walsh, Laura Taylor Stevens, Savannah T. Morgan, Jasmine N. Coleman, Phillip N. Smith, Christopher Cordell and Krista R. Mehari
Youth 2026, 6(2), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth6020063 - 13 May 2026
Viewed by 265
Abstract
Background: Understanding firearm ownership and acquisition practices may provide insight into how youth access firearms and develop norms around ownership. Methods: Using a mixed-methods, participatory approach, we examined motivations for firearm ownership, perceptions of responsible ownership, acquisition methods, and associated safety behaviors among [...] Read more.
Background: Understanding firearm ownership and acquisition practices may provide insight into how youth access firearms and develop norms around ownership. Methods: Using a mixed-methods, participatory approach, we examined motivations for firearm ownership, perceptions of responsible ownership, acquisition methods, and associated safety behaviors among adults and youth. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 249 youth and adults who were firearm owners or lived in high-violence areas. Surveys were completed by a community-based sample of 122 youth and a national sample of 446 adult firearm owners. Results: Across qualitative and quantitative data, protection and hunting were the most common reasons for firearm ownership among adults and youth, and gun or sporting goods stores were the most frequently reported acquisition source. Adult definitions of responsible ownership emphasized secure storage, firearm handling proficiency, concealed carrying, and educating others. Latent class analyses identified three classes of ownership motivations and four classes of acquisition methods. Class membership varied by demographic characteristics and firearm-related behaviors, including storage and carrying practices. Conclusion: Overlapping motivations and acquisition pathways among adults and youth, along with class-based differences in storage and carrying behaviors, suggest that adult firearm practices shape youth exposure and access. Efforts to reduce youth firearm harm should prioritize promoting secure storage and responsible acquisition among adult firearm owners, particularly within groups with levels of risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis: Understanding Risk, Resilience, and Recovery)
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14 pages, 254 KB  
Article
A Specialty Court Response to Gun Violence: Implementation and Pilot Outcomes
by Jesse W. Bassett, Daniel J. Flannery, Jeff Kretschmar, Branka Primetica, Meghan Patton Disbrow and Brendan J. Sheehan
Youth 2026, 6(2), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth6020056 - 1 May 2026
Viewed by 522
Abstract
Firearm-related injuries are the leading cause of death for children, adolescents, and young adults in the United States, yet empirically evaluated court-based intervention models targeting firearm offenders remain rare in the peer-reviewed literature. This exploratory pilot study evaluates the implementation and pilot outcomes [...] Read more.
Firearm-related injuries are the leading cause of death for children, adolescents, and young adults in the United States, yet empirically evaluated court-based intervention models targeting firearm offenders remain rare in the peer-reviewed literature. This exploratory pilot study evaluates the implementation and pilot outcomes of the Violence Intervention Program (VIP), a court-based specialty docket designed to address gun violence through a trauma-informed, multidisciplinary model. This descriptive pilot evaluation utilized administrative court records, program data, and clinical service logs among 77 enrolled participants with felony-level, non-violent gun-related charges. Participants were entirely male, majority Black (87%), with a median age of 22 years, and primarily residents of high-poverty Cleveland, OH neighborhoods. Descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-tests were used to compare service utilization and drug screen outcomes between program participants who successfully completed and those who were unsuccessfully terminated from the program. Successful completion was contingent upon fulfillment of three program phase requirements, including consistent adherence to court-mandated supervision and active engagement in clinical and program services. Of 48 participants who exited the program during the pilot period, 34 successfully completed (67.3%). The one-year recidivism rate was 29.5%. Successful program completers received significantly higher monthly peer mentorship services than those who were unsuccessfully terminated, while counseling dosage and drug screen results did not significantly differ between groups. Findings suggest that multidisciplinary, trauma-informed, court-based models can safely intervene with justice-involved young adults and may serve as a replicable public health strategy for reducing gun violence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis: Understanding Risk, Resilience, and Recovery)
15 pages, 251 KB  
Article
Community-Identified Priorities for Improving Safety in Low-Income Urban Communities Experiencing High Rates of Firearm Violence
by Terri N. Sullivan, Carine E. Leslie, Colleen S. Walsh, Kimberly Lazarus, Katherine M. Ross, Skylar A. Radabaugh, Alexys Weihl, Angela Angulo, Diane L. Bishop and Nicholas Thomson
Youth 2026, 6(2), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth6020055 - 28 Apr 2026
Viewed by 481
Abstract
The present qualitative study explored perspectives from youth, caregivers, and community partners who lived in or worked with organizations that served two low-income, urban communities exposed to disproportionate rates of firearm violence. The purpose of the study was to (a) identify changes that [...] Read more.
The present qualitative study explored perspectives from youth, caregivers, and community partners who lived in or worked with organizations that served two low-income, urban communities exposed to disproportionate rates of firearm violence. The purpose of the study was to (a) identify changes that community members and community partners would like to see in terms of safety, (b) compare the similarities and differences in responses across the three participant groups. Youth (n = 11), caregivers (n = 20), and community partners (n = 41) participated in semi-structured interviews as part of a larger study evaluating community strategies to reduce community-levels of youth violence. Perspectives on changes related to safety were represented across four themes: (1) Changes to policing, (2) Increasing safety, (3) More opportunities for youth and family programs and activities, (4) Structural and resource investments in communities. Overall, qualitative findings offered a context-specific picture of desired areas for change to improve community safety. The results contribute to a framework for community mobilization and have implications for the development of comprehensive community violence prevention initiatives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis: Understanding Risk, Resilience, and Recovery)
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