Reducing Youth Gun Possession

photo from: City of Minneapolis, Minnesota

Officials in Hennepin County have instituted a program that will enforce gun control for juveniles. The program will also provide them with educational courses on the dangers of carrying firearms. The mission statement for the new program is "don’t carry a gun - if you do, there will be consequences"(Mayors, 2008).

Initiated by the Hennepin County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee (CJCC) in May of 2008, the program was put into effect the following summer. It was intended to help reduce the number of juveniles carrying firearms through several coordinated activities. Some of these activities will include court-sanctioned penalties for any youths caught carrying BB guns or any other type of replica fire arms, and even real weapons. Interventions will include probation, classroom gun education and also out-of-home-placement to ensure offenders actually learn their lesson. Along with those efforts local communities will hold street level policing targeted directly at juveniles who have prior records of firearms and have warrants out for their arrest. These local patrols will encourage the juveniles to turn themselves in in order to not suffer higher consequences. For juveniles placed on probation, the supervision will be much more intense and aggressive and be linked to the Minnesota Anti violence Initiative. The MAI accompany authorities and probation officers on home visits to any juvenile that is on probation to make sure all the demands are being met. Furthermore, the youth curfew law will be enforced more consistently and strictly especially on the weekends as well as stronger enforcement of new replica firearms ordinances in cities with such laws (Mayors, 2008).

County officials from Hennepin County and its neighoring communities are teaming together to put an end to juvenile gun violence in the city. “The bottom line is, kids and guns don't mix. If you’re a juvenile with a gun in Hennepin County, we want you to know there are clear and swift penalties. But with the penalties, there is education: A 40-hour gun education program that informs the juvenile of the dangers of guns. But let's not forget, the penalties also include time away from home and a substantial amount of hours of work-without-pay”(Mayors, 2008), said Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.

Mayor R.T. Rybak also shared the point of view of Freedman stating that the goal was to reduce hte number of youth carrying gun, NOT placing more under arrest. “With clear, consistent consequences, we are making it tough for kids to have guns, we want to make it clear to youth that it’s safer to not carry a gun than to carry a gun. Our main goal isn’t just to arrest more youth, but to reduce the number if youth with guns”(Mayors, 2008).

County Sheriff Rich Stanek hopes that with the programs instalment the number of crimes caused by juveniles will decrease, especially those realted to firearms. “Kids with guns are serious business and a major contributor of violent crime throughout Hennepin County. Through the joint efforts of the entire criminal justice system in Hennepin County – the local police departments, the Sheriff's office, the county attorney, probation and district court – we will be arresting kids with guns and getting them off the streets”(Mayors, 2008).

Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan is looking for the program to cut down on the number of juveniles carrying firearms. He feels that with this new program, juveniles will not move on to do more serious offenses and potential more serious crimes. “Our goal is to get guns – real or fake – out of the hands of kids and off our streets. Stronger penalties mean that we may not see juveniles ‘graduate’ to more serious offenses”(Mayors, 2008).

The program will focus on bringing safety to all those involved as well as those not involved. It wil target every community in Hennepin County. It will be aimed at juveniles (ages 10-17 years old). The program will also look to state more dire consequences than those listed if a firearm real or fake is used to commit any particular crime, such as intentionally pointing a gun at another person or using it in a robbery. The list of the program is as follows:

HENNEPIN COUNTY JUVENILE GUN OFFENDER PROGRAM (Mayors, 2008)

1. First time in court and the youth has a BB or replica gun - probation, 40 hours of education on the dangers and effects of guns, 60 hours work without pay (STS), and if the youth does not complete the 100 hours, then 4-6 weeks out of home placement.

2. First time in court and the youth has a real gun or fired a BB gun - probation, 4-6 weeks out of the home, then 40 hours of education on the dangers and effects of guns and if the youth does not complete these requirements, then long term (4-6 months) out of home placement.

3. Already on probation and the youth has a real gun or fired a BB gun - probation, 90 days at Red Wing or similar program, then 40 hours of classes on the dangers and effects of guns and if the youth does not complete the program, then long term (6-12 months) out of home placement.

4. Any youth who has a new gun offense who had a prior gun offense - sent out of home to long term (6-15 months) placement and probation.


Mayor's Office. (2008, May 20). Multiple initiatives in place to reduce youth gun possession this summer. Minnesota Mayor's Office. Retrieved from
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/mayor/news/20080520newsmayor_citycountylaunchyouthguneffort.asp

City of Minneapolis Hennepoint County Mayor's Office