Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 6, 1994                   TAG: 9402060064
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: D-11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

STUDY: GUN A STATUS SYMBOL FOR JUVENILE CRIMINALS

Seventy percent of juvenile criminals surveyed said they have owned a firearm, compared to 48 percent of adult convicts. Nearly one-third of the juveniles said they have carried a gun at a crime scene, compared to about one-fifth of the adults questioned.

"It's not unusual anymore to find juveniles with semiautomatics on the street. It's become sort of a status symbol," said Richard Kern, director of the Criminal Justice Research Center, which conducted the study.

Figures in the report back a trend cited by police across the country: An increasing number of young people are committing violent crimes. The report also attempts to explain where criminals get their guns and the impact of firearm laws on offenders.

The report found that the top single source of guns for adult criminals was retailers - 34 percent bought their firearms from a retail outlet.

Findings from the survey are based on an analysis of responses from 1,122 adult and 192 juvenile offenders. They were not asked about their criminal backgrounds. Among the findings:

45 percent of juveniles obtained guns from family and friends, compared to 23 percent of adult offenders.

40 percent of juveniles obtained guns from the black market, compared to 27 percent of adults. The black market was defined to include guns obtained for drugs, through street sources and other illegal transactions, Kern said.

35 percent of juveniles have encountered an armed victim or were scared off, shot at, wounded or captured by a victim with a gun. Only about one in five adults said they had a similar experience.

"A lot of these kids tend to victimize one another, particularly those living in the inner cities," Kern said.

A spokeswoman for Handgun Control Inc. in Washington had not yet seen the study. But she believes figures cited in the report show a need for tougher gun laws.

Cheryl Brolin said Virginia's decision to implement background checks has prevented many criminals from obtaining guns and getting them into the hands of young people.

"We know we need to do background checks," Brolin said. "Waiting periods are an effective deterrent to the gunrunners who are supplying the illegal market. That's where kids are getting their guns."

Paul Blackman, research coordinator for the National Rifle Association, said the study does not carry a broader message related to the debate over gun control.

"You don't need more gun laws. What you need to do is find some massive change in the social setting which raises youngsters - more values, education levels and sense of hope," Blackman said.

Blackman said young people can't buy guns legally, so it is not surprising they are using unlawful means to get them.

The study found that most criminals are aware they can receive stiffer sentences for using a gun during a crime. But only 36 percent of juveniles and 24 percent of adults said the penalties influenced their decision to use a gun.