Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
FOX 56
Kentucky public safety experts recommend child access gun laws amid rising trend in firearm deaths
By Corey Elam,
15 hours ago
FRANKFORT, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — An increase in firearm-related injuries and deaths among children over the past five years has led public safety experts in Kentucky to recommend legal steps be taken to curb the rising trend.
In the 2023 annual report from the state Justice and Public Safety Cabinet published on December 1, research panel members found that 31 children from birth to age 12 died from “firearm-related incidents” from the 2018 to 2022 fiscal years.
The data came from the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC), which said that 154 children aged 12 and under were taken to the hospital as a result of a gun-related incident over the past five years, and 221 children ages 13–18 died using a gun.
Year-over-year record of deaths and near-deaths from gun-related cases of children from birth to age 12 from 2018–2022. (Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel)
The data leaves two key questions asked by Justice and Public Safety Cabinet officials and panel experts alike: why is this happening, and what can be done to decrease the number of incidents involving children and guns?
How does this happen?
According to KPIRC, the factors that lead to a gun incident with a child are often similar.
“They involve parents who believe they have secured weapons adequately by “hiding” them, putting them out of reach, or considering them safely stored when in the vehicle glove compartment or other out of sight locations,” panel experts said in the report. Guns are also often forgotten and left where children can easily access them. The report also showed that warning children never to touch a gun is not an effective prevention method to keep them safe.
What are the solutions?
Panel experts said the best prevention of gun use among children is secure storage that removes access. “In all suicide by firearm cases reviewed, the Panel identified unsafe access to firearms as a risk factor.”
While Kentucky has “permitless carry” gun license laws, and while KPIRC and the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet said those laws aren’t expected to change soon despite the data shown in the report, experts say there are legislative steps that can be taken in the form of Child Access Prevention (CAP) laws, which are enforced in 26 states across the US.
Experts said in the report that evidence shows promise for CAP, otherwise known as “safe storage” laws, which would theoretically punish gun owners who store firearms in an easily accessible place.
KPIRC and the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet recommended in the report that the Kentucky Judiciary Committee and state lawmakers research successful CAP lawmaking models and begin planning to enact safe storage practices across Kentucky homes.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Local Kentucky State
Most Popular
Comments / 0