[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 6 (Thursday, January 26, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S207-S208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 LISTENING TO TEENS ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, the 2005 Teen Gun Survey conducted by the 
Uhlich Children's Advantage Network, also known as UCAN, produced some 
very interesting and troubling results. UCAN conducts this survey each 
year as a way of measuring teens' attitudes about gun violence. For 
2005, the sample included nearly 1,000 teenagers from around the 
country who responded to a variety of questions about their exposure to 
gun violence and its impact on their lives.
  The UCAN survey makes clear that far too many teens are exposed to 
gun violence. According to the survey, nearly half of the respondents 
personally know someone who has been shot, and more than a third know 
another teenager who has threatened to kill someone with a gun. Almost 
one out of every five teenagers who responded said they heard gunshots 
in their neighborhood at least once a month, and 38 percent believe 
they could get a handgun if they wanted to. Disturbingly, 39 percent of 
the respondents fear they will be shot someday.
  The results of the survey also raise significant concerns about the 
perceived safety of our schools. More than a third of respondents said 
that they are afraid gun violence might take place in their school, and 
21 percent feel that they are safer away from school than when they are 
in school.
  These results should be taken seriously. Many teens who are exposed 
to gun violence may turn to violence later in life. A study completed 
last year by a University of Michigan researcher

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found that adolescents who were exposed to gun violence were more than 
twice as likely to carry out violent acts within the following 2 years. 
Fifty-six percent of the teens surveyed by UCAN said that they believe 
violent teenagers learn their behavior from their parents. We must do 
more to break this cycle.
  Unfortunately, most of those who responded to the UCAN survey believe 
that the Government doesn't understand the realities of gun violence 
for teenagers and would not care if they were a victim of gun violence. 
In addition, 41 percent of the teens surveyed said they would benefit 
from more violence prevention programs and resources.
  We should listen to what teenagers around the country are saying 
about guns. Their responses to the UCAN survey show that Congress is 
not doing enough to protect young people from the threat of gun 
violence. I urge the Senate to do more to help ensure our teenagers do 
not have to fear guns in their schools and communities by passing 
commonsense gun safety legislation and by supporting violence reduction 
programs.

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