摘要：In 2002, the Baltimore City Health Department, in collaboration with the Baltimore Police Department and the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, launched the Youth Ammunition Initiative. The initiative addressed Baltimore’s problem of youth gun violence by targeting illegal firearm ammunition sales to the city’s young people. The initiative included undercover “sting” investigations of local businesses and issuance of health department violation and abatement notices. Intermediate results included the passage of 2 Baltimore city council ordinances regulating ammunition sales and reducing the number of outlets eligible to sell ammunition. Although it is too early to assess effects on violent crime, the intervention could theoretically reduce youth violence by interrupting one source of ammunition to youths. More important, the initiative can serve as a policy model for health commissioners seeking to become more active in gun violence prevention efforts. BALTIMORE HAS A HIGHER rate of firearm homicides among young people than any other jurisdiction in the state of Maryland (Figure 1 ▶ ). In 2001, firearm homicide was the leading cause of death among residents of Baltimore aged 15 to 24 years. 1, 2 Baltimore City Health Department data indicate that in the first 6 months of 2002, 34 youth younger than 18 years—predominantly male African Americans—were the victims of gun violence, resulting in 16 deaths (A. Spaccarelli, Office of the Commissioner, Baltimore City Health Department, written communication, June 2002) and substantial public concern. Open in a separate window FIGURE 1— Firearm homicide rates among youths aged 0 to 19 years: Maryland counties, 1990–2000. Note. Total youth gun homicides in Maryland, 1990–2000 = 935; Maryland youth gun homicide rate, 1990–2000 = 6.1 deaths per 100000 population; Baltimore City youth gun homicide rate, 1990–2000 = 23.7 deaths per 100000 population. As one response, the health department, in collaboration with the Baltimore City Police Department and the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, developed the Youth Ammunition Initiative (hereafter “the initiative”) to deter illegal trafficking of ammunition to minors. The theoretical basis for the initiative was simple: if youths did not have access to ammunition, the guns already in their possession could not be used to commit acts of violence. It’s important to note that legislative alternatives were limited by state laws affecting the ability of Baltimore to enact its own laws regarding firearms.
