Youth Violence + Guns = A Deadly Mixture.

• Position: Brief Article

Responding to the national handgun homicide rate for boys 15 to 18, which jumped almost 150 percent between 1980 and 1995, states and cities nationwide are starting programs aimed at getting guns out of the hands of high-risk kids. But are these programs effective at reducing gun violence among youths?

No one knows for sure.

The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado identified 163 programs, nationwide, dedicated to stopping violent gun use among youths. However, only 10 of those 163 had been evaluated for effectiveness. And among those 10, only three had promising or favorable results, according to the study.

One law enforcement program to seize weapons, Kansas City Weed and Seed, showed promising results in decreasing gun crimes in an area with a high homicide rate. Two school programs showed favorable results: Safe Alternatives and Violence Education (SAVE) in San Jose, Calif., and the Handgun Violence Prevention Program in Towson, Md. Gun buy back programs in Seattle and St. Louis were ineffective, the study said.

In response to the general uncertainty of what works to stop kids from committing crimes with guns, the Colorado Trust has awarded $150,000 to each of...