As gun violence remains a leading cause of death for Ohio’s youth, CDF-Ohio urges lawmakers to reverse this trend by investing in community-based interventions and enacting Child Access Prevention mandates.
Media Contact: John Henry, jhenry@childrensdefense.org, CDF Media Relations Manager, 708-646-7679
COLUMBUS, OH—The youth advocacy organization Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio (CDF-Ohio) has released a new report detailing the impact of gun violence on children and young people across the Buckeye State. The report, titled “Preventing Gun-Related Child Deaths: The Current State of Firearm Policy and Violence Prevention Efforts in Ohio,” examines the psychological harm of gun violence, its financial implications, and the impact it is having in rural, urban, and school settings.
Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio believes every child deserves to grow up in an environment that prioritizes their safety, however, in Ohio, young people have been exposed to recurring instances of negligent firearm storage, a lack of funding for community intervention programs, and a lack of sufficient gun-violence prevention legislation.
Read the Report: Preventing Gun-Related Child Deaths: The Current State of Firearm Policy and Violence Prevention Efforts in Ohio
Among other things, findings from CDF-Ohio’s report include:
- Gun violence remains a leading cause of death for children and teens in Ohio.
- Black youth and young people living in high-poverty urban and metropolitan areas face disproportionate harm, while rural and suburban communities experience unique risks tied to firearm normalization and inconsistent safety training.
- Black children experience high rates of firearm-related homicides, while firearm-related suicides are most prevalent among White children.
- Gun violence imposes billions of dollars in economic costs on Ohio each year, straining families, local governments, and community systems.
The report analyzes the most recent state and national data concerning firearm-related youth deaths, integrating the studies with community member testimony, to provide legislative recommendations to address gun violence in Ohio.
“Too many children in Ohio fear encountering violence while going to the schools meant to nurture their curiosity or the neighborhood parks where they should be able to live, laugh, and play,” said CDF-Ohio State Director Dr. John Stanford. “Our state must do more to protect their well-being rather than contribute to the factors causing them harm.”
To reduce gun-related deaths and injuries among Ohio’s youth, CDF-Ohio recommends state leaders invest sustainably in community-based violence interventions, establish a statewide office of violence prevention, and enact Child Access Prevention mandates, among other strategies detailed in the report.
“We cannot wait to correct this crisis impacting so many young people in Ohio,” said CDF-Ohio Policy Associate Brianna Booker, who prepared the report. “We urge our General Assembly to take immediate action that is tailored to local needs, grounded in community input, and free from stigma. Together, we must ensure that every child has not only the chance to grow up with dignity, hope, and joy as envisioned by Children’s Defense Fund, but also the chance to grow up at all.”
CDF-Ohio also conducted listening sessions and one-on-one interviews with stakeholders impacted by gun violence in communities across the state, including Akron, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo, and the Appalachian region. Participants included school safety teams, community intervention groups, local government officials, faith communities, and mothers and families who have lost children to firearms.