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Youth Can Help Stop Gun Violence

Did you know?

  • In 2006, 369 children and young people ages 0-25 in Illinois were killed by guns.1
     
  • From 1999 to 2006, 3,369 children and young people have been killed by guns in Illinois.2
     
  • In 2008-2009 school year, at least 36 Chicago Public School students have been killed, most from gun violence.3
     
  • In 2007, 4% of Illinois high school students (excluding Chicago students) reported having carried a gun at least once in the last 30 days. Of Chicago students surveyed in 2007, 5% reported having carried a gun at least once in the last 30 days.4
     
  • In Illinois, from 1999-2006, 59 children and young people ages 0-25 in Illinois died from unintentional gunshot wounds.5

For more facts on gun violence and youth, click here.

To download a Power Point presentation on youth and gun violence in Illinois, click here and here for the pdf.

Take Action!

There are four simple ways that you can let elected officials know that you care about gun violence and want them to pass laws that can help make your community safer.

  1. Write a letter to the editor.

    Writing a letter to the editor is a good way to express your views on current events, such as gun violence in your neighborhood. Politicians regularly read letters to the editor to check out public opinion.

    Click here to learn how.
     
  2. Write a letter to your elected official.

    Elected officials pay close attention to the mail from their constituents regarding important issues. To let your state representative and senator know that you’re concerned about the effect of gun violence against youth, write them a letter. They will certainly read it – and remember it.

     Click here to learn how.
     
  3. Circulate a Student Petition

    Signing a petition is an important way to make your voice heard. When elected officials are presented with a petition signed by the people who live in their district, they pay attention.
     
    • Click here for the ICPGV Student Petition.
       
    • By passing around this petition at your school or youth group, you can send a message to elected officials that young people care about gun violence and want elected officials to pass laws that can help stop the violence.
       
    • When you have completed the petition, send it in the mail, with your contact info to:
      Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
      c/o Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence
      223 West Jackson Blvd.,Suite 802
      Chicago, IL 60606
       
    • If you have any questions, call 773-209-1002.
       
    • Click here to print these petition instructions.
       
  4. Join the ICPGV Youth Advocacy Corps on Facebook!

    Click here to join this Facebook group and tell your friends about it! Tell your story about gun violence and stay updated on upcoming events and rallies to keep guns off the streets and stop the violence.

1 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) Injury Mortality Reports, 1999-2006
 2 Id.
 3 Schaper, David. “Youth killings reach crisis level in Chicago,” All Things Considered, National Public Radio. May 27, 2009..
 4 Children’s Memorial Research Center, Child Health Data Lab, 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey..
 5 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) Injury Mortality Reports, 1999-2006.