Youth and legal uses of guns

This summer, the country has been shaken by tragic stories involving guns: the killer at the screening of a Batman movie in Colarado, the shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, the man who murdered a former coworker outside of the Empire State Building. But for some Indiana youth, legal, non-violent gun use is part of growing up.

The idea for a radio series on legal gun use came out of another Y-Press series on teens' access to guns (which can also be found on PRX). While the first series was to focus mainly on how teens accessed and used guns illegally, we had planned to include one story about recreational gun use. However, we soon realized that legal gun use deserved its own four-part series.

In preparation for their reporting, Y-Press journalists researched the laws regulating minors' use of guns in Indiana, and talked with experts on gun safety training. They spoke with teen hunters, whose experiences helped them bond with family members and feel more mature. Then the team visited a marskmanship clinic where a 15 year-old girl was instructing adults. Finally, they interviewed youth whose parents have taught them how to handle guns for home protection.

This series was aired on WFYI (90.1 FM), Central Indiana's NPR affiliate station, in August of 2012. Hide full description

This summer, the country has been shaken by tragic stories involving guns: the killer at the screening of a Batman movie in Colarado, the shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, the man who murdered a former coworker outside of the Empire State Building. But for some Indiana youth, legal, non-violent gun use is part of growing up. The idea for a radio series on legal gun use came out of another Y-Press series on teens' access to guns (which can also be found on PRX). While the first series was to focus mainly on how teens accessed and used guns illegally, we had planned to include one story about recreational gun use. However, we soon realized that legal gun use deserved its own four-part series. In preparation for their reporting, Y-Press journalists researched the laws regulating... Show full description