Addressing some Baltimore teens’ belief they ‘need’ a gun is at the heart of new efforts to reduce youth violence

Baltimore’s devastating spate of violence involving young people has spurred calls to get guns out of teens’ hands. Experts say the presence of deadly weapons on the street only fuels young people’s perception they need to arm themselves in response. As to why, a growing body of evidence that suggests at least some young people who carry guns say they need them for protection.