Juvenile Crime Increase: Is Your Lubbock Teen Carrying a Gun?

According to an article published yesterday by EverythingLubbock, juvenile crime has had a substantial increase since 2022. There were 20% more juvenile violent weapon offenses in 2023 than in 2022, which is reportedly the highest in the past 10 years.

The majority of the weapon offenses among juveniles last year in Lubbock involved stolen guns, making it more important than ever to ensure firearms are not accessible to teenagers and kids in your home. It's not something to take lightly and it might be time to find a new place or a new way to secure your weapons.

At the very least, it's worth a conversation with your teenager. Please remind them that carrying a gun around does NOT make them cooler. It makes things exponentially more dangerous. It only takes a split second to make a decision that will forever change the course of their life.

It's also important to remember not to leave firearms in the glovebox or under the seat of your vehicle when you aren't inside it. Teens are taking advantage of unlocked doors and rifling through glove boxes for firearms. It's up to all of us to help deter this kind of behavior if at all possible.

Just last year, my vehicle was broken into. Nothing was stolen, but the glove box was left wide open. I suspect they were looking for a gun or weapon. I'm glad they left empty-handed.

I'd love to hear from you regarding Lubbock's problem with teens and weapons. Please feel free to comment on this article or email me at Chrissy.Covington@townsquaremedia.com if you've got something to add to the discussion.

Stay safe out there in 2024, friends.