Weapon Related Behavior: Existing Findings and a Theoretical Framework for Explaining Weapon Carrying and Weapon Use

Abstract

Weapon related behavior (weapon carrying and weapon use) has increasingly gained public attention due to high-profile violent incidents and rising trends in recorded crime statistics. While substantial international empirical evidence on weapon-related behavior exists, Germany faces a research deficit in this area. This article first presents the international state of research on weapon carrying and weapon use, then synthesizes available findings for Germany. Victimization experiences are the strongest predictor of weapon carrying, while fear of crime has surprisingly little influence. Approximately one-fifth of adolescents in Germany carry weapons (predominantly knives) at least occasionally, with male adolescents showing significantly higher rates than females. Knife violence is particularly concentrated in social proximity contexts. A theoretical model explaining weapon-related behavior is developed, incorporating variables at the micro, meso, and macro levels. It shows that weapon-related behavior is a complex phenomenon shaped by individual, social, and structural factors, as well as by the material properties of weapons themselves.