Date of Conferral

3-30-2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Criminal Justice

Advisor

Melanye Smith

Abstract

Gun-related juvenile homicides continue to be a critical public health and social issue, disproportionally affecting African American males aged 17. Prior research identified poverty, neighborhood violence, individual and familial risks, gang affiliation, and inadequate education as contributors to the increase in juvenile gun-related homicides. In this study, the relationship between gun-related juvenile homicides and poverty, violent crimes, and gang affiliation were examined from 2019 to 2023 in 66 counties within South Georgia. Guided by sociological positivism, a quantitative non-experimental design was used using secondary data sources that included juvenile homicide totals, demographic characteristics, poverty levels, violent crime rates, and gang affiliated statistics. The chi-square tests and cross tabulation analyses were used to examine the relationship and patterns among the categorical variables. Findings indicated that violent crimes and gang affiliation are statistically significant predictors of gun-related juvenile homicides in the southern region of Georgia, while poverty did not demonstrate significance, though it displayed an upward trend. These findings suggest that exposure to violent crime and gang activity significantly influence juvenile behavior and victimization risk, while poverty’s trending association requires further study. Implications for social change emphasize the need for strategies that improve neighborhood safety, youth engagement, and community cohesion, in addition to initiatives addressing public health, education, gun regulation, criminal justice reform, economic inequalities such as economic disparities, job training, and affordable housing.

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