New Report on firearm-related violence and trafficking in the Caribbean

The Caribbean region continues to suffer from high levels of firearm-related violence, with worrying developments that include the recruitment of children and adolescents into armed gangs, shootings in hospitals, and a surge in gang violence. Most of the weapons seized from perpetrators of these and other crimes are handguns, but recent data reveals a rise in trafficking of AR- and AK-pattern rifles and large-capacity magazines to some Caribbean countries. The impacts of gun violence on national health systems are substantial, diverting already scarce resources from violence prevention, education, and development.