The United States also has a much higher level of gun ownership than comparable countries. Most people cite protection of people or property as a primary reason for possessing firearms. Other common purposes are hunting, target shooting, and amassing a gun collection. Experts disagree on how often people use guns for legitimate defense. In addition, the relationship between gun ownership and violent crime is a chicken-and-egg issue in that the availability of guns contributes to violence, but the level of violence also probably motivates people to acquire guns. Some restrictions on firearms have produced some results in reducing violence, although the research makes it clear that achieving this result is not easy. In particular, some effective strategies appear to exist for reducing the number of guns in the hands of unsupervised juveniles. Figures, table, photographs, and 68 reference notes