A gun in the home is 22-times more likely to kill a family member of a friend than an intruder is, according to area law enforcement. It’s a statistic local police and Baystate Medical Center have said they are hoping to reduce with the "Gift for Guns" program.

The program aims to prevent guns from ending up in criminal hands or the unsuspecting hands of a child, by collecting unwanted guns from local residents.

Recently a 4-year-old was shot and killed by his 5-year-old brother who climbed on a bookcase and found a loaded gun thinking it was a toy, according to Daniel Swords, a Hampden County Juvenile Court judge.

"Guns are dangerous items in people’s homes and people don't keep them locked up," said Swords.

Tragedies involving weapons are preventable, according to police.

"These guns, when they are in a house they have to be unloaded they have to be locked with gun locks and they also have to be secured," said Cpt. Kevin Dudley, of the Springfield Police.

The program not only reduces the risk of accidents it takes weapons out of the hands of criminals, CBS 3 Springfield’s Justine Judge reported.

Local officials said their mission is to simply reduce gun accidents in the home and prevent weapons from being stolen and used in crimes.

"You would be surprised at the number of people who really have guns in the home but want the gun out of their house,” said Dudley.

The program is in its second year. Everyone who turned in an unwanted gun to the Springfield Police, received a gift card for the Eastfield Mall.

Springfield Police said that the program is effective, 154 rifles, hand-guns and semi-automatics were brought in over the course of the day.

All of the guns taken in Saturday will be logged, tagged and destroyed, according to police.