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Children and Guns
- Every day in America, 13 young people ages 19 and under are killed in gun homicides, suicides and unintentional shootings. www.handguncontrol.org
- In 1995, 3.280 children and teenagers were murdred with guns, 1,450 commited suicide with guns, and 440 died in unintentional shootings. Firearms killed a total of 5,285 of our young people. National Center for Health Statistics. 1997
- In 1994, about 70% of the murder victims ages 15-17 years old were killed with a handgun. Bureau of Justicre Statistics, 1996
- Two in 25 high school students (7.9%) reported having carried a gun in the last 30 days. Centers for Disease Control, 1995
- Gunshot wounds are the second leading cause of death for all people aged 10-34. National Center for Health Statistics, 1993
- For every child killed by a gun, four are wounded. Annest, Journal of the American Medical Association, 1995
- "The firearm injury epidemic, due largely to handgun injuries, is ten times larger than the polio epidemic of the first half of this century."Christoffel, Children's Environments, 1995
Economic Costs of Gun Violence
- In 1992 the estimated cost in pain, suffering, lost quality of life, and loss of productivity due to gunshot violence was $113 billion. Miller, Textbook of Penetrating Trauma, 1995
- The estimated cost of direct health care expenditures for firearm-related injuries in the United States in 1995 was $4 billion. Kizer, Journal of American Medical Association, 1995
- In addition to the $4 bilion, $19 billion in additional indirect costs, such as lost potential earnings are reflected in the premiums paid for private health insurance, and as taxes through Medicaid. These costs often go unreimbursed. American College of Physicians, 1998
- The average total cost of a single gun-related crime can be as high as $268,000. Most of this cost is borne by the taxpayer. The Washington Post, 1997
- The total lifetime cost of a gun-related crime, including medical care, rehabilitation of the injured and incarceration of the assailant can run as high as $1,000,000. Again, most of this cost is borne by the taxpayer. The Washington Post, 1997
- Based on studies of two sample populations, at least 80% of the costs of firearms injuries are borne, directly or indirectly, by taxpayers. Wintemaute and Wright, Journal of Trauma, 1992
- The most serious firearm injuries, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI) can require a lifetime of care and rehabilitative service costing upwards of $1,000,000 over the course of a patient's life. National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), January 1998
- It cost more than $14,000 to treat each wounded by gunfire-enough to pay for a full year of college tuition. National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions, 1993
- The average estimated total cost (medical care, police services and lost productivity of east firearm fatality is $938,500. National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, 1998
Firearm Facts
- In 1997, 32,436 Americans were killed with firearms-in homicides, suicides and accidents. In comparison, 33,651 Americans were killed in the Korean War and 58,148 Americans were killed in the Vietnam War. National Center for Health Statistics, 1997
- Currently, an estimated 39% of households have a gun, while 24% have a handgun. The University of Chicago, 1998
- There are approximately 192 million privately owned firearms in the U.S. --65 million of which are handguns. Police Foundations, 1996
- Approximately 29% of adults personally own a firearm, and 18% personally own a handgun. The University of Chicago, 1998
- 1997, 32,436 people in the United States died from firearm-related deaths - 12,942 (40%) of those were murdered; 17,566 (54%) were suicides; 981 (3%) were accidents; and in 367 (1%) the intent was unknown. National Center for Health Statistics, 1997
- In 1998, 8 out of 10 of those murdered with firearms were murdered with handguns. FBI Uniform Crime Report, 1998
- In 1997, gunshot wounds were the second leading cause of injury death for men and women 10-24 years of age - second only to motor vehicle crashes. National Center for Health Statistics, 1999
- In 1997, the firearm injury death rate among males 15-24 years of age was 42% higher than the motor vehicle traffic injury death rate. National Center for Health Statistics, 1999
- In 1997, more than 11 children and teenagers, ages 19 and under, were killed with guns everyday. National Vital Statistics, 1998
- In 1998, 77% of murdered juveniles age 13-19 were killed with a firearm. Department of Justice, 1999
- From 1993 through 1997, an average of 1,409 children and teenagers took their own lives with guns each year. National Center for Health Statistics
- Each year during 1993 through 1997, an average of 1,621 murderers who had not reached their 18th birthdays took someone's life with a gun. Federal Bureau of Investigations
- In 1996, handguns were used to murder 2 people in New Zealand, 15 in Japan, 30 in Great Britain, 106 in Canada, 213 in Germany and 9,390 in the United States. FBI Uniform Crime Report, 1996
The Risk of Guns in the Home
- Over 35% of American households contain at least one firearm. Police Foundation, 1996
- One out of three handguns is kept loaded and unlocked in the home. Police Foundation, 1996
- Guns kept in the home for self-protection are 22 times more likely to kill someone you know than they are to kill in self-defense. Kellermann, New England Journal of Medicine, 1997
- The risk of homicide in the home is three times greater in households with guns. Kellermann, New England Journal of Medicine, 1993
- The risk of suicide is five times greater in households with guns. Kellermann, New England Journal of Medicine, 1992
- More than 1.2 million elementary-aged, latch-key children have access to guns in their homes. Lee, Journal of the American Medical Association, 1990
- In 60% of fatal accidents involving a firearms, the weapon was located in or near the home. National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions, 1993
- Currently, an estimated 39% of households have a firearm, while 24% have a handgun. University of Chicago, 1998
- Firearm assaults on family members and other intimate acquaintances are 12 times more lifely to result in death than are assaults using other weapons. Saltzman LE et al., Weapon Involvement and Injury Outcomes in Family and Intimate Assaults, 1997
Firearms and Youth Suicide
- In 1996, suicide was the ninth leading cause of death in the United States. Firearms were the number one cause of completed suicide attempts. National Vital Statistics Reports, 1998
- In 1996, suicide was the ninth leading cause of death in the United States. Firearms were the numbre one cause of complete suicide attempts. National Vital Statistics Reports, 1998
- For young people, 15-24 years old, suicide is the third leading cause of death, behind unintentionals injury and homicide. Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Health Statistics
- In 1997, more teenagers and young adults died from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease combined. National Center for Health Statistics, 1994
- A youth aged 10-19 committed suicide with a gun every six hours in 1992 - 1,426 young people in one year. National Center for Health Statistics, 1994
- From 1980 to 1992, the suicide rate for 15-19 year-olds increased 28.3% and among 10-14 years-olds there was an increase of 120%. Centers for Disease Control, 1995
- For black males, aged 15-19, the suicide rate increased 165.3% from 1980 to 1992. Center for Disease Control, 1995
- The odds that potentially suicidal adolescents will kill themselves double when a gun is kept in the home. Brent, General Psychiatry, 1988
- Guns are the method used in 65% of male teen suicides and 47% of female teen suicides. National Center for Health Statistics, 1991
- Males aged 15-24 are more than 7 times as likely as their female peers to kill themselves with a gun. Center for Disease Control/National Vital Statistics Report, 1999
- Most teen suicides are impulsive, with little or no planning, and 70% occur in the victims' homes. University of Minnesota Medical School, University of Minnesota Clinic and Hospital
- In 1997, firearms were responsible for 1,262 suicides in children and teenagers in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Wonder Data
- Persons under age 25 accounted for 15% of all suicides in 1997. National Center for Health Statistics
- From 1952-1995, the incidence of suicide among adolescents and young adults nearly tripled. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports, 1995
[Keywords: firearm statistics]
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