Brady Campaign Lays Out Gun Fact Basics
Lots of guns with few gun control laws equals senseless gun deaths and
injuries. Learn the basic facts about the number of firearms in the United
States and its impact on public health and safety.
Guns in the United States - Easy Access to Deadly Weapons
8 Currently, an estimated 34.5% of households have a gun 1, while 24% have a handgun.2
8 As of 2004, there were approximately 283 million privately owned firearms in the U.S -- 40 percent of them handguns.3
8 In 1998 alone, licensed firearms dealers sold an estimated 4.4 million guns, 1.7 million of which were handguns.4 Additionally, it is estimated that 1 to 3 million guns change hands in the secondary market each year, and many of these sales are not regulated.5
Gun Deaths and Injury - The United States Leads the World in Firearm Violence
* In 2005, 30,694 people in the United States died from firearm-related deaths – 12,352 were murdered; 17,002 killed themselves; 789 were accidents; 330 died by police intervention, and in 221, the intent was unknown. 6 In comparison, 33,651 Americans were killed in the Korean War and 58,193 Americans were killed in the Vietnam War.7
* An additional 71,417 people were shot and survived their injuries -- 52,748 people injured in an attack; 3,190 people injured in a suicide attempt; 14,678 people shot accidentally, and 801 people shot in a police intervention.8
* In 2004, firearms were used to murder 56 people in Australia, 184 people in Canada, 73 people in England and Wales, 5 people in New Zealand, and 37 people in Sweden.9 In comparison, firearms were used to murder 11,344 in the United States.10
* In 2006, there were only 154 justifiable homicides by private citizens using handguns in the United States.11
Gun Violence - Young Lives Cut Short
* In 2005, nearly 8 children and teenagers, ages 19 and under, were killed with guns everyday.12
* In 2005, firearm homicide was the second leading cause of injury death for men and women 10-24 years of age - second only to motor vehicle crashes.13
* In 2005, firearm homicide was the leading cause of death for black males ages 15-34.14
* From 1999 through 2005, an average of over 1,000 children and teenagers took their own lives with guns each year.15
* 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.16
Guns in the Home - A Greater Risk to Family and Friends
* For every time a gun is used in a home in a legally-justifiable shooting [note that every self-defense is legally justifiable] there are 22 criminal, unintentional, and suicide-related shootings.17
* The presence of a gun in the home triples the risk of homicide in the home.18
* The presence of a gun in the home increases the risk of suicide fivefold.19
The Economic Costs of Gun Violence - All Americans Pay a High Price
* A study of all direct and indirect costs of gun violence including medical, lost wages, and security costs estimates that gun violence costs the nation $100 billion a year.20
* The average total cost of one gun crime can be as high as $1.79 million, including medical treatment and the prosecution and imprisonment of the shooter.21
* At least 80 percent of the economic costs of treating firearm injuries are paid for by taxpayer dollars.22,23
To read the references for this article, click here.
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Alright, for reasons that are obvious to anyone who understands the meaning behind my avatar, it's pretty apparent that I disagree with much, if not all of what this article says.
I agree with the stats on gun sales but....
"* In 2005, 30,694 people in the United States died from firearm-related deaths – 12,352 were murdered; 17,002 killed themselves; 789 were accidents; 330 died by police intervention, and in 221, the intent was unknown. 6 In comparison, 33,651 Americans were killed in the Korean War and 58,193 Americans were killed in the Vietnam War.7"
Why the heck should we stop there? If gun deaths are such a big issue, why not wage war against swimming pools, which exist in far fewer quantities and yet kill ten times as many deaths in the 0 to 14 age range?
http://fightingforliberty.com/290/swimming-pool-deaths-vs-gun-deaths /
"* An additional 71,417 people were shot and survived their injuries -- 52,748 people injured in an attack; 3,190 people injured in a suicide attempt; 14,678 people shot accidentally, and 801 people shot in a police intervention.8"
Well, at least we see a level of survivability where Iron poisoning doesn't:
http://www.foodsafety.gov /~dms/bgiron.html
"* In 2004, firearms were used to murder 56 people in Australia, 184 people in Canada, 73 people in England and Wales, 5 people in New Zealand, and 37 people in Sweden.9 In comparison, firearms were used to murder 11,344 in the United States.10"
If you're going to compare stats from other nations, at least have the decency to adjust for population differences.
"* In 2006, there were only 154 justifiable homicides by private citizens using handguns in the United States.11"
Along with these "justifiable homicides" (whatever the hell that means), I would suggest taking into account the cases in which a gun is simply displayed to stop a crime without anything reported to the authorities.
"* In 2005, nearly 8 children and teenagers, ages 19 and under, were killed with guns everyday.12"
I'm gonna bet many of those deaths happened in "gun-free" zones.
"* In 2005, firearm homicide was the second leading cause of injury death for men and women 10-24 years of age - second only to motor vehicle crashes.13"
WTF is "injury death?" And should we ban cars as well as guns for the same reason?
"* From 1999 through 2005, an average of over 1,000 children and teenagers took their own lives with guns each year.15"
I skipped to this one because I found it rather insulting considering that I was once friends with someone who not only killed themselves, but used no firearm in the process. Apparently hanging oneself is far more efficient.
"* For every time a gun is used in a home in a legally-justifiable shooting [note that every self-defense is legally justifiable] there are 22 criminal, unintentional, and suicide-related shootings.17"
Oh sure, I'm willing to bet in locations where legal gun ownership is reduced, you'll get some form of gun violence. I'm more interested in what you have to say to the studies which indicate that many crimes are prevented altogether by people who simply display a gun (thus there is no crime to even report).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyoLuTjguJA
"* The presence of a gun in the home triples the risk of homicide in the home.18"
You realize the study you're referring to defined a gun in the home as... well, a gun in the home. Which would include firearms that were brought in by criminals in action.
"* The presence of a gun in the home increases the risk of suicide fivefold.19"
Wouldn't most people who kill themselves with a gun also use other means to accomplish the same task?
"* A study of all direct and indirect costs of gun violence including medical, lost wages, and security costs estimates that gun violence costs the nation $100 billion a year.20"
Nothing in that study mentions anything whatsoever of the studies done by Gary Kleck, which indicate that guns can prevent crime without creating a situation worth reporting to the authorities. How then can we be sure that they cost more damage then they save?
"* The average total cost of one gun crime can be as high as $1.79 million, including medical treatment and the prosecution and imprisonment of the shooter.21"
Sounds like a direct result of judicial bureaucracy to me.
"* At least 80 percent of the economic costs of treating firearm injuries are paid for by taxpayer dollars.22,23"
Time to completely privatize medical care in that case.
I, like others, have plotted Brady grades for each state against violent crime. Simply put, gun laws have no effect! In fact the opposite would make sense, as people are more willing to report crimes if they are not afraid of being killed by the criminal or his friends. Look at my web site for details: http://rideronthestorm-armed.angelfire.com /
I'm booking marking it. Sites like yours come in handy in case I need ammunition in any particular debate.