Firearms Violence - General

1. Characteristics of Firearms Involved in Fatalities, Stephen W. Hargarten, MD, MPH; Trudy A. Karlson, PhD; et al, JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), Vol. 275, No. 1, January 3, 1996, pp. 42-45.

   Key Statistics: Between 1990 and 1994 in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, researchers found that handguns accounted for 89 percent of firearm homicides and 71 percent of firearm suicides. Handguns of 25 caliber accounted for 14 percent of firearm homicides and 12 percent of firearm suicides in which caliber was known. The Raven MP-25 was the single most commonly identified firearm and accounted for 10 percent of the handgun homicide cases and seven percent of the suicide cases in which the manufacturer of the firearm was identified.

   This study documents the types of firearms associated with firearm fatalities between 1990 and 1994 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and determines the availability of information on firearm characteristics in existing data sources including: police; medical examiner; and, crime laboratory records.

2. Deaths Resulting from Firearm- and Motor Vehicle-Related Injuries�United States, 1968-1991, MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), Vol. 43, No. 3, January 28, 1994, pp. 37-42.

   Key Statistics: From 1968 to 1991, motor vehicle-related deaths declined by 21 percent, while firearm-related deaths increased by 60 percent. It is estimated that by the year 2003, firearm-related deaths will surpass deaths from motor vehicle-related injuries. In 1991 this was already the case in seven states (California, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Texas, Virginia) and the District of Columbia.

   This article compares changes over time between motor vehicle-related deaths and firearm-related deaths.

3. Protection or Peril? An Analysis of Firearm-Related Deaths in the Home, Arthur L. Kellermann, MD, MPH , and Donald T. Reay, MD, The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 314, No. 24, June 12, 1986, pp. 1557-1560.

   Key Statistics: For every case in which an individual used a firearm kept in the home in a self-defense homicide, there were 1.3 unintentional deaths, 4.6 criminal homicides, and 37 suicides involving firearms.

   This study examines firearm-related deaths in the home during a six-year period (1978 to 1983) in King County, Washington.

4. Rates of Homicide, Suicide, and Firearm-Related Death Among Children�26 Industrialized Countries, MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), Vol. 46, No. 5, February 7, 1997, pp. 101-105.

   Key Statistics: The overall firearm-related death rate among U.S. children aged less than 15 was nearly 12 times higher than among children in the other 25 industrialized countries combined. The firearm-related homicide rate in the United States was nearly 16 times higher than that in all of the other industrialized countries combined; the firearm-related suicide rate was nearly 11 times higher; and, the unintentional firearm-related death rate was nine times higher.

   This report presents the findings of an analysis of the patterns and impact of violent deaths among children in the United States and 25 other industrialized countries for the most recent year for which data were available in each country.

5. Report of Final Mortality Statistics, 1995, Robert N. Anderson, PhD; Kenneth D. Kochanek, MA; et al, Monthly Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 45, No. 11, Supplement 2, June 12, 1997.

   Key Statistic: In 1995, nearly 36,000 Americans were killed with firearms�18,503 in firearm suicides, 15,835 in firearm homicides, 1,225 in unintentional firearm deaths, and 394 in firearm deaths of undetermined intent.

   This publication is released each year. There are two charts that provide the number of firearm-related deaths and death rates from homicide, suicide, unintentional, and undetermined shootings in specified age groups, by race and sex. There are also charts of numbers and rates for the 10 leading causes of death in specified age groups, by race and sex.

   This publication is free. Call the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) at (301) 436-8500 or write to the NCHS at Room 1064, 6525 Belcrest Rd., Hyattsville, MD 20782. Ask to be placed on the NCHS mailing list. The NCHS web site is located at http://www.cdc.gov/nchswww/nchshome.htm.

6. Who Dies? A Look at Firearms Death and Injury in America, Susan Glick, MHS, Violence Policy Center, Washington, DC, August 1997, 24 pages.

   This publication offers a demographic breakdown of the latest trends in firearm-related injuries and deaths in the U.S. as well as an examination of the rising economic burden placed on trauma care systems that treat victims of firearms violence. Firearm violence statistics in the study come from various sources including: the National Center for Health Statistics; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and, the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report is designed to be used by the press, policymakers, and the general public for user-friendly access to the most pertinent statistics on gun violence in America.

   A hard copy of this study is $3.00, including shipping and handling. Call the Violence Policy Center (VPC) at (202) 822-8200 or write to the VPC at 1350 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 825, Washington, DC 20036. A copy of the VPC publications list will be included upon request. Follow this link to view Who Dies?