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Q: Guns causing death - in the U.S. versus abroad ( Answered 5 out of 5 stars,   3 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Guns causing death - in the U.S. versus abroad
Category: Miscellaneous
Asked by: alabama9-ga
List Price: $5.00
Posted: 12 Mar 2003 16:46 PST
Expires: 11 Apr 2003 17:46 PDT
Question ID: 175376
I have read that there are many more deaths and injuries as a result
of guns in America - way more than in the rest of the world.  Do you
have any specific stats on this?
Answer  
Subject: Re: Guns causing death - in the U.S. versus abroad
Answered By: bobbie7-ga on 12 Mar 2003 20:28 PST
Rated:5 out of 5 stars
 
Hello Alabama9 and thank you for your question.

I assembled a list of links to statistics related to firearms causing
deaths in the U.S. versus other countries.

The Coalition for Gun Control has the most recent statistics for Gun
rate Death available.

Country            Gun Death Rate per 100,000

Japan              0.07
Singapore          0.24
Taiwan             0.27
Kuwait             0.37
England/ Wales     0.4
Scotland           0.49
Netherlands        0.55
Spain              0.74
Ireland            1.24
Germany            1.44
Italy              2.27
Sweden             2.27
Denmark            2.48
Israel             2.56
New Zealand        2.67
Australia          2.94
Belgium            3.32
Canada             3.95
Norway             4.23
Austria            4.48
Northern Ireland   4.72
France             5.48
Switzerland        6.2
Finland            6.65
USA                13.47

Source: W. Cukier, Firearms Regulation: Canada in the International
Context, Chronic Diseases in Canada, April, 1998 (statistics updated
to reflect most recent figures, January 2001)
http://www.guncontrol.ca/Content/International.html


HELP Network - October 10, 2002

“Gun deaths and injuries remain a substantial problem in the US. In
2000, there were 28,663 gun related deaths; the majority (58%) were
suicides and 38% were homicides.”

Help Network: Press Release
http://www.helpnetwork.org/frames/press.release.10.11.02.pdf


“In comparing the rate of death by handguns in eight industrialized
countries, the United States stands out with a rate of death by
handguns that is much higher than the rate of other countries. The
United States is also the only country of the eight to retain use of
the death penalty. In most foreign countries, gun control laws are
more restrictive and gun owners are assigned more responsibility.”
(Washington Post, 4/4/98)
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/deter.html


U.S. Leads Richest Nations in Gun Deaths by CHELSEA J. CARTER

“The United States has by far the highest rate of gun deaths --
murders, suicides and accidents -- among the world's 36 richest
nations, a government study found.”

Here are gun-related deaths per 100,000 people in the world's 36
richest countries in 1994:

“United States 14.24; Brazil 12.95; Mexico 12.69; Estonia 12.26;
Argentina 8.93; Northern Ireland 6.63; Finland 6.46; Switzerland 5.31;
France 5.15; Canada 4.31; Norway 3.82; Austria 3.70; Portugal 3.20;
Israel 2.91; Belgium 2.90; Australia 2.65; Slovenia 2.60; Italy 2.44;
New Zealand 2.38; Denmark 2.09; Sweden 1.92; Kuwait 1.84; Greece 1.29;
Germany 1.24; Hungary 1.11; Republic of Ireland 0.97; Spain 0.78;
Netherlands 0.70; Scotland 0.54; England and Wales 0.41; Taiwan 0.37;
Singapore 0.21; Mauritius 0.19; Hong Kong 0.14; South Korea 0.12;
Japan 0.05.”
http://www.guncite.com/cnngunde.html


U.S. Department of Justice
Firearm Injury and Death from Crime, 1993-97

“Reports on the incidence of fatal and nonfatal firearm injuries that
result from crime. Most of the data presented are from the FBI’s
Supplementary Homicide Reports and Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention's Vital Statistics and the Firearms Injury Surveillance
Study which collects data on injuries treated in hospital emergency
departments. This BJS Report includes descriptions of victim
characteristics and circumstances surrounding the crimes. Data about
the number of law enforcement officers injured or killed by firearms
are also included.”
You may download the report at this direct link:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/fidc9397.pdf


Factsheet: Firearm Injury and Death in the United States
http://www.jhsph.edu/gunpolicy/US_factsheet.pdf


More statistics are available at the Violence Policy Center. 
http://www.vpc.org/studies/wher2non.htm


Search Criteria:

Firearm deaths U.S.
Firearm deaths by country
Firearm injuries causing deaths by country


I hope that this information meets your needs. If anything I have
written is not clear, please make a request for clarification and I
will do my best to meet your needs.


Best Regards,
Bobbie7-ga
alabama9-ga rated this answer:5 out of 5 stars

Comments  
Subject: Re: Guns causing death - in the U.S. versus abroad
From: johnfrommelbourne-ga on 13 Mar 2003 04:46 PST
 
Although not listed I think Iceland is even lower that Japan,s 1 in
1.4 million which is what 0.07  per 100,000 equates to. Iceland by the
way had its very first armed hold-up only as late as the mid-eighties,
according to our local newspaper at least as I saved the cutting. Also
is not South Africa's gun death rate higher than USA and probably
Brazil as well??
Subject: Re: Guns causing death - in the U.S. versus abroad
From: flajason-ga on 13 Mar 2003 07:41 PST
 
You probably have to consider that these are the 'reported' cases of
deaths involving guns from developed nations with well equipped law
enforcement agencies.
As John stated, South Africa, as well as other nations like Somalia,
Afghanistan, and other countries in turmoil will probably have higher
death rates by firearms. But these deaths are due to skirmishes
between rival clans or warlords and are typically not counted.
Subject: Re: Guns causing death - in the U.S. versus abroad
From: knowitall22-ga on 13 Mar 2003 20:15 PST
 
What is seldom mentioned is that the "gun death rate" in the U.S. is
about 50%
due to suicides. Again, gun battles between police and criminals are a
substantial contribution to the total. Perhaps U.S. police should
cease returning fire?
Yes, the U.S. is a violent society, but many citizens of other
countries would love to take their chances here.

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