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http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=2000/10/9/202828
Gun Injuries in Crimes Fall 40 Percent in 5 Years
NewsMax.com Wires
Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2000
WASHINGTON (USA Today) – With violent crime declining across the U.S., gunshot wounds inflicted during the course of crimes fell nearly 40 percent during the five years ending in 1997, a Justice Department review says.
Data gathered from the FBI, hospitals and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that gunshot wounds from any kind of crime dropped from 64,100 to 39,400 during the five-year period.
The data also showed that firearm-related homicides declined by 27 percent, from 18,300 to 13,300. Blacks represented a disproportionate number of all gunshot victims – almost half – and four out of five victims were male.
Black males ages 15-24 were victims in 26 percent of all nonfatal shootings and 22 percent of all gun-related homicides.
The Justice review, written by researchers Marianne W. Zawitz and Kevin J. Strom, did not account for the disproportionate number of black victims, but it determined that ''most victims of accidental firearm injuries and deaths, suicides and suicide attempts with firearms were white.''
Despite declining crime rates, gun violence has remained a volatile issue largely because of a string of high-profile school shootings, including the massacre at Columbine High School in 1999.
''We have seen some very remarkable changes in the past several years,'' says Jon Vernick, associate director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research in Baltimore.
He credits the trends to the breakup of violent drug markets, a booming economy and the joining of community leaders and police in anti-crime initiatives in schools, churches and city neighborhoods.
''All of these things happened at roughly the same time,'' Vernick says. ''What we still need to do is determine which strategies have been the most effective and how we can keep them going.''
Declines in crime have been so dramatic in recent years that Vernick warns that some areas, particularly large cities, might begin seeing ''a bottoming-out effect'' or slight trend reversals that mirror new cycles of drug use and economic change.
Among the other findings:
Juveniles were victims in 16 percent of all nonfatal gunshot wounds inflicted during crimes. They were victims in 10 percent of gun murders.
In 44 percent of slayings, the victims knew their killers. In 15 percent of the cases, the killer was a stranger, and in 41 percent the relationship was not known.
See more articles on gun control and gun rights in Hot Topics.
© Copyright 2000 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
********************
As someone else just said, "but why bring logic into the argument." Well for the people who are on the edge and willing to listen to common sense.
Peace...
Keith
Gun Injuries in Crimes Fall 40 Percent in 5 Years
NewsMax.com Wires
Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2000
WASHINGTON (USA Today) – With violent crime declining across the U.S., gunshot wounds inflicted during the course of crimes fell nearly 40 percent during the five years ending in 1997, a Justice Department review says.
Data gathered from the FBI, hospitals and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that gunshot wounds from any kind of crime dropped from 64,100 to 39,400 during the five-year period.
The data also showed that firearm-related homicides declined by 27 percent, from 18,300 to 13,300. Blacks represented a disproportionate number of all gunshot victims – almost half – and four out of five victims were male.
Black males ages 15-24 were victims in 26 percent of all nonfatal shootings and 22 percent of all gun-related homicides.
The Justice review, written by researchers Marianne W. Zawitz and Kevin J. Strom, did not account for the disproportionate number of black victims, but it determined that ''most victims of accidental firearm injuries and deaths, suicides and suicide attempts with firearms were white.''
Despite declining crime rates, gun violence has remained a volatile issue largely because of a string of high-profile school shootings, including the massacre at Columbine High School in 1999.
''We have seen some very remarkable changes in the past several years,'' says Jon Vernick, associate director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research in Baltimore.
He credits the trends to the breakup of violent drug markets, a booming economy and the joining of community leaders and police in anti-crime initiatives in schools, churches and city neighborhoods.
''All of these things happened at roughly the same time,'' Vernick says. ''What we still need to do is determine which strategies have been the most effective and how we can keep them going.''
Declines in crime have been so dramatic in recent years that Vernick warns that some areas, particularly large cities, might begin seeing ''a bottoming-out effect'' or slight trend reversals that mirror new cycles of drug use and economic change.
Among the other findings:
Juveniles were victims in 16 percent of all nonfatal gunshot wounds inflicted during crimes. They were victims in 10 percent of gun murders.
In 44 percent of slayings, the victims knew their killers. In 15 percent of the cases, the killer was a stranger, and in 41 percent the relationship was not known.
See more articles on gun control and gun rights in Hot Topics.
© Copyright 2000 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
********************
As someone else just said, "but why bring logic into the argument." Well for the people who are on the edge and willing to listen to common sense.
Peace...
Keith