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92% 0f GUN VIOLENCE (in America) IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Note: Cumulative homicide/suicide figures for the past 30 years shows that more than 1,200,000 persons died from murders or suicides in the nation, more than all the fatalities in all the wars the country ever fought, 500,000 since the Vietnam War. As national statistics show that violent crime has actually decreased in recent years from an average of 32.6 per hundred thousand in 1972
to 32.1 in 1993, some areas of the nation have shown a marked increase in media coverage of violent crimeMc.
In 1990, 92% of every 100 firearms homicides were domestic homicides (41%) or suicides (51%). The so-called "law-abiding" citizen, the least notorious but in truth most prolific villain in the nation's domestic firearms violence, should rightfully be the person(s) indicted by the gun lobby for their unrivaled part in the staggering rise in firearms trauma and the subsequent costs incurred by America's criminal justice and health systems as a result of domestic firearms violence. The gun lobby fails to address or refute facts showing that in any given year, most gun deaths (92%) are in truth caused by domestic violence committed by ordinary people in fits of rage or depression.
The gun lobby discounts all assertions that domestic violence, specifically domestic gun violence, is a major and precipitant contributing factor in the generic "violence" costing the American taxpayer so dearly: Since 1985, all classifications of violence cost America $180 Billion directly. There was an additional $10 Billion expended in crime related costs, the criminal justice
system spent another $85 Billion and Americans spent more than $265 Million with private protection and security industries. America itself suffered losses of more than $100 Billion to the national infrastructure from urban decay, lowered property values and other costs absorbed by American business and industry. The total cost of violence, including domestic gun violence to America-has been $440 Billion since 1985. When one adds to the cost to the health and administration of justice systems plus the costs of illegal drugs, alcohol, guns and white collar crime to the total, the cost in dollars to America since 1985 has been $800 Billion (Eight-tenths of a Trillion dollars).
EXHIBIT "A"
THE COST OF FIREARMS TRAUMA TO THE NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM
* The Centers For Disease Control (CDC) estimate the lifetime costs-of firearms violence including hospitalization, rehabilitation and lost wages was $14.4 Billion in 1985 (more than $20 Billion in 1992), making it the third most expensive injury category after Automobiles and workplace injuries.
· Each firearms trauma involving emergency room treatment costs $13,600
· * Each firearms injury involving hospitalization costs at least $33,159, whether the victim lives or dies.
(Add $18,000 if the patient is an infant in pediatric intensive care.)
* The average lifetime cost to the American taxpayer for each debilitating firearms injury-$373,520, is the highest of any injury category. Of the 56,000 or more persons who suffer non-lethal firearms injuries each year, more than 33,000 are the poor or uninsured and their treatment and/or recovery will be paid for by American taxpayers2).
2)The hospital rates for all patients (131) admitted to San Francisco general hospital because of firearms injuries were studied to determine the hospital costs and sources of payments for these injuries.
Because San Francisco General Hospital is the regional trauma center, the sample is population based, representing all firearms victims hospitalized in San Francisco during 1984.
Only hospital costs (excluding professional fees) for the first (not
subsequent) hospitalization(s) were studied. The total hospital costs for the year were $905,809, an average cost (minus Professional fees) per patient of $6915. Public sources paid 85.6% of this cost ($775,715) while private sources paid only 14.4% ($130,090). These findings have important implications for
legislators considering bills to restrict the availability of firearms. These legislators must be aware that the issue is not simply one of individual rights, since taxpayers pay most of the costs (estimated to be more than $1 billion per year for the United States) associated with firearms injuries.
source: The Journal of the American Medical Association Nov. 25, 1988-Vol 260
No. 20
EXHIBIT "B"
DOMESTIC GUN VIOLENCE STATISTICS
It should be noted here that there were more than 26,000 homicides and 31,000 suicides in 1990. Almost without exception, the non-firearms murders (just as the majority of firearms deaths) were caused as a result of domestic violence.
* 37,198 persons lost their lives to firearms in 1990, 34,462 (92%) of them killed in domestic violence or self murder (suicides)
* Fewer than 1% of the victims were criminal assailants killed by civilians in self defense.
* Fewer than 1% were killed by law enforcement officers.
* Fewer than 4% were firearms accident victims
* Fewer than 4% died at the hands of "real" criminals.
* 41%, or 15,377 of the 37,198 deaths were "criminal' (domestic violence) homicides, 12,489 by handgun
* 51%, or 18,885 of the 37,198 deaths were "criminal" suicides, 13,030 by handgun.
* Most (92 of every 100) persons killed by firearms were not strangers to their murderers or killed themselves.
* Of the 41 of 100 firearms homicide victims in 1990, the common thread in each? The murderers in most of the 41 homicides were not violent street "criminals" but the spouses, children-cousins-in laws, friends-next door neighbors or co-workers of the victims.
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