Firearms and Violence: A Critical Review

TABLE 3-3 Overall Firearm-Related Deaths, 1999

Category	Firearm-Related		Total		% Firearm-Related
	Number	Rate ^a	Number	Rate ^a	Percent
Suicide	16,599	6.09	29,199	10.71	56.85
Homicide	10,828	3.97	16,899	6.19	64.07
Accident	824	0.30	97,860	35.89	0.84
Legal intervention	299	0.11	398	0.15	75.13
Total	28,874	10.59	148,286	54.30	19.47
^aRate per 100,000 population SOURCE: National Vital Statistics System data compiled using Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). National Center for Health Statistics (2002).

TABLE 3-4 Number and Rate (per 100,000) of Overall and Firearm-Related Nonfatal Injuries by Intent, 2000

	Firearm-Related		Total
	Number	Rate	Number	Rate
Assault	48,570	17.64	1,672,117	607.37
Legal intervention	862	0.31	63,304	22.99
Suicide attempt	3016	1.10	264,108	95.93
Accident	23,237	8.44	27,550,181	10,007.10
Total	75,685	27.49	29,549,710	10,733.39
SOURCE: NEISS data compiled using WISQARS (National Center for Health Statistics, 2002).

related deaths accounted for the majority of the total number of deaths in each category except accidents. In that case, firearm-related deaths accounted for a tiny fraction of all deaths by accidental means.

Table 3-4 shows overall and firearm-related nonfatal injuries by intent based on National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) data. In 2000, there were 75,685 nonfatal firearm-related injuries in the United States. Injuries from violent assault and accidents accounted for the majority of all firearm injuries—64 and 31 percent, respectively. In contrast to completed suicides, firearms account for a small proportion of self-inflicted nonfatal injuries.

How much violent crime involves the use of a firearm?⁷ This question can be answered with varying degrees of certainty, depending on the crime and the data source consulted. In general, data on homicide are the

⁷	By definition, firearm involvement in violent crime includes not only the discharge of a firearm but also the presence of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.

Table of Contents

Front Matter R1-R12

Executive Summary 1-10

1 Introduction 11-18

2 Data for Measuring Firearms Violence and Ownership 19-52

3 Patterns of Firearm-Related Violence 53-71

4 Interventions Aimed at Illegal Firearm Acquisition 72-101

5 The Use of Firearms to Defend Against Criminals 102-119

6 Right-to-Carry Laws 120-151

7 Firearms and Suicide 152-200

8 Firearm Injury Prevention Programs 201-220

9 Criminal Justice Interventions to Reduce Firearm-Related Violence 221-241

References 242-268

Appendix A Dissent--James Q. Wilson 269-271

Appendix B Committee Response to Wilson’s Dissent 272-275

Appendix C Judicial Scrutiny of Challenged Gun Control Regulations: The Implications of an Individual Right Interpretation of the Second Amendment--Scott Gast 276-298

Appendix D Statistical Issues in the Evaluation of the Effects of Right-to-Carry Laws--Joel L. Horowitz 299-308

Appendix E Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff 309-316

Index 317-328