A study published in the July 2010 journal of Accident Analysis and Prevention examined data from the National Violent Death Reporting System for other-inflicted and self-inflicted unintentional firearm fatalities for the years 2003-2006. The study found:
- in almost half of all unintentional firearm fatalities someone other than the victim fired the shot.
- the younger the victim, the more likely the decedent was shot by someone else.
- victims of unintentional shootings were overwhelmingly male. So were the shooters. The few females who died were usually shot by another person, almost always male.
- most firearm deaths occurred in the context of someone playing with the gun, cleaning or loading the gun.
- handguns rather than long guns caused most of the unintentional firearm deaths.
- in almost half the other-inflicted deaths the shooter is from the same family as the victim, often a brother.
- the danger to children and adolescents is largely from being shot by others - typically friends or siblings.
The authors, Hemenway, Barber, and Miller conclude:
These finds lend credence to programmatic and policy proposals to improve gun storage, and to make it normative for parents to ask about the availability of guns in the homes visited by their children.
The real costs of unintentional firearm death are not borne exclusively by the victim and his family, but also include the guilt and grief of the shooter and his family. In half of all other-inflicted unintentional fatal firearm incidents the shooter was a friend or acquaintance. Usually, both shooter and victim are young, with many expected years of life ahead of them.
By dividing unintentional fatalities into other-inflicted and self-inflicted injuries, our study underscores the need to examine another party along with the victim - the shooter - and suggests that prevention of unintentional firearm fatalities, should focus on influencing the shooter as well as the victim.
All that to say, "improve gun storage" and improve communications between parents? I'd go a lot further than that.
What do you think? Please leave a comment.
All that to say, "improve gun storage" and improve communications between parents? I'd go a lot further than that.
ReplyDeleteThat along with teaching proper gun safety and respect of firearms at an early age has worked great for my family and extended family for generations.
mikeb: All that to say, "improve gun storage" and improve communications between parents? I'd go a lot further than that.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, mikeb. When that does not produce the desired results (as the authors probably expect) the authors are probably prepared and eager to "go a lot further than that."
That along with teaching proper gun safety and respect of firearms at an early age has worked great for my family and extended family for generations.
ReplyDeleteI doubt it.
But let's take what you say as Gospel. And suppose that a member of your family is involved in an unlawful shooting or accident or suicide--what would your excuse be then?
--JadeGold
But let's take what you say as Gospel. And suppose that a member of your family is involved in an unlawful shooting or accident or suicide--what would your excuse be then?
ReplyDeleteMy family takes responsibility for their actions. We don't offer up excuses. I guess you must have been raised a little differently.
My family takes responsibility for their actions.
ReplyDeleteGood for you. Then you'd admit that "teaching proper gun safety and respect of firearms at an early age " doesn't work?
--JadeGold
Ruff - Jade doesn't believe in personal responsibility. It's always someone eles's fault.
ReplyDeleteGood for you. Then you'd admit that "teaching proper gun safety and respect of firearms at an early age " doesn't work?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how you twisted that out of my words. Teaching proper gun safety and respect of firearms at an early age works very well. So well for my family in fact that to my knowledge I don't know of accidental or intentional shooting in the over 100 years that my family has been in this country. And this is from a family in mostly rural areas that guns are very much a way of life for.