The Gun Violence in African American Communities document presents a clear picture of the problem. Looking at it in spans of 18 years prior to this report, (1974) and 15 years after, (2007) one can challenge the numbers.
What has changed since 1974? Nothing! Headlines continue to awaken our community with the ever-present existence of gun violence in our community.
Who wants to conduct the research for today? Will there be a significant reduction or an increase? I challenge anyone to secure data that will reflect this complaint. The locations where they were obtained are printed next to the data listed in the report. Since 1994 how many black murder victims were slain by black offenders: FBI Uniform Crime Report released in 2006. In 1992, firearm homicide was the number one cause of death for black men ages 15-34 and the second leading cause of death for all 15-24 year olds: National Center of Health Statistics, 1994. Have those numbers increased? Those of you who feel challenged enough, and certainly this is a topic of concern for all Americans, conduct the research. Use this topic for a school paper. Find the answers and share them with me. This illness affects all of us.
Mark Davis
" Opps, looks like somebody beat us to it." (See Article below)
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GUN VIOLENCE IN THE
AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY |
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Gun violence is a priority issue for African-Americans and other minorities.
Nearly 350,000
Americans were victims to murders, robberies, and aggravated
assaults in 2003 committed by
perpetrators carrying a firearm,and our
minority communities are the hardest hit: |
• In 2002, firearm homicide was the number one cause of death for 15-34 year old African-
Americans. |
• In 2002, the firearm death rate for African-Americans was over twice that of whites. |
• In 2002, an African-American male under age 30 was nearly 9 times more likely to be
murdered than a white male under age 30. |
• In 2003, 91 percent of African-American murder victims were slain by African-American
offenders. |
• In 2002, African-American males accounted for 47 percent of all homicide victims,
while they only account for 6 percent of the entire population. |
• Firearms have become the predominant method of suicide for African-Americans aged
10-19 years, accounting for 64 percent of suicides in 2002. |
• In Florida, African-American males have an almost eight times greater chance of dying in
a firearm-related homicide than white males. In addition, the firearm-related homicide
death rate for African-American females is greater than white males and over four times
greater than white females. |
• In Florida, White males have over twice as high a firearm-related suicide death rate as
their African-American male counterparts and almost five times the rate of white
females.
June 2005 |
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Endnotes: |
1. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Key Facts at a Glance: Crimes committed with firearms,
1973-2003, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/tables/guncrimetab.htm |
2. WISQARS, Leading Causes of Death Reports, National Center for Injury Prevention and
Control, Centers for Disease Control.
http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/leadcaus10.html (hereafter Leading Causes of
Death Reports). |
3. WISQARS, Injury Mortality Reports, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control,
Centers for Disease Control. http://webapp.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_sy.html
(hereafter Injury Mortality Reports). |
4. Ibid. |
5. FBI Uniform Crime Reports, 2003, table 2.7, p. 18. |
6. WISQARS, Injury Mortality Reports. |
7. U.S. Census Bureau, July 1, 2004 national population estimates. http://www.census.gov/popest/national/asrh/NC-EST2004-srh.html |
8. WISQARS, Leading Causes of Death Reports. |
9. Florida Injury Prevention and Control Program. HRS Office of Health Promotion and
Wellness, 1993 |
10. Florida Injury Prevention and Control Program. HRS Office of Health Promotion and
Wellness, 1993 |
