NCJ Number
179140
Journal
Journal of the American Medical Association Volume: 280 Issue: 5 Dated: August 5, 1998 Pages: 403-404
Date Published
August 1999
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article reports on trends in gun-related deaths and injuries, as reported in the July 1998 issue of the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
Abstract
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed a decline in the annual number of firearm-related deaths and injuries between 1993 and 1995. However, firearm-related injuries ranked second to motor vehicle-related injuries as the leading cause of injury death in 1993 and will become the leading cause by 2001 even if the recent trends continue. A CDC staff member said that the declines are consistent with findings of other studies; that further study is needed to explain the trends; and that the trends may result from active policing, decline and stabilization of the crack cocaine trade, aging of the population, reduced unemployment, social and violence prevention programs for youth, and longer prison sentences. An editorial accompanying the study noted that the still-high number of gun injuries and deaths means that everyone interested in the issue must come together to reach a middle ground where further solutions to reduce the rates can emerge. Table