Surprising fact - Half of gun deaths are suicides

[ericire12]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/06/30/surprising_fact_half_of_gun_deaths_are_suicides/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+National+news

Suicides accounted for 55 percent of the nation's nearly 31,000 firearm deaths in 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There was nothing unique about that year -- gun-related suicides have outnumbered firearm homicides and accidents for 20 of the last 25 years.

In 2005, homicides accounted for 40 percent of gun deaths. Accidents accounted for 3 percent. The remaining 2 percent included legal killings, such as when police do the shooting, and cases that involve undetermined intent.

More than 90 percent of suicide attempts using guns are successful, while the success rate for jumping from high places was 34 percent. The success rate for drug overdose was 2 percent, the brief said, citing studies.

Gary Kleck, a researcher at Florida State University's College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, estimates there are more than 1 million incidents each year in which firearms are used to prevent an actual or threatened criminal attack.

[Hazcat]

The other little known fact is that other countries do NOT count suicides, or justifiable homicides in their gun deaths.

[twyacht]

I wonder what the breakdown is between male and female gun related suicides. Traditionally, women use less "violent" means to an end.

One of those weird things that pop into my head when I see a thread. Just curious.

Plus, I read somewhere Russia and Sweden have the lead in suicides. I'll have to check into that.

[pioneer]

Before we jump onboard believing this as 'fact', let's consider the sources.  The Boston Globe and the Centers For Disease Control can not be accused of being friendly to guns or gun owners.  The study is timed to the Heller decision, to infer that the presence of guns cause suicide.  Don't buy it.  Other studies have shown no corelation of guns to suicide rates. 

A few years ago the CDC had to admit that their study on the Assault Weapon Ban found NO EFFECT on crime rates, but needed "further study."     http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5214a2.htm
(What the hell is the CDC doing studying guns anyway?  Perhaps they should focus on coming up with a cure for cancer, AIDS, or the common cold virus.) 

"Myth: Access to guns increases the risk of suicide"

"Fact: The rate of suicide is not affected by the presence of a firearm.  This is true in either a time-series analysis, or through crossnational analysis. For example, Japan has no private handgun ownership (aside from an extremely limited number of licensed Olympic sport shooters), and yet had a suicide rate more than twice that of the United States in 2002."
http://www.gunfacts.info/index.html

[1776 Rebel]

I always laugh at these breakdowns of gun death stats. First of all you seperate the accidents and the suicides. Then you take a look at the homicides. A huge percentage of them are where BOTH the killer and victim are FELONS. This is criminals killing each other. From my perspective this is a good thing. Heck I ain't complaining over that !  Likewise you can strip out all the deaths where the victim and perp are under age 20. I will give you maybe 5% of them at most. They are all gangbangers shooting each other. Even the "accidental" stuff needs to be treated this way. You look at the accidents and see that a very large percentage is in households where there are felons resident. Crack moms and dads who let their kids get to the guns.

When it comes down to it there are very few (relatively speaking) stranger on good guy murders in this country. That is the only thing that counts to me. America is not some outlandishly dangerous place. Unless that is, your a freaking FELON already. Like they say, if you stay away from prostitutes, drug dealers, strip joints and bars at 3am in the morning your chances of encountering violence go down pretty damm fast.

The CDC is highly politicizied and left wing. They are activists who wish to ban guns. If we had a real Republican in office he would kick some butt over there.

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

Before we jump onboard believing this as 'fact', let's consider the sources.  [color=red]The Boston Globe and the Centers For Disease Control can not be accused of being friendly to guns or gun owners. [/glow]  The study is timed to the Heller decision, to infer that the presence of guns cause suicide.  Don't buy it.  Other studies have shown no corelation of guns to suicide rates. 

A few years ago the CDC had to admit that their study on the Assault Weapon Ban found NO EFFECT on crime rates, but needed "further study."    [/color] http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5214a2.htm
(What the hell is the CDC doing studying guns anyway?  Perhaps they should focus on coming up with a cure for cancer, AIDS, or the common cold virus.) 

"Myth: Access to guns increases the risk of suicide"

"Fact: The rate of suicide is not affected by the presence of a firearm.  This is true in either a time-series analysis, or through crossnational analysis. For example, Japan has no private handgun ownership (aside from an extremely limited number of licensed Olympic sport shooters), and yet had a suicide rate more than twice that of the United States in 2002."
http://www.gunfacts.info/index.html

I think you are looking at it the wrong way around. Higher SUICIDE rates increase the number of gun deaths in America, Not accsess to guns increases suicide rates. Without fire arms, attempts would remain high (possibly increase as initial failures made second attempts), but successes would decrease somewhat.

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day