Evaluating the Impact of Florida's "Stand Your Ground" Self-defense Law on Homicide and Suicide by Firearm: An Interrupted Time Series Study.

Importance: In 2005, Florida amended its self-defense laws to provide legal immunity to individuals using lethal force in self-defense. The enactment of "stand your ground" laws in the United States has been controversial and their effect on rates of homicide and homicide by firearm is uncertain. Objective: To estimate the impact of Florida's stand your ground law on rates of homicide and homicide by firearm. Design, Setting, and Participants: Using an interrupted time series design, we analyzed monthly rates of homicide and homicide by firearm in Florida between 1999 and 2014. Data were collected from the Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) web portal at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We used seasonally adjusted segmented Poisson regression models to assess whether the onset of the law was associated with changes in the underlying trends for homicide and homicide by firearm in Florida. We also assessed the association using comparison states without stand your ground laws (New York, New Jersey, Ohio, and Virginia) and control outcomes (all suicides and suicides by firearm in Florida). October 1, 2005, the effective date of the law, was used to define homicides before and after the change. Main Outcomes and Measures: Monthly rates of homicide, firearm-related homicide, suicide, and suicide by firearm in Florida and the 4 comparison states. Results: Prior to the stand your ground law, the mean monthly homicide rate in Florida was 0.49 deaths per 100 000 (mean monthly count, 81.93), and the rate of homicide by firearm was 0.29 deaths per 100 000 (mean monthly count, 49.06). Both rates had an underlying trend of 0.1% decrease per month. After accounting for underlying trends, these results estimate that after the law took effect there was an abrupt and sustained increase in the monthly homicide rate of 24.4% (relative risk [RR], 1.24; 95%CI, 1.16-1.33) and in the rate of homicide by firearm of 31.6% (RR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.21-1.44). No evidence of change was found in the analyses of comparison states for either homicide (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.98-1.13) or homicide by firearm (RR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.99-1.17). Furthermore, no changes were observed in control outcomes such as suicide (RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.94-1.05) and suicide by firearm (RR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.91-1.06) in Florida between 2005 and 2014. Conclusions and Relevance: The implementation of Florida's stand your ground self-defense law was associated with a significant increase in homicides and homicides by firearm but no change in rates of suicide or suicide by firearm

Evaluating the Impact of Florida's "Stand Your Ground" Self-defense Law on Homicide and Suicide by Firearm: An Interrupted Time Series Study.

: In 2005, Florida amended its self-defense laws to provide legal immunity to individuals using lethal force in self-defense. The enactment of &quot;stand your ground&quot; laws in the United States has been controversial and their effect on rates of homicide and homicide by firearm is uncertain. : To estimate the impact of Florida's stand your ground law on rates of homicide and homicide by firearm. : Using an interrupted time series design, we analyzed monthly rates of homicide and homicide by firearm in Florida between 1999 and 2014. Data were collected from the Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) web portal at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We used seasonally adjusted segmented Poisson regression models to assess whether the onset of the law was associated with changes in the underlying trends for homicide and homicide by firearm in Florida. We also assessed the association using comparison states without stand your ground laws (New York, New Jersey, Ohio, and Virginia) and control outcomes (all suicides and suicides by firearm in Florida). October 1, 2005, the effective date of the law, was used to define homicides before and after the change. : Monthly rates of homicide, firearm-related homicide, suicide, and suicide by firearm in Florida and the 4 comparison states. : Prior to the stand your ground law, the mean monthly homicide rate in Florida was 0.49 deaths per 100 000 (mean monthly count, 81.93), and the rate of homicide by firearm was 0.29 deaths per 100 000 (mean monthly count, 49.06). Both rates had an underlying trend of 0.1% decrease per month. After accounting for underlying trends, these results estimate that after the law took effect there was an abrupt and sustained increase in the monthly homicide rate of 24.4% (relative risk [RR], 1.24; 95%CI, 1.16-1.33) and in the rate of homicide by firearm of 31.6% (RR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.21-1.44). No evidence of change was found in the analyses of comparison states for either homicide (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.98-1.13) or homicide by firearm (RR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.99-1.17). Furthermore, no changes were observed in control outcomes such as suicide (RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.94-1.05) and suicide by firearm (RR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.91-1.06) in Florida between 2005 and 2014. : The implementation of Florida's stand your ground self-defense law was associated with a significant increase in homicides and homicides by firearm but no change in rates of suicide or suicide by firearm.<br/

Firearm-related violence in Sweden – A systematic review

Recent reports state that firearm-related violence is increasing in Sweden. In order to understand the trend of firearm-related violence in Sweden with regard to rate, modus operandi (MO) and homicide typology, and for which injuries and causes of death firearm-related violence is responsible, a systematic literature review was conducted. After a thorough search in different databases, a total of 25 studies published in Swedish and English peer-review journals were identified and thus analyzed. The results show that even though knives/sharp weapons continue to be the most common MO in a violent crime in Sweden, firearm-related violence is significantly increasing in the country and foremost when discussing gang-related crimes. Moreover, firearm-related homicides and attempted homicides are increasing in the country. The studies also show that a firearm is much more lethal than a knife/sharp weapon, and that the head, thorax and the abdomen are the most lethal and serious anatomical locations in which to be hit. It is principally the three largest cities of Sweden which are affected by the many shootings in recent years. The police have severe difficulties in solving firearm-related crimes such as homicide and attempted homicide, which is why the confidence and trust for the Swedish judicial system may be decreasing among the citizens. Several reforms have taken place in Sweden in the last few years, but their effect on firearm-related violence remains to be studied

Violent Death Rates: The United States Compared to other High-Income OECD Countries, 2010

Background: Violent death is a serious problem in the US. Previous research showing US rates of violent death compared with other high-income countries used data that are more than a decade old. Methods: We examined 2010 mortality data obtained from the WHO for populous, high-income countries (n=23). Death rates per 100,000 population were calculated for each country and for the aggregation of all non-US countries overall and by age and sex. Tests of significance were performed using Poisson and negative binomial regressions. Results: US homicide rates were 7.0 times higher than other high-income countries, driven by a gun homicide rate that was 25.2 times higher. For 15-24 year olds, the gun homicide rate in the US was 49.0 times higher. Firearm-related suicide rates were 8.0 times higher in the US but our overall suicide rates were average. Unintentional firearm deaths were 6.2 times higher in the US. The overall firearm death rate in the US from all causes was 10.0 times higher. Ninety percent of women, 91% of children aged 0-14, 92% of youth aged 15-24, and 82% of all people killed by firearms were from the US. Conclusion: The US has an enormous firearm problem compared to other high-income countries with much higher rates of homicide and firearm-related suicide. Compared to 2003 estimates, the US firearm death rate remains unchanged while firearm death rates in other countries fell. Thus, the already high relative rates of firearm homicide, firearm suicide and unintentional firearm death in the US compared to the other high-income countries rose between 2003 and 2010. Violent death is a serious public health problem in the United States. Among 15-24 year olds, homicide is the second leading cause of death and suicide is the third leading cause; for 25-34 year olds, suicide is the second leading cause and homicide the third leading cause of fatality, following unintentional injuries for both groups. The United States is known to have higher levels of violent death, particularly homicide, compared to other developed nations. While the US does not appear to have higher rates of non-lethal crime, our rates of lethal violence and especially gun violence are much higher than other high-income countries. There are many more guns and less strong gun laws in the US than in other developed nations. Almost two decades ago, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) used data from the early 1990s to compare the United States to other high-income countries in terms of violent death (i.e., suicide, homicide, firearm accidents) for children aged 5-14 years. In a previous article, we updated and expanded that comparison to examine all age groups and both sexes using 2003 data. These 2003 data are now more than a dozen years old. In this paper, we again update the data plus we provide country level data for each high-income nation and contrast the US levels of lethal violence for whites, who traditionally have lower homicide rates than non-whites in the US, with all citizens (i.e., whites and non-whites) of the other high-income nations

Firearm mortality among children, youth, and young adults 1-34 years of age, trends and current status: United States, 1979-88

A previous report of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) emphasized the level of firearm mortality among children and youth. The report showed that in 1987, 11 percent of deaths among children and youth aged 1-19 years resulted from firearm use. In addition, in a recent paper the homicide rate for young males 15-24 years of age in the United States was compared with rates in 21 industrialized countries. Not only was the U.S. homicide rate 4 to 70 times the homicide rates in other countries, but three-fourths of these homicides in the United States were committed with firearms, compared with less than one-fourth in the other countries. Furthermore, the need to reduce the level of violent deaths among teenagers (15-19 year olds) and young adults in the United States is the focus of several of the Year 2000 Objectives for the Nation. Specifically, reductions are targeted for: the homicide rate for all persons, with special targets set for children 3 years of age and under, for black males and females ages 15-34 years and for Hispanic males ages 15\ue2\u20ac\u201c34 years; the suicide rate for all persons, with special targets set for young persons 15-19 years of age, and for males 20-34 years of age; and the weapon-related violent death rate for all persons. Although the previous firearm mortality report was limited to children ages 1-19 years, this report extends the age groups to those 20-34 years of age in order to include those ages where the risk of homicide, and, in particular, of firearm-related homicide, is greatest . In 1988, 77 percent of homicides among teenagers 15-19 years of age were associated with firearm use (88 percent among black males); at 20-24 years of age, 70 percent of homicides resulted from firearm use (81 percent among black males); at 25\ue2\u20ac\u201c29 years of age, 68 percent were firearm related (75 percent among black males); and at 30-34 years of age, 64 percent (70 percent among black males) were caused by firearm use. Suicide rates follow an age pattern different from homicide rate; death rates are fairly constant at ages 20-64 years, and peak for the older population age groups. The age-specific proportions of suicides resulting from firearm use are lower than the proportions of homicides, averaging 53-61 percent of suicides at 10-14 years of age through 30-34 years of age. The purpose of this report is to update and expand the previous report on firearm mortality, focusing on firearm deaths associated with homicide, suicide, and unintentional injury (used synonymously with the term "accident" as defined in the International Classification of Diseases) among children, youth, and young adults ages 1\ue2\u20ac\u201c34years.by Lois A. Fingerhut, Joel C. Kleinman, Elizabeth Godfrey, and Harry RosenbergCaption title."March 14, 1991."Includes bibliographical references (p. 5-6)

Association of State Firearm Legislation With Female Intimate Partner Homicide

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the association between state firearm legislation and female intimate partner homicide. Methods: In 2017, the authors conducted a secondary data analysis of 16 states from 2010 to 2014, using data from the National Violent Death Reporting System, the State Firearm Law Database, and additional public sources. Poisson regression analyses quantified the association between the number of state restrictive firearm legislative provisions and the female population-based intimate partner homicide rate. For etiologic reasons, intimate partner homicide was disaggregated into homicide–suicide (intimate partner homicide followed by perpetrator suicide) and homicide-only intimate partner homicide (intimate partner homicide in the absence of perpetrator suicide). Results: There were 1,693 female intimate partner homicide deaths in the 16 states during 2010–2014; 67% were homicide-only intimate partner homicide. The number of state-level legislative provisions related to firearm restrictions ranged from four (Alaska) to 95 (Massachusetts). The intimate partner homicide rate in states with zero to 39 provisions was 1.16 per 100,000 person years (95% CI=1.10, 1.22) and in states with >40 provisions was 0.68 per 100,000 person years (95% CI=0.61, 0.72). The incidence of female intimate partner homicide was 56% lower in states with ≥40 legislative provisions (adjusted incidence rate ratio=0.44, 95% CI=0.28, 0.68), relative to states with zero to 39 provisions. This protective association was stronger for homicide-only intimate partner homicide than homicide–suicide intimate partner homicide. Conclusions: More state-level restrictive firearm legislation is associated with a lower rate of female intimate partner homicides

Banning open carry of unloaded handguns decreases firearm-related fatalities and hospital utilization.

BackgroundSince 1967, in California it has been illegal to openly carry a loaded firearm in public except when engaged in hunting or law enforcement. However, beginning January 1, 2012, public open carry of unloaded handguns also became illegal. Fatal and non-fatal (NF) firearm injuries were examined before and after adoption of the 2012 ban to quantify the effect of the new law on public health.MethodsState-level data were obtained directly from California and nine other US state inpatient and emergency department (ED) discharge databases, and the Centers for Disease Control Web-Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System. Case numbers of firearm fatalities, NF hospitalizations, NF ED visits, and state-level population estimates were extracted. Each incident was classified as unintentional, self-inflicted, or assault. Crude incidence rates were calculated. The strength of gun laws was quantified using the Brady grade. There were no changes to open carry in these nine states during the study. Using a difference-in-difference technique, the rate trends 3 years preban and postban were compared.ResultsThe 2012 open carry ban resulted in a significantly lower incident rate of both firearm-related fatalities and NF hospitalizations (p&lt;0.001). The effect of the law remained significant when controlling for baseline state gun laws (p&lt;0.001). Firearm incident rate drops in California were significant for male homicide (p=0.023), hospitalization for NF assault (p=0.021  male; p=0.025 female), and ED NF assault visits (p=0.04). No significant decreases were observed by sex for suicides or unintentional injury. Changing the law saved an estimated 337 lives (3.6% fewer deaths) and 1285 NF visits in California during the postban period.DiscussionOpen carry ban decreases fatalities and healthcare utilization even in a state with baseline strict gun laws. The most significant impact is from decreasing firearm-related fatal and NF assaults.Level of evidenceIII, epidemiology

Gun Homicide Rate Down 49% Since 1993 Peak - Public Unaware

National rates of gun homicide and other violent gun crimes are strikingly lower now than during their peak in the mid-1990s, paralleling a general decline in violent crime, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of government data. Beneath the long-term trend, though, are big differences by decade: Violence plunged through the 1990s, but has declined less dramatically since 2000.Despite national attention to the issue of firearm violence, most Americans are unaware that gun crime is lower today than it was two decades ago. According to a new Pew Research Center survey, today 56% of Americans believe gun crime is higher than 20 years ago and only 12% think it is lower.This report examines trends in firearm homicide, non-fatal violent gun crime victimization and non-fatal violent crime victimization overall since 1993. Its findings on firearm crime are based mainly on analysis of data from two federal agencies. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, using information from death certificates, are the source of rates, counts and trends for all firearm deaths, homicide and suicide, unless otherwise specified. The Department of Justice's National Crime Victimization Survey, a household survey conducted by the Census Bureau, supplies annual estimates of non-fatal crime victimization, including those where firearms are used, regardless of whether the crimes were reported to police. Where relevant, this report also quotes from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports

Hispanic Victims of Lethal Firearms Violence in the United States

This report is a comprehensive study on gun violence against Hispanics in America. It is based on data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as unpublished information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Supplementary Homicide Report.In total, the study found more than 38,000 Hispanics were killed by guns between 1999 and 2010, including 26,349 homicide victims killed with guns and 10,314 gun suicides. The report also found that Hispanic victims are more likely to be killed by a stranger than the national average.Importantly, the actual number of Hispanic victims is almost certainly higher than the number reported in the study, due to major shortcomings in the way public agencies collect information on Hispanic ethnicity. The study recommends that government agencies improve the way they collect and report data on Hispanic victims of lethal violence

The Effectiveness of State and Local Regulation of Handguns: A Statistical Analysis

One aspect of the continuing debate over weapons control, apart from Constitutional issues, is whether legislation is inherently capable of reducing crime and deaths by shooting. The opponents of increased control, tacitly admitting that empirical evidence is one means for measuring the effect of weapons regulation, have contended that [e]xpert opinion and compelling evidence seem to indicate that the amount or kind of crime in a community is not substantially affected by the relative ease with which a person can obtain a firearm. National Rifle Association of America, The Gun Law Problem 10. In the following study the authors employ data analysis techniques to examine the efficacy of state and municipal controls on handguns. They conclude that many lives would be saved if all states increased their level of control to that of New Jersey, the state having the most stringent gun control laws