The state of gun violence in the US, explained in 18 charts

Summary

The video script addresses the epidemic of gun violence in the United States, highlighting the country's high rate of mass shootings compared to other developed nations. It delves into the statistics of gun-related deaths, showing that suicides account for the majority, and emphasizes the lethality of crime in the US due to the prevalence of firearms. The script also discusses the correlation between gun ownership and gun deaths, and the need for nuanced policies to tackle the multifaceted issue of gun violence.

Takeaways

• 🚑 Gun violence is a significant issue in the United States, with mass shootings drawing particular attention due to their indiscriminate nature.
• 🔫 The US has a higher rate of mass shootings compared to other developed countries, even when adjusted for population size.
• 📊 The frequency of public mass shootings in the US has increased over time, with an average interval of 2 months between incidents since 2011.
• 🕊️ Despite the media focus on mass shootings, the majority of gun deaths in the US are suicides, not homicides.
• 🔝 The United States has the highest suicide rate among the top 10 countries ranked by the UN for Human Development, with a significant portion of these being gun-related suicides.
• 🔁 Guns make suicide attempts more lethal, as most people who survive suicide attempts do not die from suicide later in life.
• 🔍 Gun suicides predominantly affect men and are mostly white, with an increasing trend in the US.
• 📉 While the rate of gun homicides in the US has been decreasing, the country still has a higher homicide rate compared to other developed nations, even when adjusted for population.
• 🏠 The victims of gun homicides are often young black men, highlighting a disparity in the impact of gun violence.
• 🔑 The high prevalence of guns in the US is a key factor in the country's unique problem with gun violence among developed nations.
• 🔗 There is a strong correlation between gun ownership and gun deaths, both for homicides and suicides, in the US.

Q & A

What is the primary issue discussed in the video script?

The primary issue discussed in the video script is the problem of gun violence in the United States, its prevalence, and its impact on society.

How does the frequency of mass shootings in the US compare to other developed countries?

The US has a significantly higher frequency of mass shootings compared to other developed countries. Between 2000 and 2014, there were 133 mass shootings in public, populated places in the US, while Finland, the next highest, had only 2 over the same period.

What is the average time between public mass shootings with 4 or more fatalities in the US before and after 2011?

Before 2011, public mass shootings with 4 or more fatalities occurred on average every 6 months. After 2011, the average time between such incidents decreased to every 2 months.

What are the main types of gun deaths in the US, and how do they compare in numbers?

The main types of gun deaths in the US are suicides, homicides, accidental shootings, police actions, and undetermined incidents. On average, 58 out of 92 daily gun deaths are suicides, while about 30 are homicides, with mass shootings accounting for a small fraction of these.

How does the rate of gun suicides in the US compare internationally?

The US has the highest suicide rate among the top 10 countries ranked highest on Human Development by the UN, with a significant portion of those suicides involving guns.

What is the demographic most affected by gun suicides in the US?

The demographic most affected by gun suicides in the US is overwhelmingly men, and mostly white.

How has the rate of gun homicides in the US changed over time?

The rate of gun homicides in the US has been decreasing, especially since the 90s when overall crime rates were higher.

Who are the typical victims of gun homicides in the US?

The typical victims of gun homicides in the US are disproportionately young black men.

What is the correlation between gun ownership and gun deaths in the US?

There is a strong correlation between gun ownership and gun deaths in the US, with states and countries with more guns having higher gun death rates.

How does the US compare to other developed countries in terms of gun ownership and gun control regulations?

The US has much laxer gun control regulations compared to other developed countries, making it easier to acquire guns without a license, and there is no official registry for most gun purchases.

What is the estimated number of guns per capita in the US compared to other countries?

The US has a significantly higher estimated number of guns per capita compared to other countries, even when adjusted for population size.

Outlines

00:00

🔫 Gun Violence in America: The Scale and Complexity

The script begins by addressing the urgent need for action against gun violence in the United States, highlighting the frequency of mass shootings and their devastating impact. It emphasizes that while mass shootings are the focus of public attention, they represent only a fraction of the daily gun-related deaths in the country. The United States is shown to have a significantly higher rate of mass shootings compared to other developed countries, even when adjusted for population size. The increasing frequency of these incidents is underscored by the shrinking time between each event. The script also touches on the broader issue of gun violence, noting that the majority of gun deaths are suicides, with homicides, accidental shootings, and other incidents making up the rest. International comparisons reveal that the US has the highest suicide rate among developed nations, with a significant number of these suicides involving firearms. The discussion suggests that the lethality of crime in the US is a key factor distinguishing it from other countries, with a stark contrast in the number of gun deaths compared to deaths from other causes such as AIDS, drug overdoses, wars, and terrorism.

05:04

📈 The Correlation Between Gun Ownership and Gun Deaths

This paragraph delves into the relationship between gun ownership and gun-related deaths in the United States. It contrasts the US's relatively lax gun laws with those of other developed countries, where licensing, safety tests, and official registries are standard requirements for gun ownership. The script points out the staggering number of guns in the US and the increasing demand for firearms, particularly since President Obama's tenure. A correlation is established between the number of guns in a country or state and the rate of gun deaths, with the US standing out for its exceptionally high rates. The paragraph also discusses the types of gun deaths, noting that suicides are more likely to be fatal when a gun is involved, and that the presence of a gun escalates the danger in various situations such as domestic disputes or road rage. The script concludes by acknowledging the complexity of America's gun problem, suggesting that different policies may be needed to address the various facets of gun violence, from mass shootings to suicides and homicides.

Keywords

💡Gun violence

Gun violence refers to the use of firearms to inflict harm or injury on others. In the video, it is the central theme, highlighting the unique problem of gun-related incidents in the United States. The script discusses the frequency and impact of gun violence, including mass shootings and daily gun-related deaths.

💡Mass shootings

Mass shootings are incidents in which multiple people are shot, typically in a public place. The video emphasizes the United States' higher rate of mass shootings compared to other developed countries and notes the increasing frequency of these events over time.

💡Semiautomatic weapon

A semiautomatic weapon is a type of firearm that automatically reloads and cocks the firing mechanism after each shot, allowing for rapid subsequent shots. The script mentions this term in the context of the type of weapon used in mass shootings.

💡Homicide

Homicide is the act of one person killing another. In the video, it is one of the categories of gun deaths, with the script noting that a small fraction of homicides are part of mass shootings, while the majority involve other circumstances.

💡Suicide

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. The video points out that the majority of gun deaths in the United States are suicides, emphasizing the role of firearms in suicide attempts and the lethality of using guns in such instances.

💡Accidental shootings

Accidental shootings occur when a firearm is discharged without intent to harm. The script includes this as a category of gun deaths, illustrating the broader impact of gun availability beyond intentional violence.

💡Human Development Index (HDI)

The Human Development Index is a statistical measure used to rank countries by their level of social and economic development. The video uses HDI rankings to compare the United States with other countries in terms of gun deaths and suicide rates.

💡Gun ownership

Gun ownership refers to the possession of firearms by individuals. The script discusses the high rate of gun ownership in the United States and its correlation with gun deaths, suggesting a link between the availability of guns and the occurrence of violence.

💡Background checks

Background checks are the process of verifying an individual's criminal and mental health history before they can purchase a firearm. The video mentions the increase in background checks in the United States, indicating a growing demand for guns.

💡Correlation

Correlation in the context of the video refers to a statistical relationship between two variables, such as gun ownership and gun deaths. The script explains that there is a strong correlation between these factors in the United States.

💡Lethality

Lethality is the ability to cause death. The video points out that crime in the United States is more lethal due to the prevalence of firearms, which increases the risk of death in incidents that might otherwise be non-fatal.

Highlights

The US has a higher rate of mass shootings compared to other developed countries.

Gun violence in the US is more prevalent despite being a larger country when adjusted for population size.

Finland had only 2 shootings over 14 years, highlighting the stark contrast with the US.

The frequency of mass shootings in the US has increased since 2011.

Mass shootings are a fraction of the total gun-related deaths in the US.

Gun-related suicides account for the majority of gun deaths in the US.

The US has the highest suicide rate among developed countries, with a significant number involving guns.

Firearms make suicide attempts more lethal, reducing the chance of survival.

Gun suicides predominantly affect men and are mostly white in the US.

The rate of gun suicides in the US has been increasing.

Gun homicides in the US have been decreasing since the 90s.

The US has a higher homicide rate than other developed countries, even when adjusted for population size.

Victims of gun homicides in the US are disproportionately young black men.

Crime in the US is more lethal due to the prevalence of guns, not necessarily more crime.

Gun deaths in the US from 2000 to 2013 surpass deaths from AIDS, drug overdoses, wars, and terrorism combined.

The US has a significantly higher number of guns per capita compared to other developed countries.

Gun ownership in the US is relatively easy compared to other developed countries.

There is a strong correlation between gun ownership and gun deaths in the US.

Different policies may be needed to address various aspects of gun violence in the US.

Transcripts

“We need rescue inside the auditorium. Multiple victims.”

The United States has a problem with gun violence.

BUSH: We hold the victims in our hearts.

CLINTON: Perhaps we may never fully understand it.

“A man with a semiautomatic weapon.”

We talk about it after mass shootings. But it’s much larger, and more complicated than

those debates allow. Here’s what you need to know about the state of gun violence in America.

It’s true that the US sees many more mass shootings than these other developed countries.

Between 2000 and 2014, there were 133 mass shootings in public, populated places. That’s

excluding gang violence and terrorism.

Of course, the US is a much larger country, but if you adjust for population size, it

still ranks higher. Of these countries, Finland is next, with just 2 shootings over 14 years,

but a much, much smaller population.

And this type of tragedy seems to be happening more often in the US. Each of these squares

represents a public mass shooting with 4 or more fatalities. Before 2011, they happened

6 months apart on average, but since then, only 2 months go by between them.

OBAMA: I hope and pray that I don't have to come out again during my tenure as president

to offer my condolences to families in these circumstances.

That was October 1, 2015. And just about 2 months later.

OBAMA: Yesterday, a tragedy occurred in San Bernardino. Our first order of business is

to send our thoughts and prayers to the families of those who've been killed.

Public mass shootings get all the attention because they’re often so indiscriminate,

but the truth is mass shootings are unlike most gun deaths in America. Here’s how it

breaks down:

According to the most recent data, 92 people are killed with guns every day on average.

About 30 of those are homicides of which maybe 1.5 at most can be considered part of mass shootings.

Most of those killed, 58 people a day, are suicides. The rest are accidental shootings,

police actions, and undetermined incidents.

Those suicides - they show up in international comparisons, too. These are the 10 countries

ranked highest on Human Development by the UN. The US has the highest suicide rate among

them, and this darker bar shows how many of those are with guns.

Some people think suicide isn’t really relevant to the gun issue.

LOTT: To go and think some type of gun control regulations that are being talked about are

going to stop somebody from committing suicide when there are so many other ways to commit suicide.

But the methods that people use are important because suicide attempts often stem from temporary

crises. The vast majority of people who survive suicide attempts don’t end up dying from

suicide. But guns make it nearly impossible to get that second chance.

The victims of gun suicides are overwhelmingly men, and mostly white.

And the rate of gun suicides has been increasing in the US. At the same time, the rate of gun

homicides has been decreasing, especially since the 90s when crime rates in general

were higher.

But if you compare the US to other developed countries, it doesn’t look like good news.

These are homicides adjusted for population size. The US would probably have a higher

homicide rate even without guns, but you can see how gun violence pushes that rate far

beyond the other countries here.

The victims of these shootings — they’re not the ones you often see on the national

news. They’re disproportionately young black men.

SHUNDRA ROBINSON: You guys can leave here and go on with your lives, but we gotta

go home to empty rooms. Because our children’s lives were taken away by people who should

not have had guns anyway.

One possible explanation is that US simply has more crime than those other countries.

But if you set aside homicides for a moment and look rates of burglary, or assault, you

don’t see the same spike that you see with homicide.

It’s not that America has much more crime. It’s that crime in the US is much more lethal.

Altogether, the number of gun deaths in the US from 2000 to 2013 exceeds the number of

Americans killed by AIDS, by illegal drug overdoses, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars,

and terrorism, combined.

It should be clear by now that this level of gun violence is a uniquely American problem

among the developed world. And here’s one reason why.

There are a ton of guns in the US. This chart of shows the estimated number of guns by country.

It’s adjusted for population size and it’s still not even close.

OREGON SHOOTER’S FATHER: The question that I would like to ask is how on Earth could

he compile 13 guns? How can that happen?

If you take a look back at the 10 countries with the highest levels of human development,

you can see that it’s relatively really easy to get a gun in the US. All of the other

countries require a license to purchase most guns and those purchases are recorded into

an official registry. To get that license people have to state a reason for why they

want a gun, and in most countries, they have to pass a safety test and are required by

law to store their guns safely.

In part because of its lax laws, there are well over 300 million guns in the US and counting.

This chart doesn’t reflect private sales but it shows the number of background checks,

which all federally licensed dealers have to run. It suggests the demand for guns has

been increasing steeply since Barack Obama took office.

So we’ve looked at gun deaths and at gun ownership. This chart puts them together.

It shows that among highly developed countries, the more guns in a country, the more gun deaths.

You can see that countries like Switzerland, which have relatively more guns than a country

like the Netherlands, also have a higher gun death rate. And here’s the US.

Likewise, US states with more guns have more gun homicides. There are outliers like Idaho,

which has high rates of gun ownership but low rates of gun murders. But overall, there’s

a correlation between gun ownership and homicide rates, and that relationship has held up in

studies that control for things like poverty, unemployment, and crime.

The correlation between gun ownership and gun deaths is even stronger for suicides.

It make sense. Depression with a gun is more dangerous than depression without one.

Likewise, fights, domestic disputes, road rage, drunkenness -- all much more dangerous

with a gun than without.

That said, you might need different policies to keep guns away from potential mass shooters

than you’d need to keep them out of inner city gangs or out of the hands of someone

who might hurt themselves. America doesn’t have a gun problem, it has several of them.