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Abstract
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The homicide rate for males 15 through 24 years of age in the United States was compared with the rates in 21 other developed countries. The US homicide rate, 21.9 per 100,000, was more than four times higher than the next highest rate in Scotland (5.0). Most countries had rates that were between 1 and 3 per 100,000. The lowest rates were in Japan and Austria, each with rates below 0.6 per 100,000 males 15 through 24 years of age. Three quarters of the homicides in the United States resulted from the use of firearms contrasted with less than a quarter of all homicides in the comparison countries. The US homicide rate for black males 15 through 24 years of age (85.6) was more than seven times the rate for white males (11.2). In 1987 there were only four states that had homicide rates among white males that were as low as the rates among males in the comparison countries. The lowest state rate among young black males was still seven times the highest rate abroad. There are about 4000 homicides per year among young males in the United States. If the US homicide rate could be reduced to that in the country with the next highest rate, more than 3000 lives would be saved.
VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this study by Fingerhut and Kleinman was to provide a comparison of homicide rates in young males across 21 developed countries and across the United States.
METHODOLOGY:
This study used data from the World Health Statistics Annual, the International Classification of Diseases, individual country reports, the Vital Statistics of the United States and the U.S. county-level data from the Compressed Mortality File to analyze and compare homicide rates in young males aged 15 to 24 years. Only data from 1986 or 1987 in developed nations with populations of at least 1 million were used. Percentages and frequencies were utilized to analyze the data.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
When comparing the 21 countries, the United States homicide rate for young males was 4.4 times greater than any other country (21.9 per 100,000 versus the next highest of 5 per 100,000). The homicide rate among black males in the U.S. were more than seven times greater than the white male homicide rate (85.6 per 100,000 versus 11.2 per 100,000). Three quarters of murders in the United States resulted from the use of firearms. Comparatively, the other 14 countries, with firearm-related data available, had less than one third of homicides resulting from firearm use. Only four states in the U.S. (Massachusetts, Ohio, Wisconsin and Minnesota) had homicide rates for young white males which were as low as the rates in comparison countries. When comparing geographic regions within the U.S., California, Texas, New York, Arizona and Florida had the highest homicide rates for young white males. The north central part of the country and some southern states had relatively low homicide rates for young white males. Firearms were used in 69% of homicides among young white males. For young black males in the U.S., Michigan, California, the District of Columbia, New York and Missouri had the highest homicide rates. Low homicide rates for young black males appeared to mainly be in the southern states. Overall, 81% of homicides among young black males were committed with a firearm. This study attempted to discredit the theory that heterogeneity in the U.S. contributes to high levels of violence by pointing out that the majority of homicides are intraracial and occur between people who know each other. This study also stressed the connection between firearm/handgun availability and homicide.
AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS:
The authors stressed the need for "innovative public health strategies" to prevent and reduce the huge numbers of homicides of U.S. young males (p. 3295). (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
N1 - Call Number: F-412, AB-412
KW - Comparative Analysis
KW - US Foreign Comparison
KW - Scotland
KW - New Zealand
KW - Israel
KW - Norway
KW - Finland
KW - Canada
KW - Australia
KW - Austria
KW - Sweden
KW - Belgium
KW - Netherlands
KW - Switzerland
KW - France
KW - Greece
KW - Ireland
KW - Poland
KW - England
KW - Wales
KW - Portugal
KW - Denmark
KW - Germany
KW - Japan
KW - California
KW - Texas
KW - New York
KW - Arizona
KW - Florida
KW - Tennessee
KW - Colorado
KW - Illinois
KW - Alabama
KW - Washington
KW - Kentucky
KW - North Carolina
KW - Georgia
KW - Missouri
KW - Maryland
KW - Louisiana
KW - Michigan
KW - Virginia
KW - Pennsylvania
KW - New Jersey
KW - Indiana
KW - Ohio
KW - Wisconsin
KW - Massachusetts
KW - Minnesota
KW - Homicide Victim
KW - Homicide Rates
KW - Homicide Incidence and Prevalence
KW - Juvenile Victim
KW - Juvenile Male
KW - Adult Male
KW - Adult Victim
KW - Male Victim
KW - Cross National Comparison
KW - Young Adult
KW - Late Adolescence
KW - Early Adolescence
KW - Statistical Data
KW - African American Victim
KW - African American Juvenile
KW - African American Male
KW - Caucasian Male
KW - Caucasian Victim
KW - Caucasian Adult
KW - Racial Differences
KW - Racial Factors
KW - Black-White Comparison |