NCJ Number
201362
Date Published
2000
Length
256 pages
Annotation
This book presents the problem of gun violence in America from an economic perspective.
Abstract
By examining the problem of gun violence from an economic position, the authors show how gun violence touches all Americans and is not simply a problem for the victims and their families. By only discussing gun violence in terms of numbers of deaths and serious injuries, it is easy to dismiss the problem as something that happens to other people. But when viewed from an economic perspective, the previously personal problem becomes much more encompassing, affecting an entire Nation. As such, the problem of gun violence becomes a major public health crisis that affects the quality of life for all Americans. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the main arguments and conclusions, which focus on implementing gun control methods that are currently available and enjoy wide spread population support. Chapter 2 presents the statistical patterns of gun violence, which reflect that men and those in the lower socioeconomic classes disproportionately experience gun violence. The use of guns rather than other weapons is particularly problematic because guns are more lethal than other weapons. Chapter 3 focuses on gun lethality and how the use of guns in the commission of violent crimes makes America unique among other industrialized nations; and more deadly. In chapter 4, the authors present their economic framework for assessing the impact of gun violence on Americans, while Chapters 5 and 6 delve more into the question of how gun violence affects the quality of life in America. The “Cost of Illness” framework widely used to quantify the affects of illness on America is borrowed in order to examine gun violence from a medical cost and lost productivity perspective. Chapter 7 offers an analysis of all the ways in which citizens, businesses, and government attempt to reduce the risk of gun violence. The authors estimate that the measures taken to reduce the chances of gun violence approximate $5 to $10 billion each year. Chapter 8 presents the results of a “contingent-valuation” survey, in which respondents were asked how much they would be willing to pay to reduce gun violence, while chapter 9 discusses promising remedies to America’s gun problem. Appendices, notes, references