the blog spot From the Bookshelf

— posted by Edward Hoffer, MD, on 1/23/2023 (edited)

GUN CRISIS IN AMERICA: YOUTH FATALITIES ON THE RISE

In 2020, firearm fatalities displaced motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of death for American youth (ages 1 to 19). We long ago dramatically reduced infectious deaths (although vaccine hesitancy threatens to upend this victory), and the traditional “big five” have been auto accidents, firearms, cancer, suffocation, and drug overdose – accidental among the youngest and either intentional or accidental in teens.

The Death Rate Has Doubled

Between 2000 and 2015, firearm deaths remained steady at about 10 percent of all youth deaths, but this has grown dramatically since then: guns caused nearly 20 percent of young people’s deaths in 2021. Children, of course, are not the only ones to suffer. Between 1990 and 2021, a total of 1,110,421 Americans of all ages died due to gunshots: homicidal, suicidal, or accidental. The death rate has roughly doubled between 2014 and 2021. Deaths disproportionately affect males: 86 percent of the 1.1 million deaths were men. When looking at deaths among young people, black boys are much more likely to be killed than non-Hispanic white youth. When we look at suicides, older white males are the victims more than any other group.

Comparison with similar countries emphasizes how much of an outlier we are in the U.S. An American is 30 times more likely to die by firearm than a French citizen. There are 15-20 privately-owned firearms per 100 population in France, while in the U.S. there are 120 per 100 people. Multiple studies have shown a tight correlation of between gun deaths and numbers of guns in circulation. Within the U.S., states with tougher gun laws have significantly lower firearm mortality.

Social factors – mental health issues, including depression, poverty, lack of social supports – certainly play a role, but these are not unique to Americans. Every country has its share of sociopaths, depressed people, and people angry at the world, but only in America is it so easy for these people to obtain a gun.

If someone tries to kill themselves with an overdose, there is a high likelihood they will be saved and then given help. Very few such people die by suicide. But the “success” rate is nearly 100 percent when the method chosen is a gunshot. A fanatic can kill innocents with a knife (or their bare hands), but mass killings are almost always done with firearms. Public opinion surveys consistently show that most Americans support tougher gun laws, but our federal legislators seem to be under the gun lobby’s control. We must convince our legislature that the people’s will is for sensible gun control.

Unless we prefer to remain the world champions in deaths by firearms.

Edward Hoffer is an internal medicine physician and author

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This is a book that reminds us before we even open the cover that cold case crimes can be solved, that silent victims can still testify, even from the grave. People have a curious fascination with the often gruesome science of forensics. After all, the number of CSI-type shows on television is practically without counting. There are even entire networks, like ID (Investigation Discovery) that are devoted to crime and punishment 24/7/365 (not counting commercials). As you might surmise if you are a bit of a detective, having an author whose name is Nigel indicates the book might have a bit of a British slant. True, not that that’s a bad thing. Actually, pretty much the whole world of forensics is examined in all its fascinating detail in this book, including Britain, France, and even right here in the US of A. Nigel McCrery takes us to the scene whenever and wherever there was a fascinating case or a breakthrough in forensic methods.

He breaks it down into a handful of categories, areas like ballistics, blood, trace evidence, poisons, DNA, and so on.

Looking back on the history of the science and its present state, it’s a wonder they managed to catch and convict the right perp even half the time back in the day. And it’s equally amazing that anybody gets away with anything these days with the forensic tools available today.

The sad truth when it comes to forensic science is that the cost of each and every advancement was paid over the centuries with rivers of shed blood and untold lives cut short by acts of violence and mayhem. Blood spatter experts, for instance, unknown to detective work in the not too distant past, hone their craft when blood is spattered and splattered.

But thankfully, people have been willing to work in and gradually refine, expand and improve the art and craft of forensic science to the point where, today, it provides the basis for many, many TV shows. Plus it helps solve (and no doubt prevent) countless crimes. If the often gruesome but always fascinating history of forensic science appeals to you, this is a book you’ll definitely enjoy.

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Doing anything exciting this weekend?

I want to see that new Tom Hanks movie, the one with Meg Ryan.

New? You’ve Got Mail came out 25 years ago. No, I’m talking about the remake they did for blind people.