GUNS, LAWS, and LIVES

Documentary Pre-Production: Guns, Laws & Lives

Script written by R.K.D. Kho (2012):

Synopsis

The widespread perception that more guns in the United States automatically lead to the world's highest murder rate is a common misconception. While the U.S. does have a high rate of gun deaths, the data reveals a critical and often overlooked distinction between different types of fatalities.

In the United States, the majority of gun-related deaths are not homicides, but suicides. The fact is, because of easy access to firearms, a near-equal number of suicides are committed with guns as murders, and due to the high lethality of firearms, these attempts are far more likely to be successful, ending in death. Research shows that over 90% of suicide attempts with a gun are fatal, compared to much lower rates for other methods. While the U.S. has a high rate of overall gun deaths, it does not have the world's highest gun murder rate. That tragic distinction belongs to other parts of the Americas. Gun-related murders and kills are highest in Latin America and the Caribbean, a region plagued by organized crime, political instability, and the proliferation of illicit firearms. Countries like Brazil, Venezuela, and Honduras consistently rank at the top for firearm homicide rates per capita, far surpassing the rates in the U.S. and Europe.

copyright © R.K.D. Kho 2020