WPCP 2 B RV^ Z Dutch 801 Roman", f^2ACd2MMd2B27dddddddddd77c|LXymA7Ad2cjXmcAam75h7mmmlMMAn[YYWdddd2ddddddddddddddddm75cccccXccccL7L7L7L7mmmmmnnnnYcmmmYnxmcccXXXXmccccaaaaaammL7L7L7L7lX5h777i7mmmmmMMMmMmMmMmMAAAnnnnnnYWWWm7mMmMAYYmnddd/NvddAceeddJRdBRyB#]]d>>dd{ps2]nBkdd!dCCdddyyyyeBrnddBBUdw}wwhdwwwwwwwwwwwwCwwwCwwwwwwwwwwwwwwtpw[_W]scL8f[[`iykm]g_tWs88iggSh|tttttttttttttttttttWWWWWWWssssssssssssssssssss888888888888iiiiiiiggggggggggggLLk6vC2,1Xv\> Ps7;XPFujitsu RX7100FUJIRX71.PRSXv\> Ps7;0}7XP2@ @ VP 3|v6vC2,1Xv\> Ps7;XP", f^2ACd2MMd2B27dddddddddd77c|LXymA7Ad2cjXmcAam75h7mmmlMMAn[YYWdddd2ddddddddddddddddm75cccccXccccL7L7L7L7mmmmmnnnnYcmmmYnxmcccXXXXmccccaaaaaammL7L7L7L7lX5h777i7mmmmmMMMmMmMmMmMAAAnnnnnnYWWWm7mMmMAYYmnddd/NvddAceeddJRdBRyB#]]d>>dd{ps2]nBkdd!dCCdddyyyyeBrnddBBUdw}wwhdwwwwwwwwwwwwCwwwCwwwwwwwwwwwwwwtpw[_W]scL8f[[`iykm]g_tWs88iggSh|tttttttttttttttttttWWWWWWWssssssssssssssssssss888888888888iiiiiiiggggggggggggLLk2Z>NNFujitsu RX7100FUJIRX71.PRSXv\> Ps7;0y|XP3|v`(#?April 1, 1993 MEMORANDUM FROM: PHB SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF CDC'S "FIREARM MORTALITY AMONG ` ` CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND YOUNG ADULTS 134 YEARS OF AGE, ` ` TRENDS AND CURRENT STATUS: UNITED STATES, 19851990 1. In order to deemphasize the fact that the issues are increases in suicide (particularly among young nonHispanic white males) and homicide (particularly among black and Hispanic males), the CDC ignores the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases in favor of defining deaths in terms of firearmrelatedness. As with the earlier study, discussions in terms of "children" are limited by the exclusion of persons under the age of one, who account for roughly threefifths of the deaths of "children" under 20, and 70% of children under 15. 2. The study is similar to one published in 1991 the lead author of the earlier study is the sole author of this one, longtime gunban supporter Lois Fingerhut but limited to 19851990, since the 19801985 data would have shown a dramatic decrease during the first half of the '80s. (Or, as she worded it, the earlier time frame was ignored because "it was during the second half of the decade that firearm mortality increased for the younger population.") The dramatic recent increase is largely limited to a small segment in society already least apt to own guns and most restricted from lawful access by federal and state law: young black and (for the past year or two) Hispanic males. (The study makes reference to a dramatic recent increase among whites, but that figure included Hispanics, and there is no breakdown in the study for nonHispanic whites; Fingerhut has admitted to the press that she expects much of the increase for whites was among Hispanics.) 3. Increases and decreases may best be explained by something which has changed. Gun availability by household hasn't changed in four decades; handgun ownership by household hasn't changed in over 15 years. Among things which have changed is that more young black males are incarcerated than in college; the twoparent family is disappearing, as are educational and economic hopes for the future, etc. 4. There has been an increase in suicide among young white males, but that is reflective of a problem among European and Europeanheritage young males the British young male suicide rate has risen 73% during the 1980s, while our only rose about 20%. (Or, using the CDC's 198590 data, our young white male suicide rate rose roughly 7% for a halfdecade while it was rising over 70% for a full decade in Britain.) 5. Firearmrelated deaths exceed deaths from natural causes among teenagers and young adults partly because once persons have passed the childhooddisease stage and not yet entered the ailments associated with aging, there should be very little death from natural causes; it would be expected to be accidents (esp. motor vehicles), suicides, and homicides. Since accidents are down (overall, motor vehicle, and firearm), that leaves the two problems which the CDC prefers to address as one. (0*0*0*Ԍ6. The Brady bill addresses dealer sales of handguns to person 21 and over, and the increases in homicide among persons 1519 or 1019 are hardly relevant. There is a crime problem which will increase so long as gimmickry is used. 7. By limiting their data to those over 1 and under 35, the CDC disguises the fact that firearmrelated deaths are down for much of the population. The study shows data showing a small decline for those 19. Similar declines occur across the board among those over 34, for whom gun ownership levels are higher than among those under 35. 8. Interestingly, almost all of the dramatic increase in firearmrelated deaths among young persons has occurred since 1987 when the CDC received from Congress the task of reducing firearmrelated deaths among young persons.