MEMORANDUM
DATE

TO
FROM

SUBJECT:

February 12,1997
Jim

Amy

Firearms Violence Prevention Symposium and Strategy

Symposium

Jim, attached for your review is a draft copy of a firearms fact sheet that will be
handed out with a packet at the symposiiun.
Strategy

After this symposium, you can take action on the following options:
A. Decide to do nothing more on this issue.
B. Decide which ordinance(s)(there are at least 4) you may want to have
Coxmty Counsel draft for you to bring before the Board.

C. Decide if you want to ask other the Board offices if they would also like to
bring an firearms violence prevention ordinance(s) before the Board.

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2-10-1997 2: 13PM

FROI'-I

pmEftRMS

pNS^Nm

fHclARA"^

PUBLIC HEALTH DePARTMENT

Santa Clara County

^^-countT^
i=^»iiiarmCs§iliTe¥pirnslBl6^fof
‘ In ISM ahdi^1994i oye^^

t^%):sraiir6imta^%

;■ ” SanfaCliSa County tSCC) '
wetnpsoifnrnlttea^a
firearms^OfBSsaoltinjurfes,
-■-■■-’H4%yi/efe^TestilLofF-i^'"
—

'

firearms’rAlso’in-199Siand

>

^1994^6^pf^alesy^g^y^;^
; pommittingj^icid&^sed a. _>
i fir0airrn»iand,.18%iofcfemale

.—suicides i'esultMTrom a self- , -

5.,..^-Jnfncted gunshptwoundW

i

• Handguns are the leadma^^^^ _^

- • killeis of kids in California^

'■ In Santa Clara County
’ beUVMh 1993 Md 1994,

""

firearms were involved in

^ 1002 homicides^nd assault

hospitalizations, occurring
predominantly among males
aged 15-34% During that same
--timelrame in SGCy 76%of
homicides killing people aged

^^jil^earsandunderwere^, . ;;.. .Jcommitted using-firearms'. „

:

.iCgnti^l tneasujre^.s^^^^

istricter inc^stry regulation, ^

“ The Public^ Health Approach to Violence Prevention
When pieople working in public health
approach a problem not only do they
consider the consequeitces of an issue,

Episode tracking, community daoi

such as deaths due to guns, but they

evaluation arc critical to a violence-

also examine the various causes of a

prevention effort,

problem, such as joblessness or access
to firearms.

analysis, program planning,

deveWapment, implemencation, and

just as issues are viewctl from mulriplc

perspectives, solutions (or interventions)

residential handgun dea[ers,

'""""dFjSSicle^l^iujSh^rigger^’"
■

locks and safety boxes cart "y

"^jfelpT^uoB fatalities

This process typically includes three
key elements, as shovm in Figure 1.
'Figure 1.

Host

(victim or parpetiator)

" injuries associated With

should be designed to address different

levels as shown in the graphic below.
Some interventions for gun violence
could include: community outreach and
education, conflict resokidon training,

parenting training, youth diversion,
--:-A-1996 telephone survey ’
showed that awareness

-

=.^ahouUrandgun^related crime ^
- is low in Santa Clara County. -

Jt found, hqwpyer,That jonce .,

Agent

Environment

(gun/alcohol)

(polides, (iealeta)

The issues surrounding any of these

elements ~ hosg ageng environment ~
arc interrelated and each element

informed of firearm, injury

contributes to the. greirter problem.

and death facts, the majority^
of Santa Clara County
residents vocalized support
for gun Continof legisiatjon% "

Viewing violence within this framewTark

identification and assessment of potential

victims, as well as polides regulating
firearm availability and safety,
The Spectrum gt Provention
^tntluencingpolicv& tcgislatioir

Changing otganizational praclioes

reqidres that several processes,

disciplines and approaches be
incorporated to create a cohesive,

multidisciplinary prevention plan.

Fostering coalitions & networks

,

Educating pn>viders.,,_.,^_.

.;... .. . Promoting commu«ity.eduGation-i

Slrffiglhening individuai knovjledge & skills.

m

iss:

2-10-1997 2: 14PM

FROM

Suicides & Firearms

ijQvef^jfrgfraHjsuiddestwerfrpcoi^ttetf-witealgim

Relative to other means, the rale of success in

Suicide Methods

suicide attempts is much higher when firearms

Sa.nta Clara County, 1S93 and 1994 Ave-rsgt*

are us«d^ Overall, firearms are used in over

hall of ail suicides in the county'. By gender,
guns aro used by over half of all males. 55%.
committing suicide, and guns account ter 4%
of setf inflicted injurie.s in males'. Among
females, 18^t> of femsis suicides are due to

' gun shots, whereas 0.4% are hospitalized tor
seif inflicted firearm wounds'.

Much debate surrounds the question whether

limttirtg access to hartdguns would prevent
sorrse s'Jtcides. Studies among juvenile
populations, hovrever, have shown that

decreased availability through more restnetive
gun control lavi/s is associated with a reduced
suicide rate among youthh
V** !

58%-o£.ail homicidesJn»

Santa'ciam County"^’
were carried out’"*=—
^ith a firearm* —

FIREARMS: Targeting Women
Firearm assaults are the third leading killer of
Santa Clara County females aged 15 to 44
years’. Firearms kill women in this age group

Top Five Cau3e9 of Death in Females by Age, as Compared to Males
Santa Clara County. 1992-199^
Clcuwoi DmUi

»5 - 4W YEARS o( AGE

Ov<*iw»fi C«rr+*

more frequently than do motor vehicle crashes
(see chart to the right)'.
Cornrdrvr

Data show that the greatest threat to a woman

comes from the people and guns within her own

Di.^casrr

45 - 5« VEARS Of AGt
Bteaa Car*.-*

li#«qCan«

rA"i».'ij<i Catevs

Peffib Rfllfa p»A ?00,OW) poputalfon

hormh Betvireefi 1976-1&87, mere than twice as many
American women were shot and killed by their
husbands or boyfriends as were murdered by strangers
using guns, knives or any other .meansh
More woman are killed by their husbands than men are
killed by their wivesh State data show that in 1993

arguments were the leading contributing citcuntstance
in homicides (see graph to the lefti.

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2-10-1997 2:15PM

p. A

FRO-l

Firearm Manufacture & Sales

Clara d<»uniyWTji£i^^^^

Guns are sub}ect to fewer safety
regulations than cars, baby cribs, or
teddy bears - toy guns are even
more strictly regulated than real

guns*. American-made guns are not
subject to federal safety standards”.
Althougb technology has been

available (or over 50 years to make

guns child-resistant, incorporation of
such safety devices has been

FI

resisted by the industry due, in part, to
concern about costs'.

In 1994, 13,478 handguns were

legally sold in Santa Clara County that is more than 36 guns purchased
each day, or 1.5 guns per hour'.

Easy availability of handguns is one
factor abetting violent acts such as
homicides, assaults, and suicides.

In Santa Clara County, 270 dealers

are licertsed to sell guns’. Tliis
compares to 63 high schools, 29
libraries, and 55 McDonalds. Some

dealers sell guns out of their homes, leading to concern about proximity of residential firearm dealers to sensitive sites such as

schools or day care centers. Recent legislation, which increased dealer license fees and mandated background checks, has led
to a decreased number of gun dealers in Santa Clara County ~ in a three month period during 1996 the number of dealers
decreased by 22%‘.

Estimated annual weapons stolen in California: 100,000

’

Costs of Firearms to Society
Not only do guns inflict emotional and physical terror on
victims, but firearm-related deaths and injuries cost

California taxpayers over $176 million dollars annually’.
The average cost of a gunshot wound requiring

hospitalization is $28,000'“. Of this cost, 80% is borne by
taxpayers’. These are simply direct costs, and do not take

into account lost years of productivity, reduced quality of

life, or emotional burdens firearms inflici on families and
communities. When those costs are factored in, the

estimated cost per survivor of a gunshot wound due to
assault was $260,000™,

In Santa Clara County the costs of violent injuries
totalled $13,679,360 in 1993'. Of that sum, direct

hosprtalization costs for firearm-related injuries in SCC

reached $3.6 million'. These figures, however, do not include the cost of emergency room(ER) or trauma center (TC)
are
care, therefore costs for those patients treated for a gunshot wound in the ER or TC, but not admitted to the hospital,
not included in these sums.
Soufcee

1. Santa Clara County PuWio Health Department,
Dteeasa Control and prevention, Data

Manooemen)and Statistics,
2. State of California. CalKomia Department of
Health Services, Death Records, 1995.

3. Passioo&Polfcy: AS facts replace teefinga In
the handgun debate, more voters suppod
etiorts to reduce access to handguns. October,

Law Entorcement.

1996, EDK Associates.

4. Pacilic Center lor Viotence Prevention, Policy

P^ter “Preventing Youth Vrolence."
5. KeUerman, A. S Mercy,J.(1992). Men. Women,
and murder,

33;1-5.

6. Tucter, C.“Guns are a Hazard." Chronicle,

8. Bureau ol Alcohol, lobacco & Fitearnts,

Licensittg Dh'iston, 1996.
9. Calllornia Department ol Justice, AFS Section,
to.Miller & CoTtert,(t995>."Costs of Penetrallitg
Injufy," Textbook of Penetrating Trauma. Ivalury

& Cayten, Eds. Philadelphia; Lea & Civiga.

12/7/96.

7. Caliloinia Department ot ..kistice. Division ol

XX.

2-10-1997 2:17PM

FROM

P. 5

Arresting Facts about Firearms
SANTA CLARA COUNTY

CALiFORNiA

A gun is purchased every 1.5 hours".

Firearm assaults are the third leading
killer of Santa Clara County females

■» Firearms have surpassed motor

selves or other children while playing

number one killer in the age group of

with a gun they found in their home or
the home ot a family member or

15-24 years old'.

aged 15 to 44 years'.
• Carryirtg a corrcealed handgun is a
Overall, firearms are used in over

tTOsdemeanor. However, carrying a

half of all suicides in the county'.

knife or other lass fetal weapon is
punishable ac a felony.

In 1993 and 1994, over halt (58%) of
alt homicides were committed using
firearms'.

• The leading contributing circumstance
for homicides is argument.

Between 1983-1994, 76% of youth
homicides (<21 years) were

« Firearm injuries cost California
taxpayers over $177 million annualf/.

committed using firearms'.
UNITED STATES

Hospifalizatton costs for firearm

• A gun in the home is 43 times more
likely to kHI a family member or friend

injuries totaled S3-.6 million'.

than it is to be used in self-defense'.

There are 270 gun dealers in the
county, many of whom sell guns from
their homes*.

• Most children unirstentionally kill them

vehicle crashes and diseases as the

friend",

» Over half of all handgun owners keep
their guns loaded at least some of the

time". In one study, 53% of gun
owners surveyed did not keep their
guns locked up“.
• In 1992- about 78% of murder victims

were killed by someone they knew'.
• Suicide is the 3'"Ieading cause of

death for adolescents and young
adults in the US, after car cras!>es

and homicides". In 1990, 3,165

youths aged 15-24 killed Ihemselves
with guns. Guns are now used in

• Three times more people are
murdered during arguments than
robberies'.

about 60% of all teenage suicides".
• More firearm murders occurred in two

years, than deaths in the 9 year
• An estimated 30% of all unintentional

shootings could be prevented by the
presence of two safety features:
trigger locks and loading indteators".
♦ Few guns have trigger locks and

Vietnam War'”.

• The average medical cost of a

gunshot wound is $33,000. Eighty
percent of those cosfs are borne by
taxpayers'.

toaditrg indicators because no law

requires them".

What you-can do to prevent further firearm injuries and^eaths.it.
• Write, telephone, fax or e-mafi

« If you are a parent or teacher:

your local, state, and national

Sensitize yourself and your

representatives to let them know
your concerns about the toll firearms

children/studenls to violent images in

take on your community.

the media. Explain to them that

• If you are a gun owner:

- get a trigger lock and loading
indicator

- store ammunition separately from
the firearm

although TV doesn’t show the
consequences, guns do cause pain,
death, and disability. Remind your

• Ask your elected official to:

- ban sales of handguns from

- take a gun safety course

children/ students that what they see

residential dealers

on television or in movies is not real

- advocate for stricter regulation of
the firearm industry
- ban the sale of Saturday Night

life.

Specials in your area

- require back ground checks on
people working tor gun dealers

- require trigger locks

1

CaHlotnia Oepartinenl ol JuMica, Drjlslon ot Law EnlorcenwB,

2.

Santa Clara County Public Hoallh Dept., Disease Control & Prevenlion, Data .Mgmt i .Staiisiics.

4.

Bureau of AtcoTiol, Tobacco anct Firearms, Licensing, 1996.
Slate o( California. CalKomla Departmenl ot Health Setvicaa, Death Hecoida, 1935.

5.

Catitornia Department ol Justice, Bureau ol Crimioal Statistics.

3.

-6.
7.

Pacitlc Center lor Violence Prevention, Policy Paper "Preventing Youth Violence."
Keltorman, A. & Reay, 0. (1986), Protection or Peril? New EnglanO Journal of Medicine.
314:1567-60.

For more information contact;

3,

Violence Prevention Program
Santa Clara County Public Health Department

9.

1-408-885-4202
Fet>rtjary, 1997

FBI, (1993). Crime in the US, UnKomi Crime Reports, 199Z, Washington D.C.r US Dopartnianl
ot Justice.

Miller & Cohen. 1995. “Costs ot Penetrating Injury." TexIbooK ot Penetrating Trauma. Ivalury &

Caylen, Eds. PhtledelpWa: Lee a Crviga.
10. Vietnam Wat Almanac: FBI Crime Reports.