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America's unique gun violence problem, explained in 16 maps and charts

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In the developed world, these levels of gun violence are a uniquely American problem. Here's why.

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The Center for American Progress has released a report which places the spotlight on the rising trend of unlawfulness - not overseas or in some other country, but here in the United States, in Nevada. In "Violent Words, Violent Crimes: Anti-Government Extremism and Gun Violence in Nevada", the Center delves into Nevada's role in fostering this situation, the role of the Bundy ranch incident, and how guns have become the weapon of choice for both anti-government extremists and domestic terrorists.

According to the report, Cliven Bundy and the protests and standoff that he incited in 2014 and 2016 are the personification of the anti-government movement. In Nevada, the anti-government extremism primarily centers around "unlawful attempts to take control over nationally owned or controlled lands and terroristic threats against law enforcement officers. [...] The modern public land seizure movement is the most recent incarnation of a century-long disagreement about the federal government's role in owning and managing public lands in the Western part of the United States."

Much of the anti-government sentiment revolves around a "call to arms" to protect one's self and property against the tyranny of government. Guns play a principal role in anti-government rhetoric, and, as in the case of Jerad and Amanda Miller, led to the deaths of two police officers and two civilians. The report cites data from the Southern Poverty Law Center, which notes that in a study of domestic terrorism from 2009 to 2015, "guns were used in 59 percent of the incidents in which the type of weapon used had been identified." Moreover, data from the Anti-Defamation League reveals that "guns were used in nearly every act of murder perpetrated by a violent extremism in the United States in 2015, accounting for 48 out of 52 victims killed in these attacks. [...] The blunt fact is that, in the past 50 years, firearms in the hands of domestic extremists have killed far more Americans than have bombs, blades, chemical or biological weapons, or any other type of weapon."

In the spirit of public safety and the safety of our law enforcement, the Center recommends three steps to improve gun safety and aid the in the prevention of anti-government extremists using guns as a means to "threaten, intimidate, and harm community safety. Those recommendations are:

1.) Strengthen federal and state laws to deter straw purchasing, in which one person buys a guy on behalf of another individual.

2.) Strengthen state laws to limit where guns can be legally carried, both openly and concealed.

3.) Strengthen laws to prohibit those individuals who have been convicted of domestic violence or hate crimes from possessing guns.

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Extremism and Gun Violence: The Situation in Nevada - Homeland Security Digital Library

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"The blunt fact is that, in the past 50 years, firearms in the hands of domestic extremists have killed far more Americans than have bombs, blades, chemical or biological weapons, or any other type of weapon."

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In 2017, 60 percent of gun-related deaths in America were suicides (23,854) while 37 percent were murders (14,542). The U.S. ranks 20th globally for firearm mortality; and along with five South American countries constitute half of the world's firearm deaths. That is more than Canada, Europe and Australia combined. Since the 1960's the number and lethality of guns has increased, so too has the incidence of mass shootings. While acts of mass violence account for only a small percentage of firearm deaths, their devastating effects on the communities in which they occur and on the nation are lasting.

Violence, including gun violence, and fear of violence causes trauma and toxic stress, a contributing factor to development of some mental illness.

Exposure to violent events cause trauma and lasting changes in the nervous system in both children and adults. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including exposure to all types of violence, and the toxic stress caused by fear of violence, are shown to negatively impact psychosocial engagement and increase the likelihood of a person developing mental health conditions at all stages of life. Nearly 50 percent of Americans experience a mental illness at any point in their lifetime; and these persons are more frequently victims of violence rather than perpetrators.

Mental illness is not a predictor of violence towards others, but it is a predictor of suicide. To say otherwise is misleading and wrongfully points a finger at tens of millions of people who have experienced or are living with mental health conditions.

Depression is the leading cause of disability globally and many people live with mental illness around the world. The vast majority of people with mental illness are not violent: 95-97 percent of homicidal gun violence is not carried out by individuals with a mental illness. However, suicide is often correlated with depression and is the number ten cause of death in adults nationwide (number three cause of death for youth in America). Firearm deaths associated with mental illness are nearly always suicides. A suicide attempt with a firearm results in death nearly 85 percent of the time, but more common means of attempting suicide-drug overdose and cutting-result in death less than 3 percent of the time. If mental illness were eliminated, gun violence in America would go down by just 4 percent.

Previous violence is the only evidence-based predictor of future violence.

Having a history of violence, youth justice-involvement, physical interpersonal abuse, and parental justice-involvement are the key predictors of future violence. Clinical factors that have an increased risk of violence include substance abuse. Dispositional factors that are predictors of violence are younger age, male sex, lower income. And, contextual factors include major life changes such as divorce, unemployment, or victimization. Expressions of hate, rage and threatening behavior are not mental illnesses but are predictors of violence.

Making it easier to commit people to involuntary treatment will do little to nothing to prevent any violent acts, including gun violence. Instead, policymakers must address the root causes of violence. Separately, lawmakers must also provide for prevention and early intervention of mental health conditions because it is the right thing to do, not because it is a solution to violence of any kind.

Conclusions

Suicide deaths are typically impulsive acts and are the number one cause of firearm related mortality in the U.S.

When ranked with other countries of similar economic growth, the U.S. does not have a significantly higher proportion of people with mental health conditions than other industrialized countries, but does have exponentially higher rates of gun ownership and gun violence.

It is critical that the public and policymakers stop responding to gun violence and mass shootings with statements that mental health conditions are the underlying cause. The claim is false and discriminatory.

People with mental illnesses - some living in jails and prisons and others in crisis - need more services and supports: employment, educational, social, family, community, and peer supports. These necessary treatments and supports should be available to those who need them, but not because it will reduce violence in the U.S.

Proactive Policies to Protect the Rights of Everyone and Reduce Gun Deaths

Appropriate funding to research agencies to study 1) causes of violent ideation and 2) the best practices to prevent suicide and help individuals recover from trauma due to acts of gun violence in communities.

Ensure that procedures and restrictions related to legal firearm ownership do not depend on a history of mental illness as this will have no meaningful impact on public safety.

Provide training to gun shop and shooting range employees to identify at-risk persons whose sole intent in purchasing (or renting) a gun is to die by suicide.

Create a mechanism to allow persons with suicidal or violent ideation to voluntarily and temporarily surrender their firearms until such ideation is resolved.

Provide public education on the importance of safe gun storage in the home, such as keeping firearms and ammunition stored separately.

Assure that all firearms, including long guns, have gun locks.

Enact Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) legislation, that is time-limited and provides due process. Modeled on domestic violence restraining order laws, ERPO's avoid stigmatizing persons with mental illnesses because they are not focused on mental illness but on the risk of gun violence.

MHA - founded in 1909 - is the nation's leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and to promoting the overall mental health of all Americans. Our work is driven by our commitment to promote mental health as a critical part of overall wellness, including prevention services for all; early identification and intervention for those at risk; integrated care, services, and supports for those who need it; with recovery as the goal. Our work is guided by the Before Stage 4 (B4Stage4) philosophy - that mental health conditions should be treated long before they reach crises. Like other diseases, we need to address symptoms early, identify the underlying disease, and plan an appropriate course of action on a path towards overall health. For more information about MHA, click here.
To download a PDF copy of this page, click here.

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A fact sheet to provide evidence regarding the relationship between firearm-related deaths and mental health conditions. MHA is committed to sharing scientific research and facts to inform media, policymakers, and the public.

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Analysis of the impact of gun-free zones on gun-related outcomes in the United States

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The highest aim of civilization is to ensure the preservation of its people's lives. The continued development of America's mass shooting epidemic, reflected in the tragedies of Las Vegas and New Mexico, warrants an investigation of the causes of this evil. Ultimately, the root of this problem extends beyond the material alone. While guns enable mass shootings, they do not promote them. The initial cause of a mass shooting, the motivator, is the separation of a person from their sense of morality, allowing them to harm others without any regard for the consequences of their action. Ultimately, the substantial increase in mass shooting tragedies is caused by the corrosion of morality at the hands of a declining American culture. This decline is most evident in the developing trend of fading religious influence on society.

There is a strong correlation between the loss of religion in the United States and increased mass shootings. In the same time period that the number of people practicing religion has dropped within the United States, the number of severe mass shootings has increased significantly with each decade. However, this relationship extends beyond a correlation alone; causation is also sensible. Historically, while religious differences have often caused violence between cultures, religious homogeneity has created stability within a culture. Throughout European history, Christianity served as the foundation of society, justifying the authority of kings to rule and organizing the schedule of all of society around masses and religious holidays. Some would fear excessive application of religion to the modern society on the basis of its greatest past failures such as the Crusades, but I respond that human progress has largely mitigated the influence of religious extremism in the western hemisphere. With a developed understanding of human rights in the west, predominantly western religions such as Christianity have not waged war based on their theologic claim to power for centuries. In the context of the current world, society can access the benefits of religious homogeneity to societal stability more reliably than ever.

While many would like to dismiss this history in the face of new applications of logic and science to society, the weight of thousands of years cannot be dismissed like a grain of salt. We must not overlook the fact that, in shifting from religion, we enact tremendous change to the structure of our society. Centralized communities no longer meet and celebrate the same religious events every week. People no longer acknowledge a consistent set of moral truths. There are clear societal harms to these changes. Without a close, defined community, people are susceptible to anxiety and isolation. Without defined moral standards, people fall easily to evil, nihilistic values. These concerns are not speculative alone. When we look closely at the lives of mass shooters like Stephen Paddock and Nathaniel Jouett, we see individuals corrupted by feelings of isolation and anger that could have been remedied should our society have maintained the benefits of its religious structure. America's trending shift away from its religious values is a tremendous change, and in reflection of these recent events, it is one of reckless detriment.

While religious differences have often caused violence between cultures, religious homogeneity has created stability within a culture. "

- Charlie Kraemer

I would like to clarify that I do not see the loss of religion as the sole cause of mass shootings, and do not feel that a complete restoration of past religious values is the only step that should be taken to halt further tragedy. This is a nuanced issue exacerbated on a variety of fronts, including the excessive availability of semi-automatic weapons. However, I do feel that consistent moral standards, often established by religious tradition, serve to better the character of the majority of a society, and therefore play an important role in mitigating mass shootings.

If America seeks to address its gun violence problem, it must do so not only by reducing the capability of the corrupt to harm others, but also by combatting their motive to do so. In this process, we must be precautious and look to the ultimately altruistic values of most religions in order to dispel potential extremism. Should religion be properly implemented into society, we can now be met with the best of two worlds: the careful dedication to moral standards of traditional religion, and the stronger respect for all human dignity of the modern western world.

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Lack of religion contributes to societal violence

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The highest aim of civilization is to ensure the preservation of its people's lives. The continued development of America's mass shooting epidemic, reflected in the tragedies of Las Vegas and New Mexico, warrants an investigation of the causes of this evil. Ultimately, the root of this problem extends beyond the material alone.

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Mass shooting can have several motivators, but the initial cause occurs when a person loses their sense of morality and therefore disregards any consequences from their actions. The number of severe mass shootings has significantly increased with each decade and so has the number of people that stopped practicing religion. For example, Stephen Paddock and Nathaniel Jouett were mass shooters and when you take a closer look at their personal lives, you can see that they were corrupted by feelings of isolation and anger. These feelings could have been solved if our society had maintained the benefits of its religious structure. Religious tradition can establish moral standards that serve to better the character of the majority of a society, and therefore play an important role in mitigating mass shootings .

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Many people and politicians blame violent video games for violent acts, such a mass shootings, but there is actually no evidence that supports theses claims. Patrick Markey, director of The Interpersonal Research Laboratory and professor of psychology at Villanova University, said. “When we look at when people play video games, we actually see a dip in violent crimes ... and we don’t see an uptick later on.” However, there is research that shows that violent video games can cause a slight rise in aggression, but aggression does not mean violence and much of that has been misrepresented in the media. Countries where video games are the most popular tend to be among the safer countries in the world, except for the U.S.

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Gun free zones are designed to reduce the use of firearms, specifically crime, suicides, accidents, and mass shootings, they can actually become attractive for gun violence. Gun free zones could serve as more attractive targets to violent criminals or mass shooters because perpetrators will be less likely to encounter armed resistance in these areas. An analysis from the Crime Prevention Research Center showed that in mass public shootings between 1998 and 2018, 97.8 percent of incidents took place in gun-free zones.

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Some may think a lot of gun violence is committed by people who have mental health issues,  but 95-97 % of homicidal gun violence is not carried out by individuals with a mental illness. Firearm deaths associated with mental illness are nearly always suicides. Suicide is often correlated with depression and a suicide attempt with a firearm results in death nearly 85 percent of the time. In conclusion, if mental illness were eliminated, gun violence in America would only go down by just 4 percent.

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Extremists base their beliefs around a “call to arms” to protect one’s self and property against the tyranny of government. Data from the Anti-Defamation League reveals that “guns were used in nearly every act of murder perpetrated by a violent extremism in the United States in 2015, accounting for 48 out of 52 victims killed in these attacks. The fact is that in the past 50 years, firearms in the hands of domestic extremists have killed far more Americans than have bombs, blades, chemical or biological weapons, or any other type of weapon.”

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In my opinion, the biggest cause of gun violence is the massive number of guns. If you look at the United States, for example, we own 45% of all the world's private firearms. There is roughly one gun for every person in the U.S. This directly correlates with America's drastically higher rates of death from gun violence than any other developed country. Although I do think the massive number of guns is the biggest cause of gun violence, gun free zones are not far behind. The attractiveness of gun free zones for crime is alarming, shown by the statistic that 97.8 percent of mass shootings took place in gun-free zones. Extremists also contribute to fair amounts of gun violence, but not on the scale of the latter reasons. Mental health issues only contribute to just 4% of gun violence, so it is not one of the biggest causes. Lack of moral/religion is only sometimes an initial motive in gun violence and is not a huge contributor. Finally, violent video games has no correlation with gun violence, it only sometimes leads to aggression, which is not the same as violence.

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The U.S. has an extraordinary amount of guns compared to the rest of the world. However, it is one of the few countries that has a constitutional right to bear arms. This has its negatives though because the U.S. is the most homicidal due to easy access many Americans have to firearms. In fact, Americans make up less than 5 percent of the world’s population, yet they own roughly 45 percent of all the world’s privately held firearms. Extensive reviews of the research, compiled by the Harvard School of Public Health’s Injury Control Research Center, suggest the answer is pretty simple: The US is an outlier on gun violence because it has way more guns than other developed nations.