Randomly encountered in today's meanderings in the National Library of Medicine was this statistic: Auckland Hospital treated a total of 56 gunshot injuries over a 12-year period. (Only four of them died.) This is the largest hospital in the country and serves a large catchment population. This works out to about 0.5 gunshot wounds per 100,000 people, per year.
Aaaand, because I feel compelled to close the loop upon learning something like that, I had to look up US gunshot injury statistics. 75,684 in the year 2000. Which is about 27 gunshot wounds per 100,000 per year.
Wait, is my math right? Are there really 50 TIMES as many firearm injuries/deaths in the States as in NZ?
I checked. My math is right. Wow.
Furthermore, about 50% of the gunshot injuries in NZ were unintentional-- hunting accidents and the like. Only 20% are accidents in the US.
I have to admit it's kinda weird to live in a country where the police aren't generally armed. But it's hard to argue with those statistics.
Aaaand, because I feel compelled to close the loop upon learning something like that, I had to look up US gunshot injury statistics. 75,684 in the year 2000. Which is about 27 gunshot wounds per 100,000 per year.
Wait, is my math right? Are there really 50 TIMES as many firearm injuries/deaths in the States as in NZ?
I checked. My math is right. Wow.
Furthermore, about 50% of the gunshot injuries in NZ were unintentional-- hunting accidents and the like. Only 20% are accidents in the US.
I have to admit it's kinda weird to live in a country where the police aren't generally armed. But it's hard to argue with those statistics.
3 comments:
As your Mom, and as the Grandmother of two precious little boys, and rejoice in this wonderful fact. NZ is a very safe place to raise children! God bless New Zealand!
I concur.
Saima
Woohoo!!!!!!
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