We don't tell advocates for greater equality and social justice they should settle for the status quo because things were worse in the past. Why is public safety our only relative societal priority?
I remember reading a few years ago (I can't seem to find the article I was thinking of, but I thought it was in the NYT) that part of the reason the gun homicide rate has dropped since the 90s is due to improved surgical technique. It said that people who are shot don't die as often as they used to because we are much better at saving their lives. If that's true, and I didn't misremember the article, then that could explain why it feels so dangerous but the homicide rate isn't as high as it was in the 90s. It might make more sense to compare the total number of gunshot victims (both those who died and those who lived) we see now (perhaps per capita) to the total number in the 90s. Maybe if we did that, we'd see crime rates more analogous to the 90s. I don't know if we even track that information, though! I sure would be interested to find out.
It's not just improved surgical techniques-there are a host of ways in which modern society is better at keeping victims alive. Modern technology, especially cell phones, makes response time quicker by getting 911 called sooner, providing better location data to the ambulances, and getting more and better info to the ambulance and hospital in almost real time. Police generally have more and better training in first aid. And several tools, like quick clot, tourniquets, and chest seals, are readily available online to anyone who pays.
I remember reading a few years ago (I can't seem to find the article I was thinking of, but I thought it was in the NYT) that part of the reason the gun homicide rate has dropped since the 90s is due to improved surgical technique. It said that people who are shot don't die as often as they used to because we are much better at saving their lives. If that's true, and I didn't misremember the article, then that could explain why it feels so dangerous but the homicide rate isn't as high as it was in the 90s. It might make more sense to compare the total number of gunshot victims (both those who died and those who lived) we see now (perhaps per capita) to the total number in the 90s. Maybe if we did that, we'd see crime rates more analogous to the 90s. I don't know if we even track that information, though! I sure would be interested to find out.
I have some related data and will post soon!
Ooh, exciting! Thank you.
It's not just improved surgical techniques-there are a host of ways in which modern society is better at keeping victims alive. Modern technology, especially cell phones, makes response time quicker by getting 911 called sooner, providing better location data to the ambulances, and getting more and better info to the ambulance and hospital in almost real time. Police generally have more and better training in first aid. And several tools, like quick clot, tourniquets, and chest seals, are readily available online to anyone who pays.
These are excellent points and this is why we should regard every non-fatal firearm injury for what it is: an attempted murder.
That is an interesting point that I hadn't considered!