Fingerhut L A, Kleinman J C
Division of Analysis, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, Md 20782.
JAMA. 1990 Jun 27;263(24):3292-5.
The homicide rate for males 15 through 24 years of age in the United States was compared with the rates in 21 other developed countries. The US homicide rate, 21.9 per 100,000, was more than four times higher than the next highest rate in Scotland (5.0). Most countries had rates that were between 1 and 3 per 100,000. The lowest rates were in Japan and Austria, each with rates below 0.6 per 100,000 males 15 through 24 years of age. Three quarters of the homicides in the United States resulted from the use of firearms contrasted with less than a quarter of all homicides in the comparison countries. The US homicide rate for black males 15 through 24 years of age (85.6) was more than seven times the rate for white males (11.2). In 1987 there were only four states that had homicide rates among white males that were as low as the rates among males in the comparison countries. The lowest state rate among young black males was still seven times the highest rate abroad. There are about 4000 homicides per year among young males in the United States. If the US homicide rate could be reduced to that in the country with the next highest rate, more than 3000 lives would be saved.
美国15至24岁男性的凶杀率与其他21个发达国家的凶杀率进行了比较。美国的凶杀率为每10万人中有21.9人，比苏格兰第二高的凶杀率（每10万人中有5.0人）高出四倍多。大多数国家的凶杀率在每10万人中有1至3人之间。凶杀率最低的是日本和奥地利，15至24岁男性的凶杀率均低于每10万人中有0.6人。在美国，四分之三的凶杀案是使用枪支导致的，而在参与比较的国家中，这一比例不到四分之一。美国15至24岁黑人男性的凶杀率（85.6）是白人男性凶杀率（11.2）的七倍多。1987年，只有四个州白人男性的凶杀率与参与比较国家的男性凶杀率一样低。年轻黑人男性中最低的州凶杀率仍然是国外最高凶杀率的七倍。美国每年约有4000名年轻男性死于凶杀案。如果美国的凶杀率能降至第二高国家的水平，那么每年将挽救3000多条生命。
