Understanding the nuances of state and federal gun laws is important for mounting an effective defense.
Gun violence continues to be a significant concern in the United States, especially regarding children, with firearm homicides being a major factor in overall violent crime rates. To better understand how firearm homicides have evolved over time in the United States, and where the most dangerous places for gun-related murders are, Joslyn Law Firm conducted an analysis of firearm homicide data by U.S. counties. The study that was conducted aimed to explore firearm homicide trends from 2018 to 2022, revealing both the severity and regional concentration of gun violence across the nation.
Rising Gun Violence: A National Perspective
Unfortunately, the general trend in firearm-related homicides has been upward, reflecting broader societal concerns about public safety and gun control. In 2018, there were 4.266 firearm homicides per 100,000 people in the United States, however, by 2022, this number had climbed to 5.961 per 100,000 people. This rise in firearm related-homicides indicates a marked increase in gun-related deaths over a five-year span.
Although this trend is very alarming, it is important to put these figures into historical context. According to various sources, deaths due to firearms were significantly higher during the 1970s and early 1990s. In 1974, for instance, firearm-related homicides reached their peak in the U.S., with guns being widely accessible for under $100. While the current rate of gun homicides is far lower than during that era, the increase over the past few years still calls for concern and safety implementations, especially given that the United States has a higher rate of gun-related deaths compared to other developed nations.
The Most Dangerous Counties in the U.S. for Firearm Homicides
The analysis of firearm-related homicides conducted by Joslyn Law Firm highlighted the counties with the highest firearm homicide rates in 2022. This study focused on how these figures have changed since 2018. In both years, a small number of counties stood out as the most dangerous in the country when it came to gun-related homicides.
Leading the list of the most dangerous counties in 2022 is Orleans Parish, Louisiana, which is home to the city of New Orleans. Orleans Parish saw 200 firearm homicides in 2022, which converts to 54.09 deaths per 100,000 people. This is a substantial increase from 2018 when Orleans Parish had 106 gun-related homicides, or 27.11 per 100,000 residents. Over the five-year period, Orleans Parish saw its gun violence rate nearly double, which secured its place as the most dangerous county for firearm homicides.
St. Louis County, Missouri, ranked number two in 2022, with 152 firearm homicides, amounting to 53.04 deaths per 100,000 people. In 2018, the county reported 122 gun-related deaths, equating to 40.29 per 100,000 people. Like Orleans Parish, St. Louis saw a significant rise in gun violence and firearm-related homicides between 2018 and 2022.
Emerging Hotspots: New Entries on the 2022 List
While many of the counties on the list remained consistent from 2018 to 2022, a few cities that weren’t originally listed made their appearance on the 2022 list, indicating that there are emerging hotspots for gun violence. Notably, Portsmouth, Virginia, entered the top 25 in 2022, with 37 firearm homicides and a population of just over 97,000, which results in a firearm homicide rate of 38.13 per 100,000 people. Portsmouth’s presence on the 2022 list shows that there has been a concerning rise in gun-related deaths in smaller communities.
Another significant new city on the list in 2022 was Orangeburg County, South Carolina. With a population of 83,094, Orangeburg reported 27 gun homicides in 2022, which converts to 32.49 deaths per 100,000 people. This is another example of a smaller county that is experiencing an alarming increase in firearm-related violence.
Understanding the Causes Behind the Rise in Firearm Homicides
Several experts have attributed the rise in gun-related homicides to a wide range of factors, including changes in laws that dictate firearm ownership. A pivotal moment in regard to firearm laws occurred in 2008 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment of the Constitution allows citizens to carry firearms for self-defense. This Supreme Court ruling, along with increasingly relaxed state laws on concealed carry, has led to greater access to firearms throughout the U.S. These factors in addition to little to no oversight of permits or training create deadly environments. The lack of stringent firearm regulations has made it easier for guns to fall into the wrong hands, increasing gun violence throughout the country.
Another related issue is the number of gun sales that occur without background checks. Jennifer Mascia of The Trace noted that approximately 25% of legal gun sales in the U.S. do not include a background check before sale, allowing individuals with violent histories or known mental health issues to purchase firearms.
Additionally, a factor to consider is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on firearm-related homicides. The pandemic led to a significant rise in gun sales, as well as a reduced amount of access to public services and programs that could have provided support to at-risk individuals, particularly adolescent males. This lack of access may have played a part in the spike in gun-related violence during a time of heightened social and economic stress.
Proposed Solutions to Reduce Firearm Homicides
Experts at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have proposed a range of solutions to address the rising rates of gun-related homicides and violence in the United States. These solutions include:
- Permit-to-Purchase Laws – Enacting and enforcing laws that require of age citizens to obtain a permit before purchasing a firearm, which would involve background checks, fingerprinting, and safety courses to ensure firearms are safely used and stored.
- Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) – Putting these in place and enacting laws that would allow for the temporary seizure of firearms from individuals deemed to be at high risk of committing violence against themselves or others could protect the public from unnecessary harm.
- Secure Gun Storage – Promoting the use of secure storage methods for firearms can help prevent accidents and unauthorized access to them, particularly by children or intruders.
- Regulating Public Carry Laws – States with relaxed concealed carry laws could consider creating less lenient regulations to reduce the number of guns in public places, which pose a potential safety threat.
- Community Violence Intervention Programs (CVIs) – CVI programs help to target individuals who are at high risk of being involved in gun violence, either as perpetrators or victims. These programs focus on preventing gun violence before it occurs through intervention and support.
The Importance of Legal Representation
The firearm homicide data from 2018 to 2022 reveals both an overall rise in gun-related homicides and deaths, as well as significant regional differences in where these deaths are concentrated. While larger cities like New Orleans and St. Louis continue to experience high rates of gun violence, including homicides and self-inflicted accidents, smaller counties like Portsmouth, Virginia, and Orangeburg, South Carolina, are also becoming hotspots for firearm homicides. Efforts to lessen the amount of gun violence will require a multifaceted approach, including stronger regulations on gun ownership, better storage practices, and community-based intervention programs in tandem with more education on gun violence.
Given the complex and varied gun laws across the United States, anyone charged with a gun-related crime could be facing severe legal penalties and should seek out experienced legal representation. Understanding the nuances of state and federal gun laws is important for mounting an effective defense.
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