Down to the River to Pray – How Bad is Gun Violence in the United States

• America has 4.4 percent of the world’s population, but almost half of the civilian-owned guns around the world

• There have been more than 1,500 mass shootings since Sandy Hook

• On average, there is more than one mass shooting for each day in America

• States with more guns have more gun deaths

• States with tighter gun control laws have fewer gun-related deaths

• Most gun deaths are suicides

• Support for gun ownership has sharply increased since the early ’90s

• England – 0
• Greece – 1
• Netherlands – 1
• Spain – 1
• India – 1
• Argentina – 1
• Russia – 1
• China – 3
• Mexico – 4
• Australia – 5
• Canada – 5
• Germany – 5
• South Africa – 5
• United States of America – 212

Homicides by firearm per 1 million people

• Australia 1.4
• New Zealand 1.6
• Germany 1.9
• Austria 2.2
• Denmark 2.7
• Netherlands 3.3
• Sweden 4.1
• Finland 4.5
• Ireland 4.8
• Canada 5.1
• Luxembourg 6.2
• Belgium 6.8
• Switzerland 7.7
• USA ?? 29.7

UNODC, Small Arms Survey

Global Prison Breakdown

Half of the world’s prison population of about nine million is held in the US, China or Russia.  Prison rates in the US are the world’s highest, at 737 people per 100,000 and the occupancy rate is 107.6% (Almost 8% over capacity).  Of the top 17 nations, 13 are overcapacity (China could not be determined).