Illinois: "Spreading the gun-lock gospel"

[cuchulainn]

Um, speaking of gun safety, check out the picture

from the Freeport Journal Standard

http://www.journalstandard.com/articles/2003/11/24/local_news/news32.txt

Monday November 24, 2003

Spreading the gun-lock gospel

Area police to distribute 700 gun-locks through Project ChildSafe

By Gary Mays, The Journal-Standard

FREEPORT -- Clyde Still - that's "Clyde like Bonnie and Still like whiskey" - stood in front of the Stephenson County Public Safety Building on Sunday afternoon, ready to make a delivery to Stephenson County Sheriff Dave Snyders.

And with the zeal of a tent-revival preacher, Still explained the importance of the 700 or so yellow and black gun locks he was delivering to the county, as Snyders busily stacked box after box of the simple but effective devices onto a wheeled cart.

It was the Albany, N.Y.-native's last stop of the day in the county, and the latest in a whirlwind tour of the Midwest in which he has spread his message of gun safety.

"A trigger-lock is better than nothing at all, but a cable lock is better than a trigger-lock," Still said, a fistful of gun-safety information in one hand and a plastic-wrapped gun lock in the other. "And a good gun safe is better than just about anything."

Still and his organization, Project ChildSafe, are betting the 698,000 cable gun locks they are distributing in Illinois will go a long way toward saving children's lives by preventing accidental gun deaths. Nationwide distribution of the gun locks is funded by a $50 million U.S. Dept. of Justice grant, enough to purchase up to 20 million of the devices.

The locks work when a gun owner threads the cable through a handgun or rifle, interfering with the weapon's action and rendering them inoperable. Each gun-lock comes with instructions for proper use and a set of two keys that fit into a padlock that secures the cable on both ends.

"I'll go all over the country before it is all over," said Still, whose truck is emblazoned with the Project ChildSafe logo and gun safety messages. "This is one of the most important things I will ever do."

In addition to the 700 locks that will be distributed by the Sheriff's Department, 200 will be available at Freeport Police headquarters. Another 200 will go to police in Lena and German Valley, said Snyders. Pearl City, Durand, Pecatonica, Warren, Stockton, Hanover, Polo and Jo Daviess County also are on the regional distribution list.

"This is timed pretty well," Snyders said, noting the delivery of the gun locks coincides with the advent of gun deer season, when hunters have their weapons out and visible to youngsters.

Snyders also received a stack of educational videotapes and a placard to place in the department's window, advertising the availability of the devices to area gun owners and hunters. Several models are available for different guns. Those interested in a free gun lock should contact their local police or sheriff's department.

Grim statistics illustrate the importance of securing guns, officials say. According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control data provided by kidsandguns.org, an online gun-safety group, an average of four children died every day from non-homicide firearm incidents from 1996 to 2001. During that same period, 1,530 children were killed in firearm accidents.

Guns are present in 40 percent of U.S. households with children. And in households with children and firearms, 40 percent had at least one unlocked firearm and 13 percent kept their unlocked firearm loaded or stored with ammunition, according to a 2001 RAND Corp. study.

That's why, according to Snyders, even antique guns on display or those kept out of children's reach need to be secured with a lock.

"Even though it is unloaded, it is your responsibility to make it safe," Snyders said. "You have got to lock them up."

But even Project ChildSafe acknowledges that no gun is ever totally secure. A warning inside the organization's brochure says, "This lock may be defeated by a determined individual using tools or other aggressive means and may not prevent intentional misuse of a firearm."

Copyright © 2003 The Journal-Standard

 

[SaintofKillers]

A trigger lock is good and a cable is better. I am not quoting here but who is this pinhead? How about a little education to the children?? My 5 year old knows what to do if she finds a gun, get herself and her little brother out of their and tell an adult. Common Effin sense. How long is it going to be until somebody sues the manufacturer of these gunlocks because they couldnt get it off fast enough to defend themselves??

 

[Andrew Rothman]

...an average of four children died every day from non-homicide firearm incidents from 1996 to 2001.

Clever. That includes gun suicides. But still, a lie. The actual number?

2.17 per day.

Firearm accidents (1159) plus suicides (3593) from 1996-2001: 4752
Days: 365x6=2190
4752/2190=2.17

During that same period, 1,530 children were killed in firearm accidents.

Nope. 1159. That's .53 children per day. Half a child per day. Not four.

Incidentally, gun suicides in children are declining. Non-gun suicides are increasing. I even made a handy chart, but all the data is there for the taking at http://webapp.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate.html

Firearm Accidental Fatalities, age 0-17
2001 125
2000 150
1999 158
1998 207
1997 247
1996 272
Total 1159
Days: 365x6=2190

1159/2190=.53

Firearm
Year Suicide
2001 451
2000 537
1999 558
1998 648
1997 679
1996 720
Total 4752

 

[Andrew Rothman]

I talked to the newspaper's managing editor, and sent him this. Let's see if they run a correction.

Tim,

Thank you for your time this afternoon. As I mentioned, Gary Mays' story quoted "statistics" from an anti-gun advocacy organization that substantially exaggerates the effects of guns on children.

The CDC offers an online interface to its statistical data, from which anyone can pull up the actual numbers.

Anti-gun groups inflate the numbers by including "children" from ages 0 to 24.

The CDC's Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) is available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars/

Fatal injury reports are here: http://webapp.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate.html
(you have to fetch the pre-1999 and 1999+ data from two different links)

For the queries below, I selected ages 0-17 as "children," since people 18 or older in this country are universally recognized to be "adults."



Your story reads: "...an average of four children died every day from non-homicide firearm incidents from 1996 to 2001."

Actual data:
Firearm Accidental Fatalities, age 0-17
2001 125
2000 150
1999 158
1998 207
1997 247
1996 272
Total 1159

Firearm Suicides
2001 451
2000 537
1999 558
1998 648
1997 679
1996 720
Total 3593

Days: 365x6=2190

3593 suicides + 1159 accidents = 4752 fatalities
4752 fatalities / 2190 days = 2.17 fatalities per day




Your story reads: "...from 1996 to 2001...1,530 children were killed in firearm accidents."

Firearm Accidental Fatalities, age 0-17
2001 125
2000 150
1999 158
1998 207
1997 247
1996 272
Total 1159


Incidentally, as firearm suicides have fallen, non-firearm fatalities have risen. It seems that people will kill themselves one way or another.

Thank you for the opportunity to present the correct data. While any number of deaths is tragic, it is important that public debate be informed by true numbers, not distorted ones.

For your convenience, I have attached an Excel spreadsheet with the same data.

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

You da man.

 

[jimpeel]

Mpayne

Actually, the figure would be 2192 days as 1996 and 2000 were both leap years. Nice work, thanks.

 

[Andrew Rothman]

By the way, I can open my Ruger cable lock in about 15 seconds -- and that's without a key.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I've never used a gun lock. I never will.

 

[SaintofKillers]

MPayne,

15 seconds that is quite a long time IMO I think that on average most gunfights would be over in less than half that time. I for this reason will never use a lock of any kind. I will continue to educate my children about gun safety and what to do and not to do. With the exception of 2 all my firearms are under lock and key making them useless unless I was give 15 secs warning to access them. Dont get me wrong I am not saying that you are wrong but the last thing I want to be doing is fumbling with a gun lock when I am in dire need of the firearm, otherwise it makes a good small club

 

[El Tejon]

So, the police are setting a good example, right? All police guns in Stephenson County are in trigger locks 24/7, especially when on duty, right?

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

I believe MPayne was stating that he could defeat the cable lock in 15 seconds (without a key). That means that a 5 yr old could defeat it in 5 seconds

The point is that "safed" guns are as much use as dialing 911...neither will be ready when absolutely necessary.

I prefer gun-proofing the babbies.

 

[Desertdog]

Still and his organization, Project ChildSafe, are betting the 698,000 cable gun locks they are distributing in Illinois will go a long way toward saving children's lives by preventing accidental gun deaths.

BIG question - What is the average number of children killed, per year, in Illinois in the past 10 years

A question to be asked in 10 years after giving out the gun locks - What is the average numer of children killed, per year, in Illinois in the past 10 years? Has the average increased or decreased?

The best safety device is train the children the safe handling of firearms and teach them to hit what they are shooting at.

Then, when they are old enough to stay home by themselves, they are protected

 

[Jeff White]

A question to be asked in 10 years after giving out the gun locks - What is the average numer of children killed, per year, in Illinois in the past 10 years? Has the average increased or decreased?

I don't know statistics for the entire state, but if you take suicide out of the mix, here in the three counties closest to me (Marion, Clinton and Jefferson) I would bet we have had more children killed by pet rock pythons then we have by gunshot in the last 5 years.

I would guess that we have as many or more firearms per capita here as the rest of the state.

Maybe Project Childsafe should look at aquarium locks so pet rock pythons don't escape and crush toddlers. Happened over in Clinton county a couple years ago. I can't think of any accidental shooting in the three counties in 5 years. So I guess statistically children are more endangered by pet pythons around here...

Jeff

 

[Zach S]

"Even though it is unloaded, it is your responsibility to make it safe," Snyders said. "You have got to lock them up."

UNload it? pfft... Even though I'm the only shooter, everone in my house can handle a firearm safely. Even guests who visit on a regular basis can handle one safely, regarless if they participate in the hobby or not.

I believe MPayne was stating that he could defeat the cable lock in 15 seconds (without a key). That means that a 5 yr old could defeat it in 5 seconds

Just like "childproof caps" on OTC and Rx drugs.

 

[Andrew Rothman]

I believe MPayne was stating that he could defeat the cable lock in 15 seconds (without a key).

That's what I meant. With a hairpin or other fiddly bit of spring steel, most padlocks will give way in a matter of seconds to anyone with the tiniest bit of practice.

I am not opposed to locking up guns -- I have kids and use a GunVault -- but I am opposed to being told to lock up my guns in a way that the banners prescribe.

I don't even have a problem with municipalities giving away these cheap locks (never mind that the federal grant that bought the locks is MY money). They may be a fair deterrent to kids too young to know the difference between a toy and a real gun.

My problem is with the false "statistics" used as the reason for the locks, and the possibility that a well-meaning gun owner will buy the hype and neuter his ability to protect himself and his family.

By the way, haven't heard back from the newspaper yet. Anyone live in or around Freeport who gets this paper?