[Vision2020] "Murder" rate in Moscow

[Ted Moffett]

Don et. al.

Thanks for this correction of the 2007 Latah County "murder" rate "per
year," when compared with the national per year rate for 2006.  I think it
is clear from Don's post that the figures in discussion were for comparisons
of per year rates between Latah County and the national average?

And 2007 is far from over...Hopefully 2007 so far represents a random
clustering of incidents for Latah County, not a longer term causal trend.

It is rather astonishing that the very misleading figure for the murder rate
in Latah County was published.  I have not read these figures in the Daily
News, so I trust you reported these accurately.  It seems a decimal point
was moved over three digits to the left...  19 per year or .019 per year?
An innocent mistake?  Wishful thinking?

What is a fact not in dispute, as far as I know, is that six of the deaths
(I'm not sure about the suspicious death in Deary) this year in Latah County
were all from firearms deliberately fired at a human being to cause harm
(not an accident), although the death in Genesee might be in self defense.

We often hear the argument that people kill people, not guns, from the pro
gun rights lobby, but it is indisputable that the proximity to a weapon,
loaded and ready, increases the rates of irrational impulsive violence
(including suicide), not rational self defense, resulting in death.  I
suppose it could be argued this is an unfortunate consequence of people
having the right of self defense with weapons, a right that will be abused
by some.  For self defense to be a practical option in many cases, a gun
must be accessible and loaded.  AK-47s, however, are a difficult sell for
use in citizens self defense, given how easily they are modified to fully
automatic, unless someone expects a siege by a murderous gang.  Which is
perhaps the mentality that many function under in the USA.

Even if the death in Deary is not murder, and the Genesee death is in self
defense, 5 murders in a year is a rate of about 14 per 100,000 for Latah
County.

Ted Moffett


On 7/7/07, Don Coombs <mushroom at moscow.com> wrote:
>
> According to a headline in this morning's Daily News,
> the "rash of violent crimes have taken toll on Moscow,
> Latah County." The story says "Despite concerns, Latah
> County's murder rate isn't high when comparing it to
> similarly-sized counties."
>
> And: "With seven murders and 35,600 people in Latah
> County, the murder rate is .019 murder per 100,000
> people this year.... In the United States, the overall
> murder rate was 5.6 per 100,000 in 2006."
>
> People at the newspaper apparently had no problem with
> a murder rate of .019 per 100,000. Actually, if you
> accept that there have been seven murders, the rate is
> easily calculated to be about 19 per 100,000.
>
> Also: Some of the homicides were murders, but with
> living suspects the term would be best saved for
> application after they are found guilty of that
> specific crime.
>
> Don Coombs
>
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