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ensure accuracy. In 1990 to 1995, the homicide rate for children
aged 1 to 14 in the United States was five times the rate in
other industrialized countries (CDC, 1997). The rate of suicide
was twice as high for the United States. Although the overall
death rate for children decreased substantially during 1950 to
1993, homicide rates tripled and suicide rates quadrupled. More
recently, child deaths due to homicide have been declining
(NCHS, 2001c). Firearms are the major cause of homicide deaths
among children in the United States. Gunshot wounds account for
5 percent of pediatric injuries seen in emergency departments
and produce the highest death rate due to injury (NPTR, 2001).5
In 1999, homicide was the fourth leading cause of death for
children aged 1 to 4 years and was also the fourth leading cause
for 5- to 9-year-olds, wh