The Economic Effects Of Gun Violence In The United States / By: Leyana Gavin

Nowadays, gun violence is one of the biggest issues in America. It is an ongoing problem that continues to take away money that should be used for better things in our country. Gun violence has a negative economic effect on our country. When people think about gun violence, they tend to focus solely on the victims but to maximize the understanding of the issue, it’s important to realize the effect it has on the United States as well.  The monetary costs of gun violence can range from $280 to $557 billion US dollars per year   (Pereira, 2021) . It can cost people financially, psychologically, emotionally, physically, etc. With all of the trauma experienced by the victims, it's clear that the cost is long term and overwhelming. A study found that over 600 million dollars were spent on healthcare in 2010 alone, with the amount continuing to increase over the next few years. In fact, in-patient stays are the main driver of healthcare costs. “ Firearm injuries cost more than twice as much as other hospital care in the United States ” (Gobbo, 2023) . In fact, from 2016 to 2017, there were more than $30,000 spent on firearm patients compared to 12,000 dollars spent on patients of other injuries. Employers and businesses lose 535 million per year simply due to lost revenue, time spent adjusting schedules because of time off work for injuries, and time spent filling job vacancies. Additionally ,  people lose money due to having to take time off of work because of firearm injuries, which is estimated at 53.77 billion every year (Gobbo, 2023) .  There are plenty more things that take a financial blow from gun violence.This has become a serious issue. Former Manager of Government and External Relations, Andre Gobbo, says “Know that gun violence is more than just mass shootings that make headlines, and that it rears its head in lesser known but oftentimes more pernicious ways.” Additionally, recent gun violence victim, Donte Humphries, stated, “it can cost a lot for families…a lot of minorities can't afford life insurance…There are not many families who can afford to bury their loved ones.” With a newfound awareness and a radar for gun violence, it is completely possible to work towards finding a viable solution to this pressing issue.  List Sources: 2- Statistic Links to both article sources https://equitablegrowth.org/people/andre-gobbo/ https://abcnews.go.com/US/bear-burden-gun-violence-costs-america-280-billion/story?id=80245349 Name of 2 people you interviewed, title/position, email if possible Andre Gobbo, Former Manager of Government and External Relations Donte Humphries, recent victim of Gun Violence