16 Charts that Show the Shocking Cost of Gun Violence in America

Abstract

The result of a joint investigation by Mother Jones and Ted Miller, an economist at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Based on Miller’s work identifying and quantifying the societal impacts of gun violence, the annual price tag comes to at least $229 billion a year (based on 2012 data). That includes $8.6 billion in direct spending—from emergency care and other medical expenses to court and prison costs—as well as $221 billion in less tangible “indirect” costs, which include impacts on productivity and quality of life for victims and their communities. [CVRL Note: see also full report, "True Cost of Gun Violence in America," and video, "Total Cost of Gun Violence in 90 seconds. "] (Author Text)