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Lawyers Respond to Gun Violence; Endorse FICAP
Identifying firearm injury as "an extremely serious health concern," the Philadelphia Bar Association's Board of Governors has strongly endorsed the Firearm Injury Center at Penn in a resolution unanimously adopted by the Board. The Association has called for "greater awareness of the incidence and causes of firearm injuries, particularly in at-risk communities."The Board's resolution notes that for each of the past 30 years an average of 1,250 Pennsylvanian's have died from firearm injuries resulting from suicide, homicide and unintentional shootings. Between 1996 and 2000 firearm deaths in Philadelphia averaged 360 annually. In 1998 there were 1,323 hospitalizations for gunshot wounds in Philadelphia and acute medical expenses resulting from those wounds totaled $40 million. In 2000 firearms were used in 77 percent of Philadelphia homicides.
The goal of FICAP is "to create safer communities through the systemic reduction of firearm injury and its repercussions to individual families and society."
A non-partisan and non-political group, FICAP develops research on firearm injuries, organizes civic and medical leaders and takes forthright stands to counteract the destructiveness of firearm injuries. The Board's approval of the resolution endorsing FICAP is part of an ongoing effort by the Association to take positive steps in response to firearm violence. In 1999 the Association supported the Pennsylvania "Anti-Gun Trafficking Act." The current resolution was presented to the Board and approved by the Association's City Policy Committee. For more information click HERE.