While the mainstream media issue incessant, sensationalist reports about the victims in Aurora, they ignore the extraordinary levels of deadly violence to which young people in the United States are subjected.
America stands out for having the highest mortality rate. It has a particularly high rate of traffic deaths, despite laws that ban drinking until 21. Where America is truly exceptional, however, is in its violence. At 8.9 per 100,000 population, the rate of violent death (such as from homicide or accidental shooting) is 18 times higher than in Britain. For young American men the risk is much higher. The death rate from homicide for 20-24 year olds is a staggering 28 per 100,000 population.
