Homicide is far and away the leading cause of death for young black men, more than car accidents, suicide and diseases combined, according to an article co-authored by a Florida Atlantic University physician.
In Palm Beach County, homicides kill more than five times as many 18- to 24-year-old black men as car accidents, according to statistics compiled by Dr. Charles H. Hennekens, of FAU's School of Medicine, and other researchers.
"Death is inevitable, but premature death is not, including among young black men," said Hennekens. "This is a devastating epidemic."
The county's young black men are nearly six times more likely to die from homicide than young white men, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows. Accidents are the biggest killer for young white men and young women of all races, according to the data, which looks at 2006 to 2010.
About 88 out of every 100,000 young black men in the county were killed in homicides. That exceeds the national rate (77), and is more than double neighboring Broward County (35). Miami-Dade, however, was higher (124), while the New Orleans area had a whopping rate of 426 per 100,000.
"In our urban areas, they're fighting for survival," said Patrick Franklin, CEO and president of the Urban League of Palm Beach County. "They have low graduation rates, poor job opportunities and very low incomes. The end result is homicide fatalities."
Hennekens' article, "A New American Tragedy," which he co-wrote with two other scholars, appears in the April issue of the American Journal of Medicine.
Hennekens and Dr. Robert Levine, of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, don't attempt to explain the disparities.
"It's complex. There aren't any simple answers," Levine said.
The high homicide rate is "a health issue and a major cause for our politicians and policymakers to be concerned," Franklin said. "We need to have an initiative to combat that."
Hennekens said the next phase of his research will focus at some factors in South Florida that may be causing a large number of such homicides, many of them committed with firearms.
Many blame poverty for the high rates. Black men may be less likely to die in a car or motorcycle accident because they may not be able to afford those, they say.
Gordon Weekes, a Broward assistant public defender, said another factor may be distrust that some young black men have of law enforcement.
"If you don't believe the police can protect you when there's a problem, you take the law into your own hands and deal with it," he said.
Weekes said of the high numbers: "This is a pretty tough pill to swallow. It needs to be looked at, and there needs to be some real soul-searching in the community as to why this occurs."
Hennekens said that as a physician, he has an interest preventing deaths. But he said the debate becomes contentious since people have strong reactions to gun control proposals.
"Cigarettes are both lawful and popular, but public health support of laws controlling their exposure to the general population has contributed to the reduction of the premature mortality they cause," he said in the article. "To date, however, this has not been the case for firearms."
stravis@tribune.com, 561-243-6637 or Twitter smtravis ___
(c)2013 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.