Most Workplace Homicides Happen During Robberies

We knew that but not everyone does, so it's nice to see the data being iterated and reiterated...

By way of the ASIS Security Management Daily - January 25, 2012:

Most Workplace Homicides Happen During Robberies
Insurance Journal (01/25/12) Jones, Stephanie K.

"A new report from the National Council on Compensation has found that the number of workplace homicides and assaults that result in injuries have dropped since the 1990s. Just 11 percent of all workplace deaths are the result of homicides, the report found. Meanwhile, the rate of homicides that result from robberies and other crimes has fallen since the late 1990s, due in large part to the decline in the number of violent deaths of cab drivers. The report noted that the murder rate for taxi drivers and chauffeurs dropped from 16.4 per 100,000 private sector workers in 2003 to 6.8 per 100,000 in 2009. However, homicides that are the result of robberies and other crimes still represent 69 percent of all deaths in the workplace. In addition, the number of workplace murders committed by work associates--which includes customers--has increased, due in large part to the growing number of violent acts committed by customers. As for workplace assaults, they represent just 2 percent of all workplace injuries. Workplace assaults typically take place at healthcare facilities like residential and long-term care facilities, the report noted."

The NCCI report is quite good, so good in fact I'm going to quit working on a similar but inferior paper.  If this topic is of interest to you be sure to have a look at it.

Photo credit: http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2010/02/08/can-you-identify-these-robbers/

Family, Friends, and a Funeral

We buried a childhood friend on Saturday. 

Lee was a younger sister of my best high school chum.  I grew up in their house as much as in my own.  She smoked too much and drank too much, but it was debilitating scoliosis, severe corrective surgeries, chronic pain, a fall, and pneumonia that killed her.  The funeral was well attended by many friends I have not seen in 30 years.  We all regretted we had to become reacquainted under such circumstances, but we were comforted by each others' company.  Lee was but 50 years old.  She will be missed.

We also attended a welcome home reception for our nephew Jarrad who has just returned from a tour with the Air Force in Afghanistan.  Home and dry, he is much the same young man to left us to travel halfway round the world to do his duty.  He is a little leaner, a little wiser, and he cusses with much greater ease.  We are honored by Jarrad's service but we are selfishly grateful he is out of harm's way.

These past few days I have pondered our lives, our friends, our families, what's important, what isn't.  My thoughts lead me nowhere profound, but my emotions are telling me to live today, help today, do the right thing today, be who you want to be today.  We only get one shot at this and the clock is running.