NCJ Number
242916
Journal
Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report Volume: 62 Issue: 27 Dated: July 2013 Pages: 545-548
Date Published
July 2013
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) presents information on homicide rates for the period 1981-2010 among persons aged 10-24 years old.
Abstract
This report presents information on homicide rates among persons 10-24 years old for the period 1981 through 2010. Major findings from this research include the following: overall homicide rates for 10-24-year-olds varied substantially during the 30-year period 1981-2010, increasing sharply from 1985-1993 and then decreasing between 1994 and 1999; the overall homicide rate in 2010 was the lowest since 1981 at 7.5 per 100,000; and almost 80 percent of homicides during the period were from firearms, with males aged 20-24 and Blacks having the highest rates of homicide. The report also examined homicide rates among this group of individuals according to sex, age group, race/ethnicity, and mechanism of injury. The findings from this research shows that for the 30-year period, the overall homicide rates for individuals aged 10-24 years old have declined, with the factors of race/ethnicity, mechanism of injury, and gender having significant effects on the declines in homicide rates. The report also found that declines in homicide rates have been linked to changes in drug use and drug-related crime, shifting community demographics, and the increased use of community-based and problem-oriented policing. Examples of prevention strategies that have proven to work include school-based programs, innovative approaches to working with families, and policy, environmental, and structural approaches that enhance safety and increase opportunities for positive social interaction. Data for this report were obtained from the National Vital Statistics System using the CDC's Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System. Figures and references