Violent Deaths and the National Violent Death Reporting System

Violence takes its toll on individuals, families, and communities throughout the United States. No one is immune from violence. It affects people across the lifespan—from infants to the elderly. Each year, about 50,000 violent deaths occur in this country. Violent deaths, including homicides and suicides, cost the U.S. more than $52 billion in medical care and lost productivity every year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is committed to preventing violent deaths in the United States. Unfortunately, achieving this goal has been hampered by fragmented and incomplete information on the circumstances surrounding homicides and suicides. Currently available data do not always provide the information needed to accurately assess the factors associated with violent death. For example, death certificates provide data on the victim but do not provide information on the perpetrator. This information is more commonly found in police reports.

In 2002, CDC received funding to establish the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). NVDRS collects data on violent deaths from a variety of sources, including death certificates, police reports, medical examiner and coroner reports, and crime laboratories. Individually, these sources provide fragmented data that explain violence only in a narrow context. Together, these sources offer a more comprehensive picture of the circumstances surrounding a homicide or suicide. As a result, NVDRS provides insight into the optimal points for intervention, thus improving violence prevention efforts.

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