Violent death

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See also:

Homicide

Violence is defined by the Centers for Disease Control as "the threat or intentional use of physical force or power against oneself, another person, or a group or community that results in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation." It is a significant public health problem, resulting in over 32,000 suicides and 18,000 homicides each year in the U.S. Although Alaska's population is relatively small, 250 persons die from suicide, homicide, or other causes of violent death each year.

The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), of which the Alaska Violent Death Reporting System (AK VDRS) is part, work to capture and analyze detailed data about violent deaths with the goal of identifying populations at risk, and designing and improving intervention and prevention efforts at all levels. Unlike most national surveillance systems, which collect data from a single source, NVDRS collects data from multiple sources including death certificates, coroner/medical examiner reports, law enforcement investigations, crime labs, and Supplemental Homicide Reports.

Justice Center

Articles

Alaska Justice Forum

"Leading Causes of Death" (2009).

"Violent Deaths in Alaska and Nationwide" (2009).

Alaska

State agencies

Alaska Violent Death Reporting System (AK VDRS). Located in the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, Injury Prevention and Emergency Medical Services Section. The AK VDRS is a comprehensive, linked reporting system that collects and centralizes information from a variety of sources on violent deaths in Alaska: suicide, homicide, violent death of undetermined intent, unintentional firearm deaths, and legal intervention. AK VDRS is part of the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS).

Publications

Alaska data is also represented in most national NVDRS publications; see below.

Alaska Violent Death Reporting System: 2003–2005 by Deborah Hull-Jilly and William Scott Saxon. Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, Section of Injury Prevention and Emergency Medical Services, Aug 2008.).

"Violent Death in Alaska: Who Is Most Likely to Die?" by Matthew Berman and Linda Leask. Alaska Review of Social and Economic Conditions 29(1) (Jul 1994). Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage.

"Violent Death in Alaska" by Anthony E. Zenk. Alaska Vital Signs 3(2): 1–9 (1993). Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics.

National

National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS)

National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). U.S. Department of Health and Social Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The NVDRS is a state-based, epidemiologic reporting system that collects risk factor data on all deaths from violence — homicides, suicides, unintentional deaths due to firearms, deaths due to legal intervention, deaths of undetermined intent and deaths due to acts of terrorism. CDC currently funds 17 states to participate in the NVDRS: Alaska, California (selected sites), Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.

State associations

State and Territorial Injury Prevention Directors Association (STIPDA). National organization of professionals committed to strengthening the ability of state, territorial, and local health departments to reduce death and disability associated with injury and violence.

Publications

For other publications, see the Publications page at the CDC's NVDRS website.

Deaths From Violence: A Look at 17 States — Data From the National Violent Death Reporting System 2004-2005 by Catherine Sanford and Holly Hedegaard, editors.State Violent Death Reporting System Workgroup, Dec 2008. Includes Alaska data.

National Violent Death Reporting System: Monitoring and Tracking the Causes of Violent Deaths 2008 by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Department of Health and Social Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008.