NCJ Number
166114
Date Published
1996
Length
48 pages
Annotation
This report views youth violence as a public health problem that can be quantified, analyzed, and prevented and presents data on prevalence and incidence rates, victim characteristics, and outcomes of serious violence-related injuries.
Abstract
Data were obtained from 1991 and 1992 vital statistics death records of the California Department of Health Services and from hospital discharge files provided by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Data showed that violent injuries killed 1,023 and hospitalized 5,661 Californians under 21 years of age in 1992. Gunshots caused most injuries, and males were about six times more at risk than females. Youth homicides increased by 111 percent between 1985 and 1993, and gunshot homicides accounted for most of this increase. Young people between 16 and 20 years of age were most at risk of violent injuries from gunshots, cuts and stabs, and fighting, whereas infants under 1 year of age were most at risk of abuse. Violent injuries, mostly child batterings, killed 109 and hospitalized 370 children under 5 years of age (1991 and 1992 average). Black young people of both sexes were more at risk of being shot and killed than other young people. Gunshot homicide rates per 100,000 ranged from a high of 34.5 in Los Angeles County to a low of 9.7 in San Diego County; the statewide rate was 16.8. Of $85.6 million in hospital bills for youth violence, portions for major causes of injury totaled $49.9 million for gunshots, $13.4 million for cuts and stabs, $10.3 million for fighting, and $6.4 million for child abuse. Appendixes contain additional information on youth violence and data collection methods used in the current study. References, tables, and figures