Deaths Related to Domestic Violence in Washington State.

Importance: Domestic violence (DV; including intimate partner and family violence) is associated with heightened lethality risks, yet limited research has comprehensively assessed the connection between DV and fatal violence considering both homicides and suicides. Understanding the fatal consequences of DV can point to missed opportunities to support individuals and their families. Objective: To assess the proportion of violent deaths that were connected to DV and describe contacts with the legal system or social services prior to each DV-related fatality. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used quantitative and qualitative data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) for all individuals who died by homicide or suicide in Washington from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020. Analyses were conducted from August 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: A multipronged approach was used to assess DV history using existing NVDRS variables, leveraging data from prior review of NVDRS death narratives, applying a validated natural language processing tool, and linking related deaths. Domestic violence was recorded as yes or no, but the decedent's role in the abusive relationship (ie, experiencing or enacting DV) could not be differentiated. To describe system involvement prior to each death, keyword searching and hand review of NVDRS death narratives were used. Results: A total of 7352 intentional violent deaths (1192 homicides [16.2%]; 6160 suicides [83.8%]) with known circumstances were recorded in Washington during the study period. Of these, 948 deaths (12.9%) were connected to DV (624 [65.8%] among males; mean [SD] age at death, 45.3 [19.2] years), including 588 suicides (62.0%) and 360 homicides (38.0%). For 420 DV-related deaths (44.3%), there was evidence to suggest that the person who died or their intimate partner(s), family, or cohabitants had prior contacts with the legal system or social services. Specifically, 318 records (33.5%) mentioned prior contacts with law enforcement or the criminal legal system (eg, prior 9-1-1 calls, criminal convictions), and 225 (23.7%) described engagement with social services or the civil legal system (eg, civil protection order, divorce, or child custody problems). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study, 12.9% of violent deaths in Washington were connected to DV. The findings suggest that more resources are needed to support law enforcement, court professionals, and social services specialists to proactively identify and refer families to wraparound supports before the situation can escalate to a fatality.

Public Mass Shootings: Counterfactual Trend Analysis of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.

Background: Assault weapon and large-capacity magazine bans are potential tools for policy makers to prevent public mass shootings. However, the efficacy of these bans is a continual source of debate. In an earlier study, we estimated the impact of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban (FAWB) on the number of public mass shooting events in the United States. This study provides an updated assessment with 3 additional years of firearm surveillance data to characterize the longer-term effects. Objective: This study aims to estimate the impact of the FAWB on trends in public mass shootings from 1966 to 2022. Methods: We used linear regression to estimate the impact of the FAWB on the 4-year simple moving average of annual public mass shootings, defined by events with 4 or more deaths in 24 hours, not including the perpetrator. The study period spans 1966 to 2022. The model includes indicator variables for both the FAWB period (1995-2004) and the period after its removal (2005-2022). These indicators were interacted with a linear time trend. Estimates were controlled for the national homicide rate. After estimation, the model provided counterfactual estimates of public mass shootings if the FAWB was never imposed and if the FAWB remained in place. Results: The overall upward trajectory in the number of public mass shootings substantially fell while the FAWB was in place. These trends are specific to events in which the perpetrator used an assault weapon or large-capacity magazine. Point estimates suggest the FAWB prevented up to 5 public mass shootings while the ban was active. A continuation of the FAWB and large-capacity magazine ban would have prevented up to 38 public mass shootings, but the CIs become wider as time moves further away from the period of the FAWB. Conclusions: The FAWB, which included a ban on large-capacity magazines, was associated with fewer public mass shooting events, fatalities, and nonfatal gun injuries. Gun control legislation is an important public health tool in the prevention of public mass shootings.

Association between social vulnerability factors and homicide and suicide rates - United States, 2016 - 2020.

BACKGROUND: Differences in social and environmental factors contribute to disparities in fatal injury rates. This study assessed the relationship between social vulnerability and homicide and suicide rates across United States counties. METHODS: County-level age-adjusted homicide and suicide rates for 2016-2020 were linked with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2020 Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), a dataset identifying socially vulnerable communities. We conducted negative binomial regressions to examine the association between SVI and homicide and suicide rates, overall and by Census region/division. We mapped county-level data for SVI and homicide and suicide rates in bivariate choropleth maps. RESULTS: Overall SVI was associated with homicide rates across U.S. counties. While no association was found for overall SVI and suicide rates, Socioeconomic Status and Racial & Ethnic Minority Status domains were associated. The geographic distribution of SVI and homicide and suicide rates varied spatially; notably, counties in the South had the greatest levels of social vulnerability and greatest homicide rates. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate county-level social vulnerability is associated with homicide rates but may be more nuanced for suicide rates. A modified SVI for injury should include additional social and structural determinants and exclude variables not applicable to injuries. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study combines the SVI with homicide and suicide data, enabling researchers to examine related social and environmental factors. Modifying the SVI to include relevant predictors could improve injury prevention strategies by prioritizing efforts in areas with high social vulnerability.

Medicaid Expansion and Mortality Among Persons Who Were Formerly Incarcerated.

Importance: Since 2014, Medicaid expansion has been implemented in many states across the US, increasing health care access among vulnerable populations, including formerly incarcerated people who experience higher mortality rates than the general population. Objective: To examine population-level association of Medicaid expansion with postrelease mortality from all causes, unintentional drug overdoses, opioid overdoses, polydrug overdoses, suicides, and homicides among formerly incarcerated people in Rhode Island (RI), which expanded Medicaid, compared with North Carolina (NC), which did not expand Medicaid during the study period. Design, Setting, and Participants: A cohort study was conducted using incarceration release data from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2018, linked to death records from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2019, on individuals released from incarceration in RI and NC. Data analysis was performed from August 20, 2022, to February 15, 2024. Participants included those aged 18 years or older who were released from incarceration. Individuals who were temporarily held during ongoing judicial proceedings, died during incarceration, or not released from incarceration during the study period were excluded. Exposure: Full Medicaid expansion in RI effective January 1, 2014. Main Outcomes and Measures: Mortality from all causes, unintentional drug overdoses, unintentional opioid and polydrug overdoses, suicides, and homicides. Results: Between 2009 and 2018, 17 824 individuals were released from RI prisons (mean [SD] age, 38.39 [10.85] years; 31 512 [89.1%] male) and 160 861 were released from NC prisons (mean [SD] age, 38.28 [10.84] years; 209 021 [87.5%] male). Compared with NC, people who were formerly incarcerated in RI experienced a sustained decrease of 72 per 100 000 person-years (95% CI, -108 to -36 per 100 000 person-years) in all-cause mortality per quarter after Medicaid expansion. Similar decreases were observed in RI in drug overdose deaths (-172 per 100 000 person-years per 6 months; 95% CI, -226 to -117 per 100 000 person-years), including opioid and polydrug overdoses, and homicide deaths (-23 per 100 000 person-years per year; 95% CI, -50 to 4 per 100 000 person-years) after Medicaid expansion. Suicide mortality did not change after Medicaid expansion. After Medicaid expansion in RI, non-Hispanic White individuals experienced 3 times greater sustained decreases in all-cause mortality than all racially minoritized individuals combined, while non-Hispanic Black individuals did not experience any substantial benefits. There was no modification by sex. Individuals aged 30 years or older experienced greater all-cause mortality reduction after Medicaid expansion than those younger than 30 years. Conclusions and Relevance: Medicaid expansion in RI was associated with a decrease in all-cause, overdose, and homicide mortality among formerly incarcerated people. However, these decreases were most observed among White individuals, while racially minoritized individuals received little to no benefits in the studied outcomes.

Carjacking and homicide in Minneapolis after the police killing of George Floyd: Evidence from an interrupted time series analysis.

There is abundant research showing the disproportionate impacts of violence on health in disadvantaged neighborhoods, making an understanding of recent violent crime trends essential for promoting health equity. Carjackings have been of particular interest in the media, although little research has been undertaken on this violent crime. We use interrupted time series models to examine the impact of the police killing of George Floyd on the spatiotemporal patterns of carjacking in Minneapolis in relation to neighborhood disadvantage. To provide grounding, we compare our results to the well-studied patterns of homicides. Results indicate that carjackings both increased and dispersed spatially after the murder of George Floyd and subsequent social unrest, more so than homicides. Socially disadvantaged neighborhoods experienced the greatest absolute increase while more advantaged neighborhoods saw a greater relative increase. The challenge ahead is to identify policy responses that will effectively curb such violence without resorting to harsh and inequitable policing and sentencing practices.

Household Firearm Ownership and Firearm Mortality.

Importance: Causal associations between household firearm ownership rates (HFRs) and firearm mortality rates are not well understood. Objective: To assess the population-level temporal sequencing of firearm death rates and HFRs. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used autoregressive cross-lagged models to analyze HFRs, firearm suicide rates, and firearm homicide rates in the US from 1990 to 2018. The suicide analyses included 16 demographic subgroups of adults, defined by study year, state, sex, race and ethnicity, marital status, and urbanicity. The homicide analyses consisted of adult subgroups living in urban or rural areas. Data analysis was conducted from March to December 2023. Exposures: Firearm mortality rates and HFRs. Main Outcomes and Measures: Firearm homicide and suicide rates with HFRs as the exposure, and HFR with mortality as the exposure. Results: A total of 10 416 observations of 16 demographic subgroups by state and 2-year periods were included in the suicide analyses, while 1302 observations from 2 demographic subgroups by state and 2-year period were included in the homicide analysis. At baseline, the mean (SD) rate per 100 000 population across strata was 7.46 (7.21) for firearm suicides and 3.32 (2.13) for firearm homicides. The mean (SD) baseline HFR was 36.9% (20.2%) for firearm suicides and 36.9% (14.8%) for firearm homicides. Higher HFR preceded increases in suicide rates: demographic strata with equal firearm suicide rates but which differ by 18.6 percentage points on HFR (1 SD) would be expected to have firearm suicide rates that diverged by 0.19 (95% CI, 0.15-0.23) deaths per 100 000 population per period. With these differences accumulated over 8 years, firearm suicide rates in subgroups with the highest decile HFR would be expected to have 1.93 (95% CI, 1.64-2.36) more suicides per 100 000 population than strata with lowest decile HFR, a difference of 25.7% of the overall firearm suicide rate in 2018 and 2019. Firearm suicide rates had a smaller magnitude of association with subsequent changes in HFR: strata with equal HFRs but which differ by 1 SD in firearm suicide rates had minimal subsequent change in HFRs (-0.02 [95% CI, -0.04 to 0.01] percentage points). A 1-SD difference in HFRs was associated with little difference in next-period overall firearm homicides rates (0.03 [95% CI, -0.02 to 0.08] per 100 000 population), but a 1-SD difference in homicide rates was associated with a decrease in HFR (-0.09 [95% CI, -0.16 to -0.04] percentage points). Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study found an association between high HFRs and subsequent increases in rates of firearm suicide. In contrast, higher firearm homicide rates preceded decreases in HFRs. By demonstrating the temporal sequencing of firearm ownership and mortality, this study may help to rule out some theories of why gun ownership and firearm mortality are associated at the population level.

Understanding the relationship between intergenerational mobility and community violence.

Violence is a key mechanism in the reproduction of community disadvantage. The existing evidence indicates that violence in a community impacts the intergenerational mobility of its residents. The current study explores the possibility of a reverse relationship. This study provisionally tests the hypothesis that depressed intergenerational mobility in a community may also spark subsequent community violence. We deploy a county measure of intergenerational mobility captured during early adulthood for a cohort of youth born between 1980 and 1986 and raised in low-income families [R. Chetty, N. Hendren, Quart. J. Econom. 133, 1163-1228 (2018)]. We model the relationship between county mobility scores and two county-level outcomes: violent crime and homicide. We find that a county's level of intergenerational mobility as measured by the Chetty-Hendren data is a major predictor of its rate of violent crime and homicide in 2008, when the youth in Chetty's mobility cohort were young adults (the same age the mobility measure was captured). In fact, mobility is a significantly stronger and more consistent predictor of community violent crime and homicide rates than more commonly used factors like poverty, inequality, unemployment, and law enforcement presence.

Life-course influences of poverty on violence and homicide: 30-year Brazilian birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Homicide is the leading cause of death among young people in Latin America, one of the world's most violent regions. Poverty is widely considered a key cause of violence, but theories suggest different effects of poverty, depending on when it is experienced in the life-course. Longitudinal studies of violence are scarce in Latin America, and very few prospective data are available worldwide to test different life-course influences on homicide. METHODS: In a prospective birth cohort study following 5914 children born in southern Brazil, we examined the role of poverty at birth, in early childhood, and in early adulthood on violence and homicide perpetration, in criminal records up to age 30 years. A novel Structured Life Course Modelling Approach was used to test competing life-course hypotheses about 'sensitive periods', 'accumulation of risk', and 'downward mobility' regarding the influence of poverty on violence and homicide. RESULTS: Cumulative poverty and poverty in early adulthood were the most important influences on violence and homicide perpetration. This supports the hypothesis that early adulthood is a sensitive period for the influence of poverty on lethal and non-lethal violence. Results were replicable using different definitions of poverty and an alternative outcome of self-reported fights. CONCLUSION: Cumulative poverty from childhood to adulthood was an important driver of violence and homicide in this population. However, poverty experienced in early adulthood was especially influential, suggesting the importance of proximal mechanisms for violence in this context, such as unemployment, organized crime, drug trafficking, and ineffective policing and justice systems.

Relationship between bullying victimization and murderous behaviors and impulsivity's mediating role: Evidence from Chinese early adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests a robust relationship between experiencing bullying victimization (BV) and engaging in murderous behaviors among adolescents. However, the potential mediating effect of impulsivity on the relationship between BV and murderous behaviors in early adolescents remains underexplored. METHODS: A total of 5724 adolescents, with a mean age of 13.5 years, were enrolled from three middle schools in Anhui Province, China. Participants completed self-report questionnaires detailing their experiences with bullying, impulsiveness, and murderous behaviors. To assess the relationship between BV and murderous behaviors, multivariate logistic regression and Poisson regression analyses were conducted. Mediation analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: After controlling for confounding factors, a positive association was found between experiencing BV and engaging in murderous behaviors (p < 0.05). Mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect effect of BV on the occurrence of murderous behaviors through impulsivity (indirect effect = 0.027, 95 % CI: 0.021, 0.033). BV appears to heighten levels of impulsivity, which in turn increases the likelihood of murderous behaviors. Additionally, sex-specific analysis indicated that impulsivity played a greater mediating role in the link between verbal and relational BV and murderous behaviors in females, while physical and cyber BV were more significant in males. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underscore the necessity of early targeted interventions for adolescents experiencing BV and exhibiting high levels of impulsivity to mitigate their risk of engaging in murderous behaviors.

Paternal Filicide in Sweden: Background, Risk Factors and the Cinderella Effect.

An overrepresentation of stepchildren as victims of filicide has been explained as a consequence of 'discriminative parental solicitude'. The idea being that Darwinian selection has favoured parental love and concern only for biological children, and when such parental feelings are absent, as in stepparents, conflicts with a child could easier escalate to lethal violence. An alternative explanation for this overrepresentation of stepchildren is that risk factors for filicide, such as criminal behaviour and mental health problems, are more prevalent in stepparents. This study focused on paternal filicide in Sweden and investigated (i) if stepchildren are overrepresented as victims of filicide compared with biological children, (ii) if filicides are committed in a context that implies a 'conflict with the child victim' and (iii) if stepfathers and biological fathers differ in characteristics associated with filicide risk. The analyses showed that stepchildren were overrepresented as victims compared with children of fathers in families with two biological parents and this overrepresentation was even higher in young children. Children of single biological fathers and children of non-residential biological fathers were also overrepresented as victims of filicide. Less than 20 percent of the filicides were committed in the context of a 'conflict with the child' and in these cases only stepchildren were overrepresented as victims. In the population at large, both stepfathers and single biological fathers had higher rates of mental health problems, violent criminality and illegal possession of drugs compared with fathers in families with two biological parents.

Are the geographic disparities in U.S. violent crime rising?

Inequality in economic and social outcomes across U.S. regions has grown in recent decades. The economic theory of crime predicts that this increased variability would raise geographic disparities in violent crime. Instead, I find that geographic disparities in homicide rates decreased. Moreover, these same decades saw decreases in the geographic disparities in policing, incarceration, and the share of the population that is African American. Thus, changes in policing, incarcerations, and racial composition could have led to a decrease in inequality in homicide rates. Moreover, the joint provision of law enforcement by local, state, and federal authorities may have reduced the impact of economic distress on violent crime.

Universal Background Checks, Permit Requirements, and Firearm Homicide Rates.

Importance: A loophole in US gun policy is that people can purchase guns from private sellers without going through any background check. Some states have addressed this loophole by requiring universal background checks for all gun sales, either at the point of sale or through a permit system; however, most studies on the effectiveness of universal background checks have not analyzed these 2 policy mechanisms separately. Objective: To assess the association of point-of-sale background check law and gun permit law, separately, with firearm homicide rates from 1976 through 2022 using the same methods and model specification. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used a difference-in-differences, fixed-effects regression model to evaluate firearm laws and firearm homicide rates in 48 states from 1976 through 2022. Data were obtained for 48 states except New Hampshire and Vermont and were analyzed in January 2024. Exposures: Implementation of either the law requiring a universal background check at point of sale for all firearms without a permit or the laws combining universal background checks and a state permit requirement for all gun purchasers. Main Outcomes and Measures: Annual, state-specific rates of firearm homicide per 100 000 people. Results: From 1976 through 2022, 12 states adopted the universal background check laws without permitting requirements and 7 states implemented gun permit laws covering all firearms. The mean (SD) firearm homicide rate was 4.3 (0.1) per 100 000 people. Universal background checks for all firearms alone (without a state permitting system) were not associated with overall homicide rates (percentage change, 1.3%; 95% CI, -6.9% to 10.4%) or firearm homicide rates (percentage change, 3.7%; 95% CI, -5.3% to 13.6%). A law requiring a permit for the purchase of all firearms was associated with significantly lower overall homicide rates (percentage change, -15.4%; 95% CI, -28.5% to -0.01%) and firearm homicide rates (percentage change, -18.3%; 95% CI, -32.0% to -1.9%). Conclusions and Relevance: This cross-sectional study found that universal background checks alone were not associated with firearm homicide rates, but a permit requirement for the purchase and possession of firearms was associated with substantially reduced rates of firearm homicide. The findings suggest that combining universal background checks and permit-to-purchase requirements is an effective strategy for firearm-related fatality reduction.

Fallacy of attributing the U.S. firearm mortality epidemic to mental health.

BACKGROUND: Annual global data on mental disorders prevalence and firearm death rates for 2000-2019, enables the U.S. to be compared with comparable counties for these metrics. METHODS: The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Health Burden data were used to compare the prevalence of mental disorders with overall, homicide and suicide firearm death rates including homicides and suicides, in high sociodemographic (SDI) countries. RESULTS: Overall and in none of the nine major categories of mental disorders did the U.S. have a statistically-significant higher rate than any of 40 other high SDI countries during 2019, the last year of available data. During the same year, the U.S. had a statistically-significant higher rate of all deaths, homicides, and suicides by firearm (all p<<0.001) than all other 40 high SDI countries. Suicides accounted for most of the firearm death rate differences between the U.S. and other high SDI countries, and yet the prevalence of mental health disorders associated with suicide were not significantly difference between the U.S. and other high SDI countries. CONCLUSION: Mental disorder prevalence in the U.S. is similar in all major categories to its 40 comparable sociodemographic countries, including mental health disorders primarily associated with suicide. It cannot therefore explain the country's strikingly higher firearm death rate, including suicide. Reducing firearm prevalence, which is correlated with the country's firearm death rate, is a logical solution that has been applied by other countries.

Injury mortality in South Africa: a 2009 and 2017 comparison to track progress to meeting sustainable development goal targets.

BACKGROUND: Injuries, often preventable, prompted urgent action within the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to improve global health. South Africa (SA) has high rates of injury mortality, but accurate reporting of official national data is hindered by death misclassification. OBJECTIVE: Two nationally representative surveys for 2009 and 2017 are utilised to assess SA's progress towards SDG targets for violence and road traffic injuries, alongside changes in suicide and under-5 mortality rates for childhood injuries, and compare these estimates with those of the Global Burden of Disease for SA. METHODS: The surveys utilised multi-stage, stratified cluster sampling from eight provinces, with mortuaries as primary sampling units. Post-mortem files for non-natural deaths were reviewed, with additional data from the Western Cape. Age-standardised rates, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated for manner of death rate comparisons and for age groups. RESULTS: The all-injury age-standardised mortality rate decreased significantly between 2009 and 2017. Homicide and transport remained the leading causes of injury deaths, with a significant 31% decrease in road traffic mortality (IRR = 0.69), from 36.1 to 25.0 per 100 000 population. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a reduction in SA's road traffic mortality rate, challenges to achieve targets related to young and novice drivers and male homicide persist. Achieving SA's injury mortality SDG targets requires comprehensive evaluations of programmes addressing road safety, violence reduction, and mental well-being. In the absence of reliable routine data, survey data allow to accurately assess the country's SDG progress through commitment to evidence-based policymaking.

Main findings The significant decrease in South Africa's injury mortality rates between 2009 and 2017 appears to largely be driven by the significant 31% decrease in road traffic mortality rates.Added knowledge The 2009 and 2017 survey comparison provides an enhanced understanding of the profile for injury-related deaths, compared to misclassified vital statistics data, to track progress towards reaching Sustainable Development Goals.Global health impact for policy and action The significant reduction in road traffic mortality across all age groups suggests South Africa is making progress towards Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.6 for road safety. However, reducing violence, suicide, and newborn and under-5 injury mortality requires more targeted interventions.

Homicide by drowning: a literature review and analysis of three cases.

Background: Homicide by drowning in adults is rare. Usually, marks of violence are found on both the victim and the perpetrator, unless the victim was under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or was unexpectedly forced or dragged into the water. Indeed, many cases of drowning in adults are believed to be accidental, but they may be the result of drunken fights or attempts to make the death appear ac-cidental. In order to define the manner of death, cooperation between the forensic pathologist and the investigators is mandatory. Indeed, the autopsy is important to distinguish homicide by drowning from other kinds of drowning. The purpose of this study is to highlight the features of homicide by drowning. Materials and Methods: Literature search was conducted using PubMed databases, using the following keywords: "(homicide) and (drowning)". 3 articles were included in the systematic review, in addition to 3 cases observed in our institute. Conclusions: Both external examination and autopsy findings and the results of the investigation are essential to differentiate a homicide by drowning from accidental ones. The low specificity and variability of external and internal findings, the possibility of atypical asphyctic and nonasphyctic pathophysiological mechanisms, whose nature is not detectable at postmortem examinations, makes the diagnosis of cause of death difficult and often based on exclusion criteria only. In complex cases only using a strict forensic method allows to use the essential tools to identify the real manner of death.

Forensic aspects analyzed in a case series of femicides.

Background: Gender-based violence against women and its lethal outcome, femicide, represent important issues around the world. Although governments have passed specific laws, official data on gender-related violence and femicide are often absent and/or incomplete, difficult to access, rarely updated, contested and underestimated due to stigma, victim blaming or issues of legal interpretation. Femicide is an intentional killing in which a woman is murdered by an individual for misogyny and gender-related reasons. The most common type is in fact intimate femicide, which occurs when the murdered woman and the aggressor have an intimate, family, cohabitation or similar relationship. Case series: We analyzed 15 cases of femicide for which crime scene investigation and autopsy were carried out. For each case, a psychological autopsy was carried out and the means used to determine the individual's death were analysed. The circumstances in which the murder occurred were also examined. Discussion: Overkilling was evidenced in all cases analyzed. Over-killing in forensic medicine is known as a specific type of homicide in which the number of injuries inflicted far exceeds the number of injuries required to kill the victim. Therefore, the medico-legal management of the cases examined is complicated due to the multiple lesions present on the corpse on the victims which make difficult: 1) the reconstruction of the dynamics of the crime 2) the number of blows inflicted 3) the analysis of the fatal blow 4) the imputability of the offender.

Filicide in Africa: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Filicide, the act of a parent or parental figure killing their child, has been reported in various African countries. However, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews on the prevalence and associated factors of filicide across the African continent, which is characterized by diverse cultural beliefs and practices. This review aims to examine the prevalence and risk factors of filicide in Africa. METHODS: This review included studies on filicide in Africa, identified through searches in various databases (PubMed, Scopus, Africa Journal Online, and Google Scholar) using relevant keywords. The Mendeley reference manager was used to organize all identified articles and remove duplicate entries. A two-round screening process was conducted by two independent reviewers, with the final set of articles selected through mutual agreement. The quality of the studies was then assessed. RESULTS: Out of the 107 retrieved articles, only 15 were included in the review. These studies revealed diverse prevalence rates: 3.7% of total homicides, 1.38% of deaths from family violence, and 13.02% for autopsied children. Various potential risk factors for filicide were identified, including unwanted pregnancies, marital conflicts, family disputes and violence, low socio-economic status, mental health issues in perpetrators, and mental, physical, or neurological vulnerabilities in victims. Cultural beliefs were also recognized as contributing factors to filicide. CONCLUSION: Filicide is a complex and multi-dimensional issue influenced by various individual, familial, and societal factors. The review highlighted a high prevalence of filicide in Africa, shaped by these diverse factors.

Temporal trends in female firearm homicides across states in the Northeast of Brazil during the period 2000-2019. / Tendência temporal da mortalidade por homicídios femininos por arma de fogo nos estados da região Nordeste do Brasil no período 2000-2019.

This article aims to analyze temporal trends in female firearm homicides in the Northeast of Brazil during the period 2000-2019. We conducted an ecological study using data on firearm homicides of women aged 10 years and over obtained from the Mortality Information System. The population data were taken from the 2010 Census. Homicide rates were calculated after correcting the data to account for differences in the quality and coverage of death records. Trends were assessed using negative binomial regression and described using relative risk and p values. Average annual percentage changes in homicide rates were also calculated. The regional firearm homicide rate during the study period was 4.40 per 100,000 women. Rates were highest in the state of Alagoas (5.40), the 15-19 age group (5.84) and in public thoroughfares (1.58). Trends were upward across all states except Pernambuco, where they were downward, and Alagoas, where rates were stationary. The place of occurrence with the highest percentage increase in firearm homicides over the study period was public thoroughfares. Female firearm homicides showed an upward trend across most northeastern states.

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar a tendência temporal dos homicídios femininos perpetrados por arma de fogo nos estados nordestinos, no período de 2000 a 2019. Estudo ecológico, com dados de homicídios por arma de fogo em mulheres com 10 ou mais anos, registrados no Sistema de Informação Sobre Mortalidade. Os dados de mortalidade e os dados populacionais foram obtidos junto ao Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde. Após a correção dos registros de óbito para qualidade e cobertura dos óbitos, as taxas de mortalidade foram calculadas Tendências foram avaliadas por regressão binomial negativa, classificadas de acordo com o valor do risco relativo e valor de p. Calculou-se a variação percentual anual média das taxas de mortalidade. A região apresentou 4,40 homicídios por arma de fogo por 100 mil mulheres no período do estudo, maiores coeficientes em Alagoas (5,40), na faixa etária de 15-19 anos (5,84), e via pública (1,58). As tendências foram ascendentes, com exceção de Pernambuco em que foi descendente, e estacionárias em Alagoas. Os homicídios por arma de fogo em via pública apresentaram maior percentual de aumento no período estudado. Observou-se tendência ascendente nos homicídios femininos perpetrados por arma de fogo na maioria dos estados nordestinos.

Florida's Red Flag Gun Law and Firearm and Nonfirearm Homicide and Suicide Rates.

This study estimates the association between Florida's red flag law enactment and firearm and nonfirearm homicide and suicide rates.