Surveillance for Violent Deaths - National Violent Death Reporting System, 48 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, 2021.

Problem/Condition: In 2021, approximately 75,000 persons died of violence-related injuries in the United States. This report summarizes data from CDC's National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) on violent deaths that occurred in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in 2021. Results are reported by sex, age group, race and ethnicity, method of injury, type of location where the injury occurred, circumstances of injury, and other selected characteristics. This report introduces additional incident and circumstance variables, which now include child victim-specific circumstance information. This report also incorporates new U.S. Census Bureau race and ethnicity categories, which now account for more than one race and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander categories and include updated denominators to calculate rates for these populations. Period Covered: 2021. Description of System: NVDRS collects data regarding violent deaths from death certificates, coroner and medical examiner records, and law enforcement reports. This report includes data collected for violent deaths that occurred in 2021. Data were collected from 48 states (all states with exception of Florida and Hawaii), the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Forty-six states had statewide data, two additional states had data from counties representing a subset of their population (31 California counties, representing 64% of its population, and 13 Texas counties, representing 63% of its population), and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico had jurisdiction-wide data. NVDRS collates information for each violent death and links deaths that are related (e.g., multiple homicides, homicide followed by suicide, or multiple suicides) into a single incident. Results: For 2021, NVDRS collected information on 68,866 fatal incidents involving 70,688 deaths that occurred in 48 states (46 states collecting statewide data, 31 California counties, and 13 Texas counties), and the District of Columbia. The deaths captured in NVDRS accounted for 86.5% of all homicides, legal intervention deaths, suicides, unintentional firearm injury deaths, and deaths of undetermined intent in the United States in 2021. In addition, information was collected for 816 fatal incidents involving 880 deaths in Puerto Rico. Data for Puerto Rico were analyzed separately. Of the 70,688 deaths, the majority (58.2%) were suicides, followed by homicides (31.5%), deaths of undetermined intent that might be due to violence (8.2%), legal intervention deaths (1.3%) (i.e., deaths caused by law enforcement and other persons with legal authority to use deadly force acting in the line of duty, excluding legal executions), and unintentional firearm injury deaths (<1.0%). The term "legal intervention" is a classification incorporated into the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, and does not denote the lawfulness or legality of the circumstances surrounding a death caused by law enforcement.Demographic patterns and circumstances varied by manner of death. The suicide rate was higher for males than for females. Across all age groups, the suicide rate was highest among adults aged ≥85 years. In addition, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons had the highest suicide rates among all racial and ethnic groups. Among both males and females, the most common method of injury for suicide was a firearm. Among all suicide victims, when circumstances were known (84.4%), suicide was most often preceded by a mental health, intimate partner, or physical health problem or by a recent or impending crisis during the previous or upcoming 2 weeks. The homicide rate was higher for males than for females. Among all homicide victims, the homicide rate was highest among persons aged 20-24 years compared with other age groups. Non-Hispanic Black or African American (Black) males experienced the highest homicide rate of any racial or ethnic group. Among all homicide victims, the most common method of injury was a firearm. When the relationship between a homicide victim and a suspect was known, the suspect was most frequently an acquaintance or friend for male victims and a current or former intimate partner for female victims. Homicide most often was precipitated by an argument or conflict, occurred in conjunction with another crime, or, for female victims, was related to intimate partner violence. Nearly all victims of legal intervention deaths were male, and the legal intervention death rate was highest among men aged 30-34 years. The legal intervention death rate was highest among AI/AN males, followed by Black males. A firearm was used in the majority of legal intervention deaths. When circumstances were known, the most frequent circumstances reported for legal intervention deaths were as follows: the victim used a weapon in the incident and the victim had a substance use problem (other than alcohol use). Other causes of death included unintentional firearm injury deaths and deaths of undetermined intent. Unintentional firearm injury deaths were most frequently experienced by males, non-Hispanic White (White) persons, and persons aged 15-24 years. These deaths most frequently occurred while the shooter was playing with a firearm and were precipitated by a person unintentionally pulling the trigger. The rate of deaths of undetermined intent was highest among males, particularly among AI/AN and Black males, and among adults aged 30-54 years. Poisoning was the most common method of injury in deaths of undetermined intent, and opioids were detected in nearly 80% of decedents tested for those substances. Interpretation: This report provides a detailed summary of data from NVDRS on violent deaths that occurred in 2021. The suicide rate was highest among AI/AN and White males, whereas the homicide rate was highest among Black males. Intimate partner violence precipitated a large proportion of homicides for females. Mental health problems, intimate partner problems, interpersonal conflicts, and acute life stressors were primary precipitating circumstances for multiple types of deaths examined. Public Health Action: Violence is preventable, and data can guide public health action. NVDRS data are used to monitor the occurrence of violence-related fatal injuries and assist public health authorities in developing, implementing, and evaluating programs, policies, and practices to reduce and prevent violent deaths. NVDRS data can be used to enhance prevention efforts into actionable strategies. States or jurisdictions have used their Violent Death Reporting System (VDRS) data to guide suicide prevention efforts and highlight where additional focus is needed. For example, North Carolina VDRS program data have played a significant role in expanding activities related to firearm safety and injury prevention. The program served as a primary data source for partners, which led to the creation of the Office of Violence Prevention in the state, focusing on combatting firearm-related deaths. In Maine, the VDRS provided data on law enforcement officer suicides that were used to help support a bill mandating mental health resiliency and awareness training in the state's law enforcement training academy, along with plans for similar training addressing mental health, substance use, and alcohol problems among corrections officers. In addition, states and jurisdictions have also used their VDRS data to examine factors related to homicide in their state or jurisdiction. For example, Georgia VDRS collaborated with the City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Violence Reduction to develop two public dashboards that not only offer comprehensive data on violent deaths but also present data on the geographic distribution of populations disproportionately affected by violence to help inform violence prevention interventions.

Uno de nosotros cometimos un crimen*: trayectorias en la construcción de víctimas de homicidios en jóvenes / Um de nós cometeu um crime: trajetórias na construção de vítimas de homicídio em jovens / One of us committed a crime: trajectories in the construction of homicide victims in young people

Este trabajo se propone identificar trayectorias que contribuyen a que jóvenes de sectores populares sean víctimas de un homicidio. Nos ocuparemos de muertes producidas entre personas que mantienen vínculos previos al hecho y que no tienen como motivación cometer un robo u otro delito. El texto documenta y analiza la trayectoria de un joven víctima de este tipo de homicidio desde una perspectiva cualitativa. El trabajo de campo se produjo entre 2011 y 2017 en barrios populares de municipios del conurbano de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Sostenemos que en la trayectoria existe un proceso colectivo que agudiza la vulnerabilidad del joven a la agresión letal. En su composición, destacamos acontecimientos clave que restringen las posibilidades de agencia de las víctimas y la conducen a una zona de fragilidad a la muerte en el contexto de la sociabilidad local. (AU)

Este trabalho visa identificar trajetórias que contribuem para o fato de jovens de setores populares serem vítimas de homicídio. Trataremos de mortes que ocorram entre pessoas que possuem vínculo anterior ao evento e que não têm motivação para cometer roubo ou outro crime. O texto documenta e analisa a trajetória de uma jovem vítima desse tipo de homicídio em uma perspectiva qualitativa. O trabalho de campo ocorreu entre 2011 e 2017 em bairros populares de municípios da periferia da província de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Argumentamos que há um processo coletivo ao longo da trajetória que aumenta a vulnerabilidade dos jovens às agressões letais. Em sua composição, destacamos eventos-chave que restringem as possibilidades do agenciamento para as vítimas e as conduzem a uma zona de fragilidade à morte no contexto da sociabilidade local. (AU)

This article aims to identify trajectories that contribute to the fact that young people from popular sectors are victims of homicide. We will deal with deaths that occur between people who have links prior to the event and who are not motivated to commit a robbery or other crime. The text documents and analyzes the trajectory of a young victim of this type of homicide from a qualitative perspective. The field work took place between 2011 and 2017 in popular neighborhoods of the suburbs of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. We maintain that there is a collective process along the trajectory that exacerbates the youth's vulnerability to lethal aggression. In its composition, we highlight key events that restrict the agency's possibilities for victims and lead them to a zone of fragility to death in the context of local sociability. (AU)

Surveillance for Violent Deaths - National Violent Death Reporting System, 34 States, Four California Counties, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, 2017.

PROBLEM/CONDITION: In 2017, approximately 67,000 persons died of violence-related injuries in the United States. This report summarizes data from CDC's National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) on violent deaths that occurred in 34 states, four California counties, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in 2017. Results are reported by sex, age group, race/ethnicity, method of injury, type of location where the injury occurred, circumstances of injury, and other selected characteristics. PERIOD COVERED: 2017. DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM: NVDRS collects data regarding violent deaths obtained from death certificates, coroner and medical examiner reports, and law enforcement reports. This report includes data collected for violent deaths that occurred in 2017. Data were collected from 34 states (Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin), four California counties (Los Angeles, Sacramento, Shasta, and Siskiyou), the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. NVDRS collates information for each death and links deaths that are related (e.g., multiple homicides, homicide followed by suicide, or multiple suicides) into a single incident. RESULTS: For 2017, NVDRS collected information on 45,141 fatal incidents involving 46,389 deaths that occurred in 34 states, four California counties, and the District of Columbia; in addition, information was collected on 961 fatal incidents involving 1,027 deaths in Puerto Rico. Data for Puerto Rico were analyzed separately. Of the 46,389 deaths in the 34 states, four California counties, and District of Columbia, the majority (63.5%) were suicides, followed by homicides (24.9%), deaths of undetermined intent (9.7%), legal intervention deaths (1.4%) (i.e., deaths caused by law enforcement and other persons with legal authority to use deadly force acting in the line of duty, excluding legal executions), and unintentional firearm deaths (<1.0%). (The term "legal intervention" is a classification incorporated into the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, and does not denote the lawfulness or legality of the circumstances surrounding a death caused by law enforcement.) Demographic patterns and circumstances varied by manner of death. The suicide rate was higher among males than among females and was highest among adults aged 45-64 years and ≥85 years and non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives and non-Hispanic Whites. The most common method of injury for suicide was a firearm among males and poisoning among females. Suicide was most often preceded by a mental health, intimate partner, or physical health problem or a recent or impending crisis during the previous or upcoming 2 weeks. The homicide rate was highest among persons aged 20-24 years and was higher among males than females. Non-Hispanic Black males had the highest homicide rate of any racial/ethnic group. The most common method of injury for homicide was a firearm. When the relationship between a homicide victim and a suspect was known, the suspect was most frequently an acquaintance or friend for male victims and a current or former intimate partner for female victims. Homicide most often was precipitated by an argument or conflict, occurred in conjunction with another crime, or, for female victims, was related to intimate partner violence. Among intimate partner violence-related homicides, the largest proportion occurred among adults aged 35-54 years, and the most common method of injury was a firearm. When the relationship between an intimate partner violence-related homicide victim and a suspect was known, most female victims were killed by a current or former intimate partner, whereas approximately half of male victims were killed by a suspect who was not their intimate partner. Almost all legal intervention deaths were among males, and the legal intervention death rate was highest among men aged 25-29 years. Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native males had the highest legal intervention death rate, followed by non-Hispanic Black males. A firearm was used in the majority of legal intervention deaths. When a specific type of crime was known to have precipitated a legal intervention death, the type of crime was most frequently assault/homicide. The most frequent circumstances for legal intervention deaths were reported use of a weapon by the victim in the incident and a mental health or substance use problem (other than alcohol use). Unintentional firearm deaths more frequently occurred among males, non-Hispanic Whites, and persons aged 15-24 years. These deaths most often occurred while the shooter was playing with a firearm and most frequently were precipitated by a person unintentionally pulling the trigger or mistakenly thinking the firearm was unloaded. The rate of death when the manner was of undetermined intent was highest among males, particularly among non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native males, and persons aged 30-34 years. Poisoning was the most common method of injury in deaths of undetermined intent, and opioids were detected in nearly 80% of decedents tested for those substances. INTERPRETATION: This report provides a detailed summary of data from NVDRS on violent deaths that occurred in 2017. The suicide rate was highest among non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native and non-Hispanic White males, whereas the homicide rate was highest among non-Hispanic Black males. Intimate partner violence precipitated a large proportion of homicides for females. Mental health problems, intimate partner problems, interpersonal conflicts, and acute life stressors were primary circumstances for multiple types of violent death. PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION: NVDRS data are used to monitor the occurrence of violence-related fatal injuries and assist public health authorities in developing, implementing, and evaluating programs and policies to reduce and prevent violent deaths. For example, South Carolina VDRS and Colorado VDRS are using their data to support suicide prevention programs through systems change and the Zero Suicide framework. North Carolina VDRS and Kentucky VDRS data were used to examine intimate partner violence-related deaths beyond homicides to inform prevention efforts. Findings from these studies suggest that intimate partner violence might also contribute to other manners of violent death, such as suicide, and preventing intimate partner violence might reduce the overall number of violent deaths. In 2019, NVDRS expanded data collection to include all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, providing more comprehensive and actionable violent death information for public health efforts to reduce violent deaths.

The Proximate Causes of Waorani Warfare.

In response to recent work on the nature of human aggression, and to shed light on the proximate, as opposed to ultimate, causes of tribal warfare, we present a record of events leading to a fatal Waorani raid on a family from another tribe, followed by a detailed first-person observation of the behavior of the raiders as they prepared themselves for war, and upon their return. We contrast this attack with other Waorani aggressions and speculate on evidence regarding their hormonal underpinnings. On-the-ground ethnographic observations are examined in light of the neuroendocrinological literature. The evidence suggests a chain of causality in launching lethal violence, beginning with a perceived injury, culminating in a massacre, and terminating in rejoicing. Although no blood or saliva samples were taken at the time of this raid, the behaviors were consistent with a deliberate initiation of the hormonal cascade characterizing the "fight-or-flight" response, along with other hormonal changes. We conclude with observations on the stratified interrelationships of the cognitive, social, emotional, and neuroendocrinological causes of aggression leading to coalitional male homicide.

Indigenous homicide in Brazil: geospatial mapping and secondary data analysis (2010 to 2014).

This study aimed to describe a panorama of Indigenous homicide in Brazil, analysing the main characteristics and territorial distribution between 2010 and 2014. Demographic study of Indigenous population data obtained from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics and Indigenous homicide data (2010-2014) from the Ministry of Health. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, victims' characteristics, type of homicides and geographical distribution, which were then plotted on maps using ArcGIS. Findings revealed: 1) a national estimated average of Indigenous homicide rate of 22.5 per 100,000 Indigenous inhabitants per year; 2) a map showing where homicides were registered and the mean homicide rates for Brazilian regions and states, with highest rates in Roraima and Mato Grosso do Sul; 3) the main homicide method were sharp or penetrating objects; 4) Indigenous male homicide rate was 2.4 times higher than female, but Indigenous female rate was more than double that of non-Indigenous; 5) high homicide rates of Indigenous children (under 1-year-old) in areas of the states of Roraima and Amazonas. We advise careful consideration of Indigenous cultural beliefs to avoid errors of judgement, reflecting how Indigenous populations are at risk of homicide in some areas.

Indigenous homicide in Brazil: geospatial mapping and secondary data analysis (2010 to 2014) / Homicídios indígenas no Brasil: mapeamento e análise de dados secundários (2010 a 2014)

Abstract This study aimed to describe a panorama of Indigenous homicide in Brazil, analysing the main characteristics and territorial distribution between 2010 and 2014. Demographic study of Indigenous population data obtained from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics and Indigenous homicide data (2010-2014) from the Ministry of Health. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, victims' characteristics, type of homicides and geographical distribution, which were then plotted on maps using ArcGIS. Findings revealed: 1) a national estimated average of Indigenous homicide rate of 22.5 per 100,000 Indigenous inhabitants per year; 2) a map showing where homicides were registered and the mean homicide rates for Brazilian regions and states, with highest rates in Roraima and Mato Grosso do Sul; 3) the main homicide method were sharp or penetrating objects; 4) Indigenous male homicide rate was 2.4 times higher than female, but Indigenous female rate was more than double that of non-Indigenous; 5) high homicide rates of Indigenous children (under 1-year-old) in areas of the states of Roraima and Amazonas. We advise careful consideration of Indigenous cultural beliefs to avoid errors of judgement, reflecting how Indigenous populations are at risk of homicide in some areas.

Resumo Objetivou-se descrever um panorama dos homicídios indígenas no Brasil, analisando suas características e distribuição territorial entre 2010 e 2014. Estudo demográfico com dados da população indígena (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística) e homicídios indígenas (Ministério da Saúde). Os dados foram analisados utilizando estatística descritiva, estabelecendo características das vítimas, tipos de homicídio e distribuição geográfica, que foram então plotados em mapas usando ArcGIS. Os resultados revelaram: 1) uma média nacional de homicídios indígenas de 22,5 por 100.000 habitantes indígenas por ano; 2) um mapa de ocorrência dos homicídios e as taxas médias para regiões e estados brasileiros, com as maiores taxas em Roraima e Mato Grosso do Sul; 3) o principal método de homicídio foi objeto cortante ou penetrante; 4) a taxa de homicídio de homens indígenas foi 2,4 vezes mais alta que de mulheres, mas a taxa relativa às indígenas foi mais que o dobro das não indígenas; 5) elevadas taxas de homicídios de crianças indígenas (menores de 1 ano) em áreas dos estados de Roraima e Amazonas. Recomenda-se cuidadosa consideração dos aspectos culturais indígenas para evitar julgamentos, argumentando-se sobre como essa população enfrenta risco de homicídios em algumas áreas.

Geospatial, racial, and educational variation in firearm mortality in the USA, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia, 1990-2015: a comparative analysis of vital statistics data.

BACKGROUND: Firearm mortality is a leading, and largely avoidable, cause of death in the USA, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia. We aimed to assess the changes over time and demographic determinants of firearm deaths in these four countries between 1990 and 2015. METHODS: In this comparative analysis of firearm mortality, we examined national vital statistics data from 1990-2015 from four publicly available data repositories in the USA, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia. We extracted medically-certified deaths and underlying population denominators to calculate the age-specific and sex-specific firearm deaths and the risk of firearm mortality at the national and subnational level, by education for all four countries, and by race or ethnicity for the USA and Brazil. Analyses were stratified by intent (homicide, suicide, unintentional, or undetermined). We quantified avoidable mortality for each country using the lowest number of subnational age-specific and period-specific death rates. FINDINGS: Between 1990 and 2015, 106·3 million medically-certified deaths were recorded, including 2 472 000 firearm deaths, of which 851 000 occurred in the USA, 272 000 in Mexico, 855 000 in Brazil, and 494 000 in Colombia. Homicides accounted for most of the firearm deaths in Mexico (225 000 [82·7%]), Colombia (463 000 [93·8%]), and Brazil (766 000 [89·5%]). Suicide accounted for more than half of all firearm deaths in the USA (479 000 [56·3%]). In each country, firearm mortality was highest among men aged 15-34 years, accounting for up to half of the total risk of death in that age group. During the study period, firearm mortality risks increased in Mexico and Brazil but decreased in the USA and Colombia, with marked national and subnational geographical variation. Young men with low educational attainment were at increased risk of firearm homicide in all four countries, and in the USA and Brazil, black and brown men, respectively, were at the highest risk. The risk of firearm homicide was 14 times higher in black men in the USA aged 25-34 years with low educational attainment than comparably-educated white men (1·52% [99% CI 1·50-1·54] vs 0·11% [0·10-0·12]), and up to four times higher than in comparably-educated men in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. In the USA, the risk of firearm homicide was more than 30 times higher in black men with post-secondary education than comparably educated white men. If countries could achieve the same firearm mortality rates nationally as in their lowest-burden states, 1 777 800 firearm deaths at all ages and in both sexes could be avoided, including 1 028 000 deaths in men aged 15-34 years. INTERPRETATION: Firearm mortality in the USA, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia is highest among young adult men, and is strongly associated with race and ethnicity, and low education levels. Reductions in firearm deaths would improve life expectancy, particularly for black men in the USA, and would reduce racial and educational disparities in mortality. FUNDING: Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the University of Toronto Connaught Global Challenge.

Femicide trends in Brazil: relationship between public interest and mortality rates.

In this information epidemiology (infodemiology) study, we describe the online public interest about the issue of femicide in Brazil and analyze the relationship between search queries and femicide trends from 2004 to 2015. We showed that information-seeking behavior for femicide in the Brazilian states has been strongly influenced by female homicide rates. Educational and policy-related interventions are needed to improve the population's knowledge and attitude toward femicide.

[Femicide in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil: gender iniquities in dying]. / Feminicídios em Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: iniquidades de gênero ao morrer.

Femicide is the murder of women as the result of gender inequalities. It is the most extreme form of violence against women. The theoretical and methodological frame of reference used in this study was patriarchy theory and critical discourse analysis. We analyzed the discourses from 64 police inquiries categorized as femicides in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, from 2006 to 2010. The victims were mostly poor young women living in outlying areas of the city with high rates of prostitution and women murdered by the drug traffic, deaths not routinely classified as femicides by the police. Many inquiries were shelved for purported lack of evidence, and many other cases were not even started. The discourse in the police reports often demeaned and blamed the victims, although some criticized the inequalities between men and women and identified the lethal effects of male chauvinism. Police inquiries are important sources for studying femicide in society, adding abundant information on the crimes' victims, perpetrators, and scenarios.

Feminicídios são assassinatos de mulheres decorrentes das desigualdades de gênero e representam a forma mais extrema da violência contra a mulher. O referencial teórico-metodológico utilizado neste estudo foi a teoria do patriarcado e a análise crítica do discurso. Foram analisados os discursos referentes ao relatório final de 64 inquéritos policiais categorizados como feminicídios, ocorridos na cidade de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, no período de 2006 a 2010. As vítimas eram majoritariamente mulheres pobres, jovens e moradoras de regiões de periferia, havendo uma frequência elevada de prostitutas e mulheres executadas pelo tráfico; mortes não consideradas feminicídios pelos operadores policiais. Muitos inquéritos foram arquivados devido à ausência de provas e outros não foram nem ao menos iniciados. Nos inquéritos, havia discursos que desqualificavam e culpavam as vítimas, embora alguns criticassem as desigualdades entre homens e mulheres e identificassem os efeitos letais do machismo. Inquéritos policiais são fontes importantes para estudar o feminicídio na sociedade, agregando grande quantidade de informações sobre vítimas, agressores e cenários dos crimes.

Los feminicidios son asesinatos de mujeres, resultado de desigualdades de género, que representan la forma más extrema de violencia contra la mujer. El marco de referencia teórico-metodológico utilizado en este estudio fue la teoría del patriarcado y el análisis crítico del discurso. Se analizaron los discursos referentes al informe final de 64 investigaciones policiales, categorizadas como feminicidios, ocurridas en la ciudad de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, durante el período de 2006 a 2010. Las víctimas eran mayoritariamente mujeres pobres, jóvenes y habitantes de regiones de periferia, existiendo una frecuencia elevada de prostitutas y mujeres ejecutadas por el tráfico de drogas; muertes no consideradas feminicidios por los operadores policiales. Muchas investigaciones se archivaron, debido a la ausencia de pruebas, y otras ni siquiera fueron iniciadas. En estas investigaciones, había discursos que descalificaban y culpaban a las víctimas, pese a que algunos criticasen las desigualdades entre hombres y mujeres e identificasen los efectos letales del machismo. Las investigaciones policiales son fuentes importantes para estudiar el feminicidio en la sociedad, añadiendo una gran cantidad de información sobre víctimas, agresores y escenarios de los crímenes.

Alcohol use among fatally injured victims in São Paulo, Brazil: bridging the gap between research and health services in developing countries.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Most studies reporting alcohol use among fatally injured victims are subject to bias, particularly those related to sample selection and to absence of injury context data. We developed a research method to estimate the prevalence of alcohol consumption and test correlates of alcohol use prior to fatal injuries. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional study based on a probability sample of fatally injured adult victims (n = 365) autopsied in São Paulo, Brazil. Victims were sampled within systematically selected 8-hour sampling blocks, generating a representative sample of fatal injuries occurring during all hours of the day for each day of the week between June 2014 and December 2015. MEASUREMENTS: The presence of alcohol and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) were the primary outcomes evaluated according to victims' socio-demographic, injury context data (type, day, time and injury place) and criminal history characteristics. FINDINGS: Alcohol was detected in 30.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 25.6-35.1)] of the victims, with a mean blood alcohol level (BAC) level of 0.11% w/v (95% CI = 0.09-0.13) among alcohol-positive cases. Black and mixed race victims presented a higher mean BAC than white victims (P = 0.03). Fewer than one in every six suicides tested positive for alcohol, while almost half of traffic-related casualties were alcohol-positive. Having suffered traffic-related injuries, particularly those involving vehicle crashes, and injuries occurring during weekends and at night were associated significantly with alcohol use before injury (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly one-third of fatal injuries in São Paulo between June 2014 and December 2015 were alcohol-related, with traffic accidents showing a greater association with alcohol use than other injuries. The sampling methodology tested here, including the possibility of adding injury context data to improve population-based estimates of alcohol use before fatal injury, appears to be a reliable and lower-cost strategy for avoiding biases common in death investigations.

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the Use of Lethal Force by US Police, 2010-2014.

OBJECTIVES: To update previous examinations of racial/ethnic disparities in the use of lethal force by US police. METHODS: I examined online national vital statistics data for deaths assigned an underlying cause of "legal intervention" (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, external-cause-of-injury codes Y35.0-Y35.7, excluding Y35.5 [legal execution]) for the 5-year period 2010 to 2014. RESULTS: Death certificates identified 2285 legal intervention deaths (1.5 per million population per year) from 2010 to 2014. Among males aged 10 years or older, who represented 96% of these deaths, the mortality rate among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic individuals was 2.8 and 1.7 times higher, respectively, than that among White individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial racial/ethnic disparities in legal intervention deaths remain an ongoing problem in the United States.

The relationship between pay day and violent death in Guatemala: a time series analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess if violent deaths were associated with pay days in Guatemala. DESIGN: Interrupted time series analysis. SETTING: Guatemalan national autopsy databases. PARTICIPANTS: Daily violence-related autopsy data for 22 418 decedents from 2009 to 2012. Data were provided by the Guatemalan National Institute of Forensic Sciences. Multiple pay-day lags and other important days such as holidays were tested. OUTCOME MEASURES: Absolute and relative estimates of excess violent deaths on pay days and holidays. RESULTS: The occurrence of violent deaths was not associated with pay days. However, a significant association was observed for national holidays, and this association was more pronounced when national holidays and pay days occurred simultaneously. This effect was observed mainly in males, who constituted the vast majority of violent deaths in Guatemala. An estimated 112 (coefficient=3.12; 95% CI 2.15 to 4.08; p<0.01) more male violent deaths occurred on holidays than were expected. An estimated 121 (coefficient=4.64; 95% CI 3.41 to 5.88; p<0.01) more male violent deaths than expected occurred on holidays that coincided with the first 2 days following a pay day. CONCLUSIONS: Men in Guatemala experience violent deaths at an elevated rate when pay days coincide with national holidays. Efforts to be better prepared for violence during national holidays and to prevent violent deaths by rescheduling pay days when these days co-occur with national holidays should be considered.

Feminicídios em Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: iniquidades de gênero ao morrer / Femicide in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil: gender iniquities in dying / Feminicidios en Porto Alegre, Río Grande do Sul, Brasil: inequidades de género al morir

Resumo: Feminicídios são assassinatos de mulheres decorrentes das desigualdades de gênero e representam a forma mais extrema da violência contra a mulher. O referencial teórico-metodológico utilizado neste estudo foi a teoria do patriarcado e a análise crítica do discurso. Foram analisados os discursos referentes ao relatório final de 64 inquéritos policiais categorizados como feminicídios, ocorridos na cidade de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, no período de 2006 a 2010. As vítimas eram majoritariamente mulheres pobres, jovens e moradoras de regiões de periferia, havendo uma frequência elevada de prostitutas e mulheres executadas pelo tráfico; mortes não consideradas feminicídios pelos operadores policiais. Muitos inquéritos foram arquivados devido à ausência de provas e outros não foram nem ao menos iniciados. Nos inquéritos, havia discursos que desqualificavam e culpavam as vítimas, embora alguns criticassem as desigualdades entre homens e mulheres e identificassem os efeitos letais do machismo. Inquéritos policiais são fontes importantes para estudar o feminicídio na sociedade, agregando grande quantidade de informações sobre vítimas, agressores e cenários dos crimes.

Abstract: Femicide is the murder of women as the result of gender inequalities. It is the most extreme form of violence against women. The theoretical and methodological frame of reference used in this study was patriarchy theory and critical discourse analysis. We analyzed the discourses from 64 police inquiries categorized as femicides in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, from 2006 to 2010. The victims were mostly poor young women living in outlying areas of the city with high rates of prostitution and women murdered by the drug traffic, deaths not routinely classified as femicides by the police. Many inquiries were shelved for purported lack of evidence, and many other cases were not even started. The discourse in the police reports often demeaned and blamed the victims, although some criticized the inequalities between men and women and identified the lethal effects of male chauvinism. Police inquiries are important sources for studying femicide in society, adding abundant information on the crimes' victims, perpetrators, and scenarios.

Resumen: Los feminicidios son asesinatos de mujeres, resultado de desigualdades de género, que representan la forma más extrema de violencia contra la mujer. El marco de referencia teórico-metodológico utilizado en este estudio fue la teoría del patriarcado y el análisis crítico del discurso. Se analizaron los discursos referentes al informe final de 64 investigaciones policiales, categorizadas como feminicidios, ocurridas en la ciudad de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, durante el período de 2006 a 2010. Las víctimas eran mayoritariamente mujeres pobres, jóvenes y habitantes de regiones de periferia, existiendo una frecuencia elevada de prostitutas y mujeres ejecutadas por el tráfico de drogas; muertes no consideradas feminicidios por los operadores policiales. Muchas investigaciones se archivaron, debido a la ausencia de pruebas, y otras ni siquiera fueron iniciadas. En estas investigaciones, había discursos que descalificaban y culpaban a las víctimas, pese a que algunos criticasen las desigualdades entre hombres y mujeres e identificasen los efectos letales del machismo. Las investigaciones policiales son fuentes importantes para estudiar el feminicidio en la sociedad, añadiendo una gran cantidad de información sobre víctimas, agresores y escenarios de los crímenes.

Crime and Punishment: the Impact of Skin Color and Socioeconomic Status of Defendants and Victims in Jury Trials in Brazil.

Social judgments are often influenced by racism. Voluntary crimes against life, and in particular the crime of homicide, may be the most critical situations of the impact of racism in social judgments. We analyzed 114 homicide trials conducted by the 1st Jury Court, in a Brazilian judicial capital, concluded between 2003 and 2007, for the purpose of investigating the effects of skin color and the socioeconomic status of the defendant and the victim of homicides in the jury trial court's decision. The results indicate that the social and economic profile of defendants and victims of homicide is identical. They are almost all poor (more than 70%), with low education (more than 73%) and frequently non-Whites (more than 88%). We found that judges assign longer sentences to black (ß = .34, p = .01) and poor defendants (ß = .23, p < .05). We even verified that the poorer the defendant, the higher was the corresponding conviction rate (Wald's Test = 5.90, p < .05). The results are discussed based on theories of social psychology and criminological sociology, which consider the relationship between skin color and socioeconomic status in social judgments and in discrimination.

FACE DA MORTE: A LEI EM CONFLITO COM O ADOLESCENTE / EL ROSTRO DE LA MUERTE: LA LEY EN CONFLICTO CON EL ADOLESCENTE / FACE OF DEATH: THE LAW IN CONFLICT WITH YOUTHS

O artigo traça um breve panorama histórico de como a lei tem abordado a temática da infância e adolescência no Brasil desde o Código de Menores ao Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente, priorizando o adolescente em conflito com a lei. A partir do Mapeamento Nacional de Medidas Socioeducativas em Meio Aberto e do Índice de Homicídios na Adolescência, relaciona o perfil dos adolescentes brasileiros integrantes do sistema socioeducativo em meio aberto com aquele dos adolescentes vítimas de homicídio: são do sexo masculino, pobres, de baixa escolaridade, vivendo nas regiões metropolitanas dos grandes centros urbanos, embora nos últimos anos tenha se observado um processo de interiorização das mortes violentas. Partindo das compreensões de disciplina e biopoder, conforme postuladas por Michel Foucault, busca promover reflexões acerca da incidência das medidas socioeducativas sobre um determinado grupo, justamente aquele que diariamente engrossa as estatísticas de mortalidade decorrente de causas violentas...

Este artículo traza un breve panorama histórico que indica cómo se ha abordado en la legislación la temática de la infancia y la adolescencia en Brasil desde el Código de Menores hasta el Estatuto del Niño y el Adolescente, haciendo hincapié en el adolescente en conflicto con la ley. Con base en el Mapeo Nacional de Medidas Socioeducativas en Medio Abierto y en el Índice de Homicidios durante la Adolescencia, se vincula el perfil de los adolescentes brasileños insertados en el sistema socioeducativo en medio abierto con el de los adolescentes víctimas de homicidios: son del sexo masculino, pobres, de escasa escolaridad y viven en las zonas metropolitanas de los grandes centros urbanos, aunque en los últimos años se ha detectado un proceso de interiorización de las muertes violentas. A partir de la comprensión de los conceptos de disciplina y biopoder, tal como los postulara Michel Foucault, se apunta a promover reflexiones acerca la incidencia de las medidas socioeducativas sobre un grupo determinado, precisamente aquél que diariamente abulta las estadísticas de mortalidad derivada de causas violentas...

The article provides a historical overview on how Brazilian law has addressed the topic of child and youth since the Minors Code to the Children and Adolescent Statute, prioritizing adolescents in conflict with law. From the National Mapping of Socio-educational Measures in Semi-Open Conditions and the Index of Homicide in Youth lists the profile of Brazilian youths that integrate the socio educative system in semi-open conditions with youths homicide victims: they are male, poor and low-schooling, living in metropolitan areas of large urban centers; although it has been observed in the recent years a process of violent deaths moving inland. Starting from the comprehensions of discipline and biopower as postulated by Michel Foucault, we seek to promote reflections regarding the incidence of socio-educational measures around a determined group, precisely the one that day-by-day monopolizes mortality statistics resulting from violent causes...

FACE DA MORTE: A LEI EM CONFLITO COM O ADOLESCENTE / EL ROSTRO DE LA MUERTE: LA LEY EN CONFLICTO CON EL ADOLESCENTE / FACE OF DEATH: THE LAW IN CONFLICT WITH YOUTHS

O artigo traça um breve panorama histórico de como a lei tem abordado a temática da infância e adolescência no Brasil desde o Código de Menores ao Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente, priorizando o adolescente em conflito com a lei. A partir do Mapeamento Nacional de Medidas Socioeducativas em Meio Aberto e do Índice de Homicídios na Adolescência, relaciona o perfil dos adolescentes brasileiros integrantes do sistema socioeducativo em meio aberto com aquele dos adolescentes vítimas de homicídio: são do sexo masculino, pobres, de baixa escolaridade, vivendo nas regiões metropolitanas dos grandes centros urbanos, embora nos últimos anos tenha se observado um processo de interiorização das mortes violentas. Partindo das compreensões de disciplina e biopoder, conforme postuladas por Michel Foucault, busca promover reflexões acerca da incidência das medidas socioeducativas sobre um determinado grupo, justamente aquele que diariamente engrossa as estatísticas de mortalidade decorrente de causas violentas. .(AU)

Este artículo traza un breve panorama histórico que indica cómo se ha abordado en la legislación la temática de la infancia y la adolescencia en Brasil desde el Código de Menores hasta el Estatuto del Niño y el Adolescente, haciendo hincapié en el adolescente en conflicto con la ley. Con base en el Mapeo Nacional de Medidas Socioeducativas en Medio Abierto y en el Índice de Homicidios durante la Adolescencia, se vincula el perfil de los adolescentes brasileños insertados en el sistema socioeducativo en medio abierto con el de los adolescentes víctimas de homicidios: son del sexo masculino, pobres, de escasa escolaridad y viven en las zonas metropolitanas de los grandes centros urbanos, aunque en los últimos años se ha detectado un proceso de interiorización de las muertes violentas. A partir de la comprensión de los conceptos de disciplina y biopoder, tal como los postulara Michel Foucault, se apunta a promover reflexiones acerca la incidencia de las medidas socioeducativas sobre un grupo determinado, precisamente aquél que diariamente abulta las estadísticas de mortalidad derivada de causas violentas.(AU)

The article provides a historical overview on how Brazilian law has addressed the topic of child and youth since the Minors Code to the Children and Adolescent Statute, prioritizing adolescents in conflict with law. From the National Mapping of Socio-educational Measures in Semi-Open Conditions and the Index of Homicide in Youth lists the profile of Brazilian youths that integrate the socio educative system in semi-open conditions with youths homicide victims: they are male, poor and low-schooling, living in metropolitan areas of large urban centers; although it has been observed in the recent years a process of violent deaths moving inland. Starting from the comprehensions of discipline and biopower as postulated by Michel Foucault, we seek to promote reflections regarding the incidence of socio-educational measures around a determined group, precisely the one that day-by-day monopolizes mortality statistics resulting from violent causes.(AU)

[Homicides and territorial struggles in Rio de Janeiro favelas]. / Homicídios e disputas territoriais nas favelas do Rio de Janeiro.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of homicide in Rio de Janeiro's favelas, taking into account the territorial disputes taking place in the city. METHODS: The study is based on data on mortality from homicide in the city of Rio de Janeiro between 2006 and 2009. Risks in favelas and in surrounding areas were evaluated, as was the domination of armed groups and drug dealing. Geographic and ethnographic concepts and methods were employed, using participant observation, interviews and analysis of secondary data on health. RESULTS: Within the favelas, mortality rates from homicide were equivalent to, or lower than, the rest of the city, although they were considerably higher in areas surrounding the favelas, especially in areas where there was conflict between armed rival gangs. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of trafficking crews and turf war in strategic areas of the city increases homicide rates and promotes the "ecology of danger" in these areas.

Homicídios e disputas territoriais nas favelas do Rio de Janeiro / Homicidios e disputas territoriales en las barriadas de Rio de Janeiro / Homicides and territorial struggles in Rio de Janeiro favelas

OBJETIVO : Avaliar o risco de homicídios em favelas do Rio de Janeiro, considerando as disputas territoriais em curso na cidade. MÉTODOS : O estudo baseou-se em dados de mortalidade por homicídios na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, de 2006 a 2009. Foram avaliados os riscos em favelas e seus entornos, em função da sua localização e do domínio por grupos armados e tráfico de drogas. Foram empregados métodos e conceitos da geografia e etnografia, com as abordagens de observação participante, entrevistas e análise de dados secundários de saúde. RESULTADOS : As taxas de mortalidade por homicídios no interior das favelas foram equivalentes ou mesmo menores que o restante da cidade, mas consideravelmente maiores nos arredores das favelas, sobretudo em zonas de conflito entre domínios armados rivais. CONCLUSÕES : A presença do tráfico armado em zonas estratégicas da cidade aumenta as taxas de mortalidade por violência e promove a “ecologia do perigo” no entorno de favelas. .

OBJETIVO : Evaluar el riesgo de homicidios en barriadas de Rio de Janeiro, considerando las disputas territoriales en curso en la ciudad. MÉTODOS : El estudio se basó en datos de mortalidad por homicidios en la ciudad de Rio de Janeiro, de 2006 a 2009. Se evaluaron los riesgos en barriadas y sus entornos, en función de su localización y del dominio por grupos armados y tráfico de drogas. Se emplearon métodos y conceptos de la geografía y etnografía, con los abordajes de observación participante, entrevistas y análisis de datos secundarios de salud. RESULTADOS : Las tasas de mortalidad por homicidios en el interior de las barriadas fueron equivalente o inclusive menores que en el resto de la ciudad, pero considerablemente mayores en los alrededores de las barriadas, sobretodo en zonas de conflicto entre dominios armados rivales. CONCLUSIONES : La presencia del tráfico armado en zonas estratégicas de la ciudad aumenta las tasas de mortalidad por violencia y promueve la “ecología del peligro” en el entorno de las barriadas. .

OBJECTIVE : To evaluate the risk of homicide in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, taking into account the territorial disputes taking place in the city. METHODS : The study is based on data on mortality from homicide in the city of Rio de Janeiro between 2006 and 2009. Risks in favelas and in surrounding areas were evaluated, as was the domination of armed groups and drug dealing. Geographic and ethnographic concepts and methods were employed, using participant observation, interviews and analysis of secondary data on health. RESULTS : Within the favelas, mortality rates from homicide were equivalent to, or lower than, the rest of the city, although they were considerably higher in areas surrounding the favelas, especially in areas where there was conflict between armed rival gangs. CONCLUSIONS : The presence of trafficking crews and turf war in strategic areas of the city increases homicide rates and promotes the “ecology of danger” in these areas. .

Victimization experiences, substance misuse, and mental health problems in relation to risk for lethality among African American and African Caribbean women.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of intimate partner victimization experiences, mental health (MH), and substance misuse problems with the risk for lethality among women of African descent. Data for this cross-sectional study were derived from a large case-control study examining the relationship between abuse status and health consequences. Women were recruited from primary care, prenatal, or family planning clinics in Baltimore and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Logistic regression was used to generate the study findings. Among 543 abused women, physical and psychological abuse by intimate partners, comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms, and PTSD-only problems significantly increased the likelihood of lethality risk. However, victims' substance misuse and depression-only problems were not associated with the risk for lethality. In addition, PTSD symptoms mediated the relationship between severe victimization experiences and risk for lethality. Practitioners should pay attention to victimization experiences and MH issues when developing treatment and safety plans. Policies to fund integrated services for African American and African Caribbean women with victimization and related MH issues, and training of providers to identify at-risk women may help reduce the risk for lethality in intimate partner relationships.