Characteristics of School-Associated Youth Homicides - United States, 1994-2018

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019 Jan 25;68(3):53-60. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6803a1.

Abstract

To understand trends and characteristics in school-associated homicides involving youths, data from CDC's School-Associated Violent Death Surveillance System were analyzed for 393 single-victim incidents that occurred during July 1994-June 2016 and 38 multiple-victim incidents (resulting in 121 youth homicides) during July 1994-June 2018. School-associated homicides consistently represent <2% of all youth homicides in the United States (1,2). The overall 22-year trend for single-victim homicide rates did not change significantly. However, multiple-victim incidence rates increased significantly from July 2009 to June 2018. Many school-associated homicides, particularly single-victim incidents, are similar to youth homicides unrelated to schools, often involving male, racial/ethnic minority youth victims, and occurring in urban settings. The majority of both single-victim (62.8%) and multiple-victim (95.0%) homicides were from a firearm-related injury. A comprehensive approach to violence prevention is needed to reduce risk for violence on and off school grounds.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Homicide / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Schools / statistics & numerical data*
  • United States / epidemiology