Gun Violence and its impact on Children:Using National Violent Death Reporting System to Study Children Ages 2-4

Background

In the United States, children ages 2-14 have far higher rates of homicide victimization from firearms and somewhat higher rates of non-firearm homicide victimization compared to children in other developed countries. Between 2001-2013, over 7,000 US children in this age group were murdered. Little is known about the circumstances of homicide around children ages 2-14, as child death investigations are usually dominated by analyses of homicide of older teens and infants.

Methods 

Using both qualitative and cluster analytic techniques, we will create topologies of incidents for relevant age groupings that will be useful for practitioners and policymakers. This presentation will use detailed data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) to increase knowledge about the homicide of children ages 2-14. The NVDRS is a relatively new data system with 18 states currently reporting all violent deaths; the system has rarely been used to investigate children’s violent deaths. While the NVDRS contains a wealth of information in its narratives, few researchers have used this information. 

Outcomes

We will read the case narratives and compare and contrast incidents for the following: (a) at home versus away from home; (b) where the victim is male versus female; (c) where the perpetrator is a family member versus a stranger; and (d) whether a firearm was used.

Conclusions

The overarching goal is to provide a small number of specific types or scenarios into which most of the incidents fall.