2008 Georgia Data Summary: VIOLENT DEATH REPORTING SYSTEM Types of violent death include: Suicide, homicide, unintentional firearm injury, legal intervention, and deaths of undetermined intent. DESCRIPTION The Georgia Violent Death Reporting System (GVDRS) is part of the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) Population-based system Collects detailed information on victims and suspects, including demographics, location of injury and death, weapon type, and precipitating circumstances. Able to report on multiple-death incidents, including mass shootings and homicide-suicides MULTIPLE SOURCES OF DATA Death certificates Medical examiner and/or coroner death investigations Law enforcement records Crime laboratory records STATES CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING IN NVDRS NVDRS GOALS Inform decision makers about the magnitude, trends, and characteristics of violent death Evaluate and continue to improve state-based violence prevention policies and programs NUMBER AND PERCENT OF RESIDENT VICTIMS BY TYPE OF VIOLENT DEATH, GEORGIA 2005 Type of Violent Death Suicide Homicide Undetermined intent Unintentional firearm injury Legal intervention Total 2005 Number % 897 51 656 37 166 9 16 1 33 2 1,768 100 NUMBER AND RATE OF SUICIDES AND HOMICIDES BY PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICT, GEORGIA, 2005 Public Health District 1-1 Northwest (Rome) 1-2 North Georgia (Dalton) 2 North (Gainesville) 3-1 Cobb-Douglas 3-2 Fulton 3-3 Clayton County (Morrow) 3-4 East Metro (Lawrenceville) 3-5 DeKalb 4 LaGrange 5-1 South Central (Dublin) 5-2 North Central (Macon) 6 East Central (Augusta) 7 West Central (Columbus) 8-1 South (Valdosta) 8-2 Southwest (Albany) 9-1 Coastal (Savannah) 9-2 Southeast (Waycross) 10 Northeast (Athens) Other GA Residents Total Suicide # Rate 81 13.9 42 10.7 52 9.5 62 8.0 71 7.8 23 8.6 70 7.9 48 7.1 87 12.0 21 14.8 56 11.3 39 8.9 37 10.4 20 8.5 34 9.4 49 14.6 31 6.1 47 11.3 27 --- 897 9.9 Homicide # Rate 24 4.1 14 3.6 8 1.5 44 5.7 120 13.1 26 9.7 41 4.6 74 10.9 22 3.0 11 7.7 44 8.8 29 6.6 31 8.7 33 14.0 21 5.8 44 13.1 26 5.1 15 3.6 29 --- 656 7.2 Note: Death rates are per 100,000 persons. These are crude rates rather than age-adjusted rates. Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health 2 Peachtree Street, NW Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 657-2588 ga-gvdrs@dhr.state.ga.us http://health.state.ga.us SUICIDE Suicide by Method, Georgia, 2005 Hanging strangulation suffocation 17% Firearms 59% Poisoning 18% Sharp instrument 2% Other* 2% Fall Drowning 1% 1% *Other=Blunt instrument; punching, hitting, kicking; fire, burn; motor, transport vehicle Rate per 100,000 Suicide Rate by Age Group and Sex, Georgia, 2005 70 60 Male Female 50 40 30 20 10 0 <1 1--4 5--14 15-- 25-- 35-- 45-- 55-- 65-- 75-- 85+ 24 34 44 54 64 74 84 Age Group (Years) HOMICIDE Homicide by Method, Georgia, 2005 Firearms 65% Sharp instrument 14% Blunt instrument 9% Hanging strangulation suffocation 5% Punching hitting kicking 3% Other* 2% Motor vehicle 1% Fire, burn 1% *Other=Poisoning; drowning, fire, burn; shaking; intentional neglect Rate per 100,000 Homicide Rate by Age Group and Sex, Georgia, 2005 25 20 Male Female 15 10 5 0 <1 1--4 5--14 15-- 25-- 35-- 45-- 55-- 65-- 75-- 85+ 24 34 44 54 64 74 84 Age Group (Years) Rate per 100,000 Suicide Rate by Race/Ethnicity and Sex, Georgia, 2005 25 20.5 20 Male Female 15 9.2 10 6.4 4.5 5 1.7 1.5 0 White non-hispanic Black non-hispanic Hispanic TOP SUICIDE CIRCUMSTANCES,* 2005 Current mental health problem 31% Crisis within the past two weeks 26% Intimate partner problem 23% Person left a suicide note 22% Ever treated for mental illness 19% Disclosed intent to commit suicide 18% Current depressed mood 15% Current treatment for mental illness 15% * Note: Circumstances were known for 75% of suicides; categories were not mutually exclusive. Date updated: August 2008 Publication number: DPH08/188HW Rate per 100,000 Homicide Rate by Race/Ethnicity and Sex, Georgia, 2005 30 25 24.2 Male Female 20 15.8 15 10 5.7 5 3.5 2.2 2.2 0 White non-hispanic Black non-hispanic Hispanic TOP HOMICIDE CIRCUMSTANCES,* 2005 Involved other argument, abuse, or conflict 41% Precipitated by another crime 23% Intimate partner violence 21% Drug-related 13% * Note: Circumstances were known for 61% of homicides; categories were not mutually exclusive. DATA SOURCES 1. Georgia Violent Death Reporting System www.health.state.ga.us/epi/cdiee/gvdrs.asp 2. National Violent Death Reporting System www.cdc.gov/ncipc/profiles/nvdrs/default.htm Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health 2 Peachtree Street, NW Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 657-2588 ga-gvdrs@dhr.state.ga.us http://health.state.ga.us