The rate of homicide in adolescents and young adults fell to its lowest rate in about 30 years in 2010, although certain groups continued to have a higher risk.
In that year, 7.5 of every 100,000 youths were murdered overall, with much higher rates among non-Hispanic blacks (28.8), those ages 20 to 24 (13.2), and males (12.7), according to Corinne David-Ferdon, PhD, of the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, and colleagues.
So even though the findings -- reported in the July 12 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report -- indicate that progress has been made in reducing homicides, there remains room for improvement, as highlighted by the slowing of the decline in the rate in the last decade of the study period and the variation in risk among demographic groups.
Lolita McDavid, MD, medical director of child advocacy and protection at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland, called the findings "really good news -- limited good news -- but good news for those of us who are very concerned about youth violence and especially handgun and homicide violence among youth."
McDavid's enthusiasm was tempered by the stubbornly high rates in individuals in their early 20s and in blacks, "but what [the study] says is that some of the strategies that we're using are working," she said in an interview.
The researchers examined data from the National Vital Statistics System covering homicides from 1981 to 2010 among individuals ages 10 to 24, an age group that is disproportionately affected by murder.
There was not a steady decline in the homicide rate over time. The rate (per 100,000) increased rapidly from 8.7 in 1985 to 15.9 in 1993, and declined after that.
The drop has slowed since 1999 (when the rate was 8.9 per 100,000), but the period from 2000 to 2010 saw reductions for all demographic groups and for both firearm-related and non-firearm-related murders. Gun-related homicides, which accounted for 79% of all murders during the study period, occurred at about 3.7 times the rate of non-gun-related killings.
"Primary prevention strategies remain critical, particularly among groups at increased risk for homicide," the researchers wrote.
"Examples of primary prevention strategies include: 1) school-based programs that build the communication skills of youths to nonviolently solve problems; 2) family approaches that help caregivers set age-appropriate rules and effectively monitor children's activities and relationships; and 3) policy, environmental, and structural approaches that enhance safety and increase opportunities for positive social interaction," they wrote.
McDavid attributed the success up to this point in reducing homicide in this age group to such primary prevention strategies, as well as a greater awareness of gang violence among law enforcement and measures to reduce access to weapons, like gun buy-backs.
To continue the progress that has been made, she said a focus should be placed on coming up with ways to keep young people occupied when they're not in school through after-school and summer programs and recreation and youth centers.
In addition, she said, parents should be educated about having weapons in the home and gun safety.
All of the authors are employed by the CDC.
- Reviewed by F. Perry Wilson, MD, MSCE Instructor of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Nurse Planner
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly ReportSource Reference: David-Ferdon C, et al "Homicide rates among persons aged 10 to 24 years -- United States, 1981-2010" MMWR 2013; 62: 545-548.