Important Facts for Homicide Deaths
Indicator Important Facts Report Options
Definition
The homicide death rate is defined as the number deaths attributed to assault per 100,000 population. Homicides, or assault deaths, were defined by underlying cause of death based on the International Classification of Diseases, version 10 (ICD-10) codes.
Numerator
The total number of homicide deaths per year.
Denominator
The estimated mid-year population.
Why Is This Important?
Homicide, or death caused by an intentional assault of another person, is a significant public health problem in New Mexico. In 2016, homicide was a second leading cause of death among children 10-14; and the third leading cause of death among adolescents and adults 15-34 years. Homicide accounted for 7,196 years of potential life lost before the age of 75, sixth after unintentional injuries, cancer, heart disease, suicide, and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis deaths. Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) is a measure of premature mortality in a population that describes the impact of injury-related deaths on a society compared to other causes of death. Homicide deaths also affect the surviving family, friends, and community. In addition to the medical and funeral costs, the trauma, grief, and bereavement experienced by these individuals have long-lasting impacts that affect many aspects of their lives.
Other Objectives
Healthy People 2020 Objective IVP-29: Reduce homicides.
How Are We Doing?
From 1999-2012, homicide rates in NM decreased from 9.3 to 6.6 per 100,000 population. Since 2013, the age-adjusted homicide rate in NM increased by 42%, the highest rate in the past 18 years.
How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
Annual homicide rates in NM have consistently been higher than U.S. rates. In 2015, the age-adjusted homicide rate in NM was 38% higher than the U.S. rate.
What Is Being Done?
The New Mexico Violent Death Reporting System (NM-VDRS) was implemented in 2005 to collect comprehensive information about all violent deaths occurring in the state, including homicide. This active, population-based surveillance system links data from multiple sources into one incident record to help understand when and how homicides occur in order to develop violence prevention and intervention efforts to reduce violence related injury outcomes in New Mexico. The New Mexico Intimate Partner Violence Death Review Team (Team), funded by the New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission, uses a multi-agency approach to examine all deaths attributable to intimate partner violence. The NM Department of Health participates in the Team as an appointed member according to the duties and responsibilities in NMSA 1978 31-22-4.1. Team coordination and staff services are housed at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. The goals of the team include identifying factors that are associated with increased risk of lethality, finding weaknesses in the systems that are designed to protect victims, and developing strategies and recommendations to prevent future injury and death.