This study used linked, official data for population-based surveillance of homicides, suicides, and homicide–suicides in four U.S. states and four counties. Among 1,503 homicide incidents, less than 5% ( n = 74) were followed by the perpetrator's suicide and 1% ( n = 18) by a nonfatal suicide attempt. However, among men who killed their female intimate partner with a firearm, 59% also took their own life. Homicide–suicide perpetrators did not test positive for an antidepressant more often than other male suicide decedents (15% vs. 19%). Most (54%) perpetrators of nonfirearm homicides who attempted suicide lived; nearly all (93%) firearm perpetrators who attempted suicide died. Among men who killed their female intimate partner with a firearm, homicide–suicide was the norm. Better enforcement of existing laws designed to protect abuse victims by removing firearms from domestic abusers may also prevent abusers' suicides.

Objectives: To determine whether the firearms recovered in buyback programs in a large urban community are the types most closely associated with firearm fatalities in the same geographic area. Methods: The type, caliber, and manufacturer of 941 handguns recovered in Milwaukee County 1994-96 buyback programs were compared with 369 homicide related and 125 suicide related handguns used in Milwaukee during 1994-97. Results: Buyback handguns differed substantially from those used in homicide and suicide. One third of buyback handguns were semiautomatic pistols versus two thirds of homicide related handguns (p<0.001) and 40% of suicide related handguns (p=NS). Over 75% of buyback handguns were small caliber compared with 24% of homicide and 32% of suicide handguns (p<0.001). The top two manufacturers of buyback handguns represented 30% of these guns but only 5% of fatality related handguns (p<0.001). Companies currently out of business manufactured 15% of buyback handguns versus 7% of fatality related handguns (p<0.001). Conclusions: Handguns recovered in buyback programs are not the types most commonly linked to firearm homicides and suicides. Although buyback programs may increase awareness of firearm violence, limited resources for firearm injury prevention may be better spent in other ways.M ore than 100 gun buyback or exchange programs have been conducted in the United States. The current study investigated whether the firearms recovered in buyback programs in a large urban community are the types most closely associated with firearm fatalities in that same geographic area. Limited comparisons of buyback firearms to homicide firearms have indicated some differences between these groups. 1 7 There have been no previous comparisons of buyback firearms to those used in firearm suicides, and there have been no detailed comparisons of manufacturers of buyback firearms to those used in homicides. METHODS Data sourcesBuyback programs were conducted in Milwaukee County in 1994County in , 1995County in , and 1996 by the Police Department or the County Sheriff. A $50 gift certificate was given in exchange for a firearm which was considered by the exchanger to be "workable". Information on firearms acquired in buyback programs was obtained from the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory.Information on characteristics of firearms used in Milwaukee County homicides and suicides between 1994-97 was obtained from the Firearm Injury Reporting System (FIRS).7 8 Data from FIRS are compiled from three sources: medical examiners/coroners, local law enforcement agencies, and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory. 10Firearms The unit of analysis was the firearm. Only handguns were included in the analysis because the Milwaukee Police Department concentrated on obtaining handguns. Firearms used in homicide-suicide combination events were excluded because they could not be classified as either homicide or suicide. Firearms used in justifiable homicides were also excluded. Handguns were classified as small caliber (.22, .25, .32), med...

Truancy has well-documented short-term and long-term consequences, but there are few studies that look at its impact on injury-related mortality. This study evaluated the rate of injury-related mortality for 2006-2010 among youth (11-17 years old) with a history of severe truancy compared with youth without such history. There were 168 injury-related deaths (51 homicide, 29 suicide and 88 unintentional injury deaths) among youth in Dallas County. Fifteen of these deaths were among youth with a history of severe truancy. Injury-related mortality was more than five times higher among youth with history of severe truancy compared with youth without such history. Youth with a history of severe truancy have an increased risk of injury-related death. Further research may be warranted to evaluate the part of less severe levels of truancy on mortality and to study the effectiveness of truancy intervention programmes on the risk of death from injuries.

The level of accuracy for age estimates was sufficient for making estimates of compliant restraint use. Errors in estimated age resulted in a less than 1 percentage point difference in overall proper restraint use calculations. The results suggest that such observations can be a reliable measure of proper child occupant restraint use.

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