Homicide has remained the third leading cause of death among girls aged 10 to 19 for more than a decade. Recent research indicates that pregnant or postpartum teens are three times more likely to be victims of homicide compared to their nonpregnant counterparts. These findings portray a compelling picture that leads the authors to investigate the relationship between homicide and pregnancy among teens in Maryland. The purpose of this study is to compare women whose deaths had been evaluated by the medical examiner and who had evidence of pregnancy to women without evidence of pregnancy, with a particular focus on adolescents; 329 (17.7%) adults and 66 (32.7%) adolescents were victims of homicide. Adolescent homicide victims were 3.7 (1.2 to 11.8) times more likely to be pregnant compared to adult homicide victims. The rate of homicide was nearly double in all women who were pregnant. Further research is necessary to evaluate factors associated with these risks so that the future generation and society are protected.

As severe social problems persist, analysts from various sectors suggest that policies and programs should increase their sensitivity and effectiveness through collaborations among universities, communities, and political officials. A model of collaboration is presented, and the nature and importance of such collaborations are examined. The benefits, challenges, and roles of the three collaboration partners (university, community, and government) and the three stages of the collaboration process (initiation, deliberation, and implementation) are discussed in the context of a real-world application. Recommendations for future applications are presented.

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