Skip directly to searchSkip directly to the site navigationSkip directly to the page's main content

Complete Health Indicator Report of Homicide

Definition

Number of resident deaths resulting from the intentional use of force or power, threatened or actual, against another person, per 100,000 population. ICD-10 codes X85-X99, Y00-Y09, Y87.1, U01-U02.

Numerator

Number of deaths resulting from the intentional use of force or power, threatened or actual, against another person.

Denominator

Total number of persons in the population of Utah.

Data Interpretation Issues

ICD stands for the International Classification of Diseases. It is a coding system maintained by the World Health Organization and the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics used to classify causes of death, such as homicide, on death certificates. These codes are updated every decade or so to account for advances in medical technology. The U.S. is currently using the 10th revision (ICD-10) to code causes of death and hospital and emergency department visits.

Why Is This Important?

From 2019 to 2023, the Utah age-adjusted homicide rate was 2.5 per 100,000 persons. This is an average of 83 homicides per year. Those aged 15-24 had the highest homicide rate. Death by homicide takes an enormous toll on the mental and physical well-being of family members, friends, neighbors, and co-workers of the victim. The trauma, grief, and bereavement experienced by these individuals have long-lasting impacts that affect many aspects of their lives.

Other Objectives

Healthy People Objective 2030 IVP-30: [[br]] Reduce firearm-related deaths[[br]] '''U.S. Target:''' 10.7 deaths per 100,000 population[[br]] '''State Target:''' 9.0 firearm-related deaths per 100,000 population

How Are We Doing?

The 2019-2023 Utah age-adjusted homicide rate was 2.5 per 100,000 population. The homicide rate peaked in 2020 at 2.89, which is the highest rate since 2001, and declined in 2021 and 2022. The rate in 2023 was 2.18. There were 72 homicides in 2022 and 76 in 2023. In 2020, the 95 homicide deaths in Utah were the highest number of homicides recorded in Utah in the last 20 years. The lowest number of homicide deaths in 20 years occurred in 2004 with 42.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

The Utah homicide rate has been consistently lower than the national rate. From 2018-2022, the homicide rate for the U.S. was 7.1 per 100,000 population. For Utah during this same time period, the age-adjusted homicide rate was 2.5 per 100,000 population. Utah had the 3rd lowest homicide rate in the U.S. in 2022.

What Is Being Done?

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP) is funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to implement the Utah Violent Death Reporting System (UTVDRS). UTVDRS is a data collection and monitoring system that will help Utahns to better understand the public health problem of violence by informing decision-makers about the magnitude, trends, and characteristics of violent deaths such as homicide, and to evaluate and continue to improve state-based violence prevention policies and programs. Data are collected from the Office of the Medical Examiner, Vital Records, and law enforcement agencies and are linked together to help identify risk factors, understand circumstances, and better characterize perpetrators of violent deaths. VIPP also coordinates the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee (DVFRC) and the Child Fatality Review Committee (CFRC), whose members come from various statewide agencies and disciplines. Based on the data collected, both committees make recommendations to prevent these deaths.

Available Services

Utah Office For Victims Of Crime [[br]] 1-801-238-2360[[br]] Toll-free: 1-800-621-7444[[br]] [https://crimevictim.utah.gov/] Utah Domestic Violence Coalition[[br]] [https://www.udvc.org/] Statewide Domestic Violence LinkLine[[br]] 1-800-897-LINK (5465)

Health Program Information

The Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP) is a trusted and comprehensive resource for data related to violence and injury. Through education, this information helps promote partnerships and programs to prevent injuries and improve public health. VIPP goals are to a) focus prevention efforts on reducing intentional and unintentional injury, b) conduct education aimed at increasing awareness and changing behaviors that contribute to the occurrence of injury, c) strengthen local health department capacity to conduct local injury prevention programs, d) promote legislation, policy changes, and enforcement that will reduce injury hazards and increase safe behaviors, e) collaborate with private and public partners, and f) improve the Utah Department of Health and Human Services capacity to collect mortality and morbidity data from multiple sources and conduct injury epidemiology for use in prevention planning, implementation, and evaluation.


Related Indicators

Relevant Population Characteristics

From 2014-2023, adults aged 15-24 had the highest homicide rates.

Related Relevant Population Characteristics Indicators:


Risk Factors

Risk factors for violent behavior in youth include history of violent victimization, involvement with drugs, alcohol, or tobacco, low parental involvement, poor monitoring and supervision of children, involvement with gangs, low commitment to school and school failure, high concentrations of poor residents, and socially disorganized neighborhoods.[[br]] [[br]] ---- Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Injury Center: Violence Prevention, Youth Violence: Risk And Protective Factors: [http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/youthviolence/riskprotectivefactors.html#1] (accessed 1/2/2020)

Related Risk Factors Indicators:




Graphical Data Views

Homicide by sex and year, Utah and U.S., Utah 2000-2023 and U.S. 2000-2022

::chart - missing::
confidence limits

UT M, UT F, US M, US FYearAge-adjusted rate per 100,000 populationLower LimitUpper LimitNoteNumer- atorDenom- inator
Record Count: 94
Utah Males20003.02.04.2351,124,675
Utah Males20014.23.15.7501,144,533
Utah Males20022.81.94.0331,165,962
Utah Males20033.92.85.3441,184,270
Utah Males20042.61.73.7311,204,831
Utah Males20053.22.34.4421,232,978
Utah Males20062.21.43.1281,267,516
Utah Males20073.32.44.4461,305,074
Utah Males20082.11.43.1271,337,398
Utah Males20092.71.83.8351,367,912
Utah Males20101.81.22.6261,393,140
Utah Males20112.11.43.1301,419,618
Utah Males20122.21.43.1311,444,028
Utah Males20132.41.73.4351,465,053
Utah Males20142.51.83.5371,487,250
Utah Males20152.51.83.4411,517,438
Utah Males20163.72.84.8611,548,541
Utah Males20173.32.44.3521,580,408
Utah Males20183.22.44.3511,609,128
Utah Males20193.52.74.6581,638,308
Utah Males20204.03.15.1691,666,963
Utah Males20214.23.35.3731,695,608
Utah Males20223.12.34.0531,724,329
Utah Males20233.12.44.1561,752,086
Utah Females20001.60.92.6171,119,827
Utah Females20012.21.43.3231,139,182
Utah Females20021.61.02.5201,158,853
Utah Females20031.20.62.0141,175,867
Utah Females20041.00.51.9*111,196,749
Utah Females20051.60.92.4201,224,741
Utah Females20061.60.92.5181,257,991
Utah Females20071.20.72.0171,292,672
Utah Females20081.40.82.2191,325,631
Utah Females20091.20.72.0161,355,509
Utah Females20101.81.22.8241,379,527
Utah Females20111.71.02.6221,402,473
Utah Females20121.10.61.9151,423,376
Utah Females20131.30.72.0171,440,969
Utah Females20141.40.92.2211,459,738
Utah Females20151.20.71.9171,486,353
Utah Females20161.20.82.0191,513,842
Utah Females20171.81.22.6271,542,069
Utah Females20181.10.61.8161,567,213
Utah Females20191.51.02.3241,592,799
Utah Females20201.71.12.4261,617,860
Utah Females20211.10.71.8181,646,936
Utah Females20221.20.71.8191,676,164
Utah Females20231.20.71.8201,704,396
U.S. Males20009.012,820138,458,150
U.S. Males200110.815,555139,891,523
U.S. Males20029.413,640141,230,565
U.S. Males20039.513,882142,428,853
U.S. Males20049.213,578143,827,954
U.S. Males20059.714,376145,196,982
U.S. Males20069.814,717146,647,158
U.S. Males20079.614,538148,064,715
U.S. Males20089.314,135149,489,864
U.S. Males20098.613,126150,807,454
U.S. Males20108.312,774151,788,777
U.S. Males20118.212,745153,212,980
U.S. Males20128.513,208154,397,027
U.S. Males20138.112,726155,514,054
U.S. Males20148.012,546156,695,810
U.S. Males20159.014,274157,906,843
U.S. Males20169.815,467159,085,693
U.S. Males20179.815,524160,113,445
U.S. Males20189.314,825160,960,513
U.S. Males20199.615,264161,692,336
U.S. Males202012.319,958164,525,109
U.S. Males202113.021,084164,722,995
U.S. Males202212.319,977165,283,553
U.S. Females20002.83,945143,713,786
U.S. Females20013.34,753145,077,405
U.S. Females20022.83,998146,394,561
U.S. Females20032.63,850147,678,992
U.S. Females20042.63,779148,977,257
U.S. Females20052.53,748150,319,506
U.S. Females20062.63,856151,732,602
U.S. Females20072.53,823153,166,315
U.S. Females20082.43,691154,603,927
U.S. Females20092.43,673155,964,075
U.S. Females20102.23,485156,969,328
U.S. Females20112.23,493158,370,501
U.S. Females20122.23,480159,480,635
U.S. Females20132.23,395160,545,893
U.S. Females20142.13,326161,690,519
U.S. Females20152.23,519162,832,151
U.S. Females20162.43,895163,986,062
U.S. Females20172.53,986165,008,683
U.S. Females20182.54,005165,877,686
U.S. Females20192.43,877166,637,617
U.S. Females20202.94,618166,986,403
U.S. Females20213.14,947167,308,559
U.S. Females20223.04,872168,004,004

Data Notes

Homicides are determined by using ICD-10 codes X85-X99, Y00-Y09, Y87.1, U01-U02.   [[br]] [[br]] Data are age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 standard population. [[br]] [[br]] *Use caution in interpreting, the estimate has a relative standard error greater than 30% and does not meet DHHS standards for reliability.

Data Sources

  • Utah Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
  • For years 2010 and later, the population estimates are provided by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, Utah state and county annual population estimates are by single year of age and sex, IBIS Version 2023
  • Population estimates for 2000-2009: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) through a collaborative agreement with the U.S. Census Bureau, IBIS Version 2020
  • National Center for Injury Prevention and Control's Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS)


Homicide by local health district, Utah 2014-2023 and U.S. 2013-2022

::chart - missing::
confidence limits

Local health districtAge-adjusted rate per 100,000 populationLower LimitUpper LimitNoteNumer- atorDenom- inator
Record Count: 15
Bear River0.90.51.5171,897,145
Central2.31.43.719784,147
Davis County1.10.81.6393,561,715
Salt Lake County3.22.93.638411,615,163
San Juan8.14.014.7*11147,568
Southeast2.81.45.2*11402,544
Southwest2.41.83.1542,483,236
Summit**0.32.7**
Tooele3.42.25.024705,968
TriCounty5.84.08.232568,564
Utah County1.31.01.6786,413,465
Wasatch**0.01.4**
Weber-Morgan3.12.43.8842,698,372
State of Utah2.42.22.575832,027,431
U.S.6.4202,0853,255,377,928

Data Notes

Homicides are determined by using ICD-10 codes X85-X99, Y00-Y09, Y87.1, U01-U02.   [[br]] [[br]]*Use caution in interpreting, the estimate has a relative standard error greater than 30% and does not meet DHHS standards for reliability.[[br]] ^ ^**Data does not meet DHHS standards for reliability. For more information, please go to [https://ibis.utah.gov/ibisph-view/pdf/resource/DataSuppression.pdf]. Data are age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 standard population. Prior to 2015 San Juan County was part of the Southeast Local Health District. In 2015 the San Juan County Local Health District was formed. Data reported are for all years using the current boundaries.

Data Sources

  • Utah Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
  • For years 2010 and later, the population estimates are provided by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, Utah state and county annual population estimates are by single year of age and sex, IBIS Version 2023
  • Population estimates for 2000-2009: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) through a collaborative agreement with the U.S. Census Bureau, IBIS Version 2020
  • National Center for Injury Prevention and Control's Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS)


Homicide by sex and age group, Utah, 2014-2023

::chart - missing::
confidence limits

Males vs. FemalesAge groupRate per 100,000 populationLower LimitUpper LimitNoteNumer- atorDenom- inator
Record Count: 14
MaleUnder 1 year4.52.28.0*11245,945
Male1-140.90.61.3333,677,118
Male15-245.74.86.71542,706,264
Male25-444.64.05.22144,672,596
Male45-643.12.53.7993,236,746
Male65-842.41.73.3371,534,057
Male85+****
FemaleUnder 1 year****
Female1-140.70.41.0233,473,933
Female15-241.10.71.6292,614,221
Female25-441.81.42.2804,421,010
Female45-641.41.01.9443,150,690
Female65-841.10.61.7181,688,137
Female85+****

Data Notes

Homicides are determined by using ICD-10 codes X85-X99, Y00-Y09, Y87.1, U01-U02.   [[br]] [[br]]*Use caution in interpreting, the estimate has a relative standard error greater than 30% and does not meet DHHS standards for reliability.[[br]]**Data does not meet DHHS standards for reliability. For more information, please go to [https://ibis.utah.gov/ibisph-view/pdf/resource/DataSuppression.pdf].

Data Sources

  • Utah Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
  • For years 2010 and later, the population estimates are provided by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, Utah state and county annual population estimates are by single year of age and sex, IBIS Version 2023
  • Population estimates for 2000-2009: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) through a collaborative agreement with the U.S. Census Bureau, IBIS Version 2020


Homicide by race, Utah, 2014-2023

::chart - missing::
confidence limits

RaceAge-adjusted rate per 100,000 populationLower LimitUpper LimitNumer- atorDenom- inator
Record Count: 7
American Indian/Alaska Native6.14.28.633490,592
Asian1.70.92.814833,395
Black, African American6.04.18.632461,601
Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander5.03.07.720347,229
White2.01.92.259028,872,674
Two or more races2.81.64.825845,015
All races2.42.22.575831,850,506

Data Notes

Homicides are determined by using ICD-10 codes X85-X99, Y00-Y09, Y87.1, U01-U02.   [[br]] [[br]]Data are age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 standard population with 3 age adjustment age groups.

Data Sources

  • Utah Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
  • Population Estimates by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for Counties in Utah, U.S. Bureau of the Census, IBIS Version 2023


Homicide by ethnicity, Utah, 2019-2023

::chart - missing::
confidence limits

Hispanic ethnicityAge-adjusted rate per 100,000 populationLower LimitUpper LimitNumer- atorDenom- inator
Record Count: 3
Hispanic/Latino4.23.45.11162,543,543
Non-Hispanic/Latino2.11.92.429514,082,076
All ethnicities2.52.32.841616,625,619

Data Notes

Homicides are determined by using ICD-10 codes X85-X99, Y00-Y09, Y87.1, U01-U02.   [[br]] [[br]]Data are age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 standard population with 10 age adjustment age groups.

Data Sources

  • Utah Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
  • Population Estimates by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for Counties in Utah, U.S. Bureau of the Census, IBIS Version 2023

References and community resources

The Utah Violent Death Reporting System links data from multiple sources to help identify risk factors and understand circumstances in violent deaths, including homicides. To access publicly available data visit [https://ibis.utah.gov/ibisph-view/query/selection/utvdrs/UtVDRSSelection.html] National Organization for Victims Assistance (NOVA)[[br]] [https://www.trynova.org/]

More Resources and Links

Additional indicator data by state and county may be found on these websites:

Medical literature can be queried at PubMed library.

Page Content Updated On 10/01/2024, Published on 10/07/2024
Violence and Injury Prevention Program, Office of Health Promotion and Prevention, Utah Department of Health and Human Services | Telephone: (801) 538-6864 | Email: vipp@utah.gov | Website: vipp.utah.gov
The information provided above is from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services IBIS-PH website (https://ibis.utah.gov/ibisph-view/). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: " Retrieved Thu, 21 November 2024 11:26:02 from Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health website: https://ibis.utah.gov/ibisph-view/ ".

Content updated: Mon, 7 Oct 2024 13:50:47 MDT