To counter gun violence, researchers seek deeper data

National Public Radio

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently expanded the National Violent Death Reporting System, its program of collecting data from states on violent deaths, with 32 states now participating. Some researchers hope that this change will lead to greater understanding of gun-related injuries and deaths in particular, and contribute to more effective safety policies at the state level. “There are such data systems, and have been for decades, for motor vehicle injuries, and that sort of continuing flow of data has done a great deal to shape our efforts to prevent motor vehicle injuries,” said Garen Wintemute, director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis.

Spark Extra! Learn about a recently passed Massachusetts law related to gun violence which includes mandated data collection on suicides.