Data for 2020 are presented and interpreted on cases of youth victims (ages 10-17) of suicide and homicide, based on Fatal Injury Reports of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The number of youth suicide victims remained relatively stable in 2020, and the number of youth homicide victims increased 47 percent; however, except for Black youth, the suicide rate for youth in 2020 was greater than the homicide rate, regardless of victim gender or race. Although the disparity in suicide rates decreased after 1990, the rate for male youth was more than twice the rate for female youth in 2020. The suicide rate increased for Black and Hispanic youth in the last year but decreased for white youth. Suffocation and firearms accounted for about the same proportion of youth suicide victims in 2020. Online access is provided for the Statistical Briefing Book, which provides more information on youth victims of violence. 5 figures