The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have conducted an analysis of death statistics.  In 2010, approximately 4,800 youths (aged 10 to 24) were killed.  This is a rate of 7.5 homicides for every 100,000 youths, which is a rate lower than any year since 1981.  From approximately 1984 onwards, there was a gradual increase in the death rate, and in 1993, there was a spike in violent crime that was tied to the use of crack cocaine.

In their report, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the CDC notes that homicide continues to be in the top three causes for death in youths.  This translates into an economic impact of $9 billion in medical costs and lost productivity.  Over the course of 30 years, the most common method of homicide was by firearm.  Nearly 80 percent of all youth homicides were the result of firearms.

Earlier this month, a study indicated a link between assault-related injuries and gun possessions.  During the years between 1984 and 1994, gun deaths caused by juveniles increased fourfold.  There seems to be greater accessibility for youths desiring to possess large-caliber guns, which increases the risk of an assault victim being seriously injured or dying.

The Health Resources and Services Administration studied trends in youth mortality to determine if there were disparate impacts.  While the decades since 1935 have seen a consistent decline in infant and child mortality, youth mortality has only seen a modest decline by comparison.  Moreover, specific youth populations have had little to no improvement.  Specifically, the mortality rate for black youths remains relatively unchanged.  The mortality rate is the highest in non-Hispanic blacks, followed by Native Americans and Hispanics.  By cause of death, unintentional injuries was most common, but this also varied by race.  For non-Hispanic blacks, the leading cause of death was homicide.

Across the world, traffic accidents are one of the leading singular causes of death in youths, followed by suicide.  Compared to New Zealand, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Finland, Canada, Spain, Britain, France, Sweden, and Japan, the U.S. is the only nation with death due to violence as a more common cause of youth death.  In Finland and Japan, suicide ranks higher than even traffic accidents.

There is a large amount of variability by state in the rate of death in teens (15 to 19 years old).  South Dakota and Montana rank highest at 85 deaths per 100,000 people.  Rhode Island ranks the lowest at a rate of 29 per 100,000.  The average for the U.S. is 49 per 100,000.