Violence in America

Injury is the leading cause of years of potential life lost in the United States and one third of all fatal injuries are a result of intentional injuries or violence. Today public health officials have identified violence as comparable in importance and impact to such previous epidemics as smallpox tuberculosis and syphilis. This volume offers a landmark assessment of the problem of violence from a public health perspective. Its aims is both to describe what is known about violence in our society and to lead the way towards involving health professionals in both analysis and action. The authors all internationally known experts in their fields examine child spouse and elder abuse; sexual assault and rape; suicide; assaultive violence; and homicide. To each topic they bring an analysis of key issues in epidemiology causal and risk factors outcomes and interventions. This timely work will be a valuable resource for public health professionals criminologists sociologists social workers educators and all those concerned with violence in our communities.