The Unrelenting Epidemic of Violence in America

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Abstract
Three years ago, violence in America was declared a public health emergency.1Since that time, the urgency of reducing death and disability caused by the national epidemic of violence has not diminished. The morbidity and mortality resulting from interpersonal violence have been unrelenting, have continued to increase, and have been punctuated by widely publicized acute exacerbations. The tragic bombing in Oklahoma City and the Simpson murder trial serve as grim reminders of both the pervasiveness of violence in US society and the potential vulnerability of all US citizens to acts of violence. This issue ofThe Journalcontains a collection of articles presenting new research on interpersonal violence. Among the studies are updated reports on firearm-related injuries and deaths, unique findings on factors associated with intraracial homicides and weapon involvement in home invasion crimes, and clinically relevant current information on domestic violence against women. Taken together, these articles provide