Youth Victimization

lostyouthcov15308The gun violence epidemic is devastating for America’s youth. VPC research helps educate the public on youth gun violence victimization, and we work directly with policymakers, gun violence prevention groups, and community leaders to move toward effective solutions.

For five consecutive years, the VPC published Lost Youth, a series of reports that put a spotlight on youth victims of gun violence in California county by county. The primary goal of these reports is to offer localized information on youth homicide victimization on the county level to better inform citizens, advocates, service providers, and policymakers.

By comparing on a county-by-county level the homicide rates for youth and young adults in California, it is our goal to add a new, ongoing context for presenting information and measuring progress on gun violence against youth, while at the same time helping to support discussion, analysis, policy development, and action. Above all, this work is conducted in the belief that information aids in the development of sound prevention strategies — on the local, state, and national levels.

Publications
Lost Youth: A County-by-County Analysis of 2013 California Homicide Victims Ages 10 to 24 (November 2015) | En español
View the press release | En español

Previous Editions of Lost Youth
Lost Youth: A County-by-County Analysis of 2012 California Homicide Victims Ages 10 to 24 (September 2014) | En español
View the press release | En español

Lost Youth: A County-by-County Analysis of 2011 California Homicide Victims Ages 10 to 24  (March 2013) | En español 
View the press release | En español

Lost Youth: A County-by-County Analysis of 2010 California Homicide Victims Ages 10 to 24  (January 2012) | En español 
View the press release | En español

Lost Youth: A County-by-County Analysis of 2009 California Homicide Victims Ages 10 to 24 (January 2011) | En español
View the press release