Violent Death Reporting System

The Alabama Violent Death Reporting System (AVDRS) is a statewide surveillance program established under a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant in 2016. AVDRS is a part of the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) and utilizes Vital Statistics, Law Enforcement, and Coroner/Medical Examiner reports to record, analyze, and link homicides, suicides, and certain types of undetermined deaths in Alabama across all age groups. The primary goal of AVDRS is to assist with developing and improving violence prevention programs in the state by providing data on trends and characteristics of violent deaths.

Defining a Violent Death

The CDC defines violent death as a death that results from the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or a group or community.

Visit the National Violent Death Reporting System to learn more.

Download the Alabama Violent Death Reporting System brochure to learn more about the program.

Data from AVDRS

• 2018 Yearly Statistic Report 

An Overview of the Alabama Violent Death Reporting System (AVDRS)

This video provides information to help data providers to better understand the goals and objectives of AVDRS and to explain what information is needed from data providers.

Data Providers

• Vital Statistics 
• Coroners/Medical Examiners
• Law Enforcement

Vital Statistics

Each month, the Alabama Center for Health Statistics (ACHS) provides AVDRS with death certificates of victims who have died of violent death in the state of Alabama. Based on the death certificates received from ACHS, Coroners and Medical Examiners and Law Enforcement reports are requested.

Coroners/Medical Examiners

Annually, coroners and medical examiners will receive a letter from AVDRS requesting reports for victims who have died of violent death in the state of Alabama.

• Sample request letter for Coroners/Medical Examiners

What information needs to be sent to AVDRS* for each victim:

• Your Coroner/Medical Examiner Reports
• Toxicology Report
• Firearms Report

*AVDRS realizes that Coroners/Medical Examiners may not have all of the reports listed above

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Law Enforcement

Each year, law enforcement personnel will receive a letter from AVDRS requesting reports of victims who have died of violent death in the state of Alabama.

• Sample request letter for Law Enforcement

What requested information needs to be sent to AVDRS:

• The Alabama Uniform Incident/Offense Report

How to Send Requested information to AVDRS

Contact AVDRS

• Program Manager --- Gloria Davis, [email protected], 334-206-2938
• Data Manager --- Stuart Holye, [email protected], 334-206-5588
• Abstractor --- Stella Beck, [email protected], 334-206-5220