[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2731-2732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-918]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Docket No. CDC-2012-0001]


Request for Information on Youth Violence

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is seeking on 
behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services information for 
an anticipated Surgeon General response to the public health problem of 
youth violence.

DATES: Individuals and organizations interested in providing 
information must submit their comments on/or before February 21, 2012. 
Comments received after this date will not be considered.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by any one of the following 
methods:
     Internet: Electronic comments may be sent via http://www.regulations.gov, docket control number CDC-2012-0001. Please follow 
the directions on the site to submit comments; or
     Mail: Comments may also be sent by mail to the attention 
of Kesha Offutt, Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, National 
Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC, 4770 Buford Hwy., Mail 
Stop F-63, Atlanta, GA 30341.
    All relevant comments will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov including any personal information provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lesley M. Russell BSc (Hons), BA, 
Ph.D., Senior Public Health Advisor for Outreach and Policy, Office of 
the US Surgeon General, by telephone at (202) 401-9586, or email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Scope of Problem: Youth violence is a significant public health 
problem with the potential for immediate and lifelong harmful 
consequences. Although rates of youth violence have dropped since the 
peak levels in the early 1990s, risk for youth violence remains 
unacceptably high. Each day, an average of 16 young people between the 
ages of 10 and 24 years fall victim to homicide and another 1,700 are 
treated in emergency departments for nonfatal injuries from physical 
assaults. Youth violence also is associated with high rates of 
emotional and social difficulties, alcohol and substance use, and 
academic failure. The damage resulting from youth violence extends 
beyond the young perpetrators and victims. Violence can increase a 
community's health care costs, decrease property values, and disrupt 
social services. Each year, youth homicides and assault-related 
injuries result in an estimated $14.1 billion in combined medical and 
work loss costs. These losses and expenditures deprive us of our next 
generation of healthy and productive citizens and restrict our 
opportunities to invest in other areas that our nation views as 
critical.
    Approach: The Office of the Surgeon General is interested in 
increasing attention to the issue of youth violence in the United 
States and the science that demonstrates youth violence can be 
prevented from occurring. This document would build on the 2001 Surgeon 
General's report on youth violence along with 10 years of experience in 
the field to help our nation understand the causes and impacts of youth 
violence and how to prevent it from occurring in the first place.
    Potential Areas of Focus: CDC is interested in receiving 
information on the following:

[[Page 2732]]

    (1) What is the extent of the problem and its consequences.
    (2) What are the differences in youth violence prevalence among 
subgroups and communities and how might they inform prevention 
approaches.
    (3) What is the availability and adaptability of evidence-based 
prevention programs.
    Purpose of Notice: The purpose of this notice is to provide 
individuals and organizations the opportunity to identify issues and 
areas of need for consideration as we gather information to inform the 
Surgeon General's document on youth violence. All comments will receive 
careful consideration.

    Dated: January 5, 2012.
Tanja Popovic,
Deputy Associate Director for Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2012-918 Filed 1-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P