Violence as a public health issue

Interpersonal violence is widely accepted as a public health problem, rather than being seen mainly as a matter for the criminal justice system. This paper points out the importance of a rigorous focus on the well being of populations, and public health's use of population wide data to aid understanding of the problems and identifying solutions. In this way, public health can make a valuable contribution to violence prevention and cover a much broader spectrum than the criminal justice system can alone.