In Connecticut, homicide and suicide constitute the third leading cause of years of potential life lost before age 65. Between 1988 and 1992, homicide and suicide were responsible for one-quarter of the deaths to Connecticut residents between the ages of 1 and 24 years, and were the second and third leading causes of death in this age group. A total of 13,039 Connecticut females, aged 16 and older, reported domestic physical abuse to the police during 1996. The categories of intentional injuries discussed here include suicide and attempted suicide, homicide and injuries due to assault, domestic violence, and deaths and injuries due to firearms. Although suicide ranks eleventh as a cause of death in Connecticut, it ranks sixth in terms of premature deaths, reflecting the younger average age of suicide victims as compared to persons who die of other causes.
Experts agree that the number of suicides is undercounted.
It is estimated that suicide attempts are eight times more common than completed suicides. Individuals who complete suicide are most likely to be male, while those who survive a suicide attempt are most likely to be female. Nearly half of Connecticut suicides were performed with a firearm. In 1994, three and one half times as many males as females committed suicide. The suicide rate for whites in Connecticut was double the rate for blacks.