Texas Violent Death Reporting System
Welcome to the Texas Violent Death Reporting System (TVDRS). TVDRS collects violent death data from many sources, including death certificates, medical examiners, justices of the peace, and law enforcement agencies. TVDRS removes personal information of the deceased. Staff then use the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Violent Death Reporting System to link violent death data, including why the death occurred. Violent deaths include suicides, homicides, accidental firearm deaths, and undetermined violent deaths.
Our mission is to use violent death data to inform decisions that save lives.
TVDRS Data Products
Injury and Violence Prevention Epidemiology published the following data brief using TVDRS data: | |
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TVDRS Expansion Map
For more information on which counties TVDRS covers, see the expansion map below.
How TVDRS Data Can Prevent Violent Deaths
We Analyze the scale, trends, and characteristics of violent deaths.
TVDRS collects facts from death certificates, coroner/medical examiner reports (including toxicology), and law enforcement reports into one anonymous database. Data elements collected provide valuable context about violent deaths, such as relationship problems, mental health conditions and treatment, toxicology results, and life stressors, including recent money- or work-related or physical health problems.
Because of our work, our prevention partners can Better Understand the circumstances that contribute to violence in Texas counties. 
Other data systems primarily count deaths and provide basic demographic information about decedents (people who have died). With the linked information, TVDRS can provide a more complete picture of the circumstances that may contribute to violent deaths.
Then we Share Data and help public health professionals improve comprehensive violence prevention efforts and maximize benefits. 
TVDRS data increases our knowledge about where violent deaths occur, who is most at risk, and the factors that contribute to violent deaths. These data provide the foundation for building successful strategies for preventing violence so that all communities can be safe and free from violence and people can live to their full potential.
Linking Data to Save Lives
Frontline investigators include:
- Law enforcement;
- Justices of the peace; and
- Medical examiners.
These investigators collect valuable information about violent deaths. Yet, the data is seldom combined to provide a complete picture of the death.
The Texas Violent Death Reporting System (TVDRS) collects data from:
- Death certificates;
- Justice of the peace inquests;
- Medical examiner reports;
- Law enforcement incident reports; and
- Autopsy and toxicology reports.
These go into one database after our program de-identifies the reports.
Data elements collected provide valuable background about violent deaths. It can show:
- Relationship problems;
- Mental health conditions and treatment;
- Toxicology results; and
- Life stressors, including recent money- or work-related problems or physical health problems.
Our data is far more comprehensive than other collection systems. Professionals can use this information to create violence prevention efforts to save lives.
Access our Informational Flyer.
Contact TVDRS
Your questions are important to us. Please email us at tvdrs@dshs.texas.gov.
The Texas Department of State Health Services does not endorse external links to other websites or documents created by other agencies. These links and documents are informational and may not be accessible to persons with disabilities.