Texas Violent Death Reporting System

Welcome to the Texas Violent Death Reporting System (TVDRS). Violent deaths include suicides, homicides, accidental firearm deaths, and undetermined violent deaths. TVDRS uses the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Violent Death Reporting System to link violent death data, including why violent deaths occurred. 

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 enter the information into a secure database. Our mission is to use violent death data to inform decisions that save lives.

For more information on which counties TVDRS covers, take a look at the expansion map below.

​

How can you use TVDRS data to prevent violent death?

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.