Recording injuries as well as deaths is essential for any recording system that aims to use the information to enhance responses to the problem, support victims' rights and evaluate the impact of policies and programmes.
Too much weight is still put on deaths alone as a proxy for the overall impact of violence. A reduction in homicide rates does not automatically correspond to a decrease in the overall rates of violence. Knowing the extent of non-fatal consequences of armed violence influences adequate responses in the long-term.
COUNTING THE COST: CASUALTY RECORDING PRACTICES AND REALITIES, p. 41
