Puerto Rico Institute Statistics launches Digital Platform for the Violent Death Notification System

Announcements
PRVDRS
27 March 2026

More than 4,300 Homicides and 1,600 Suicides Since 2017: Digital Platform Allows Exploration of Violent Deaths in Puerto Rico

From 2017 to 2023, Puerto Rico has recorded 4,304 homicides and 1,685 suicides.These figures reflect a complex phenomenon that impacts families, communities, and public safety and health throughout the archipelago.

With the goal of promoting a deeper and more accessible understanding of this reality, the Puerto Rico Violent Death Reporting System (PRVDRS) developed a digital platform that allows for a detailed and contextualized examination of the data.

“The public policy formulation process requires reliable data and rigorous analysis. This tool allows us to measure the magnitude of violent deaths in Puerto Rico and better understand the circumstances surrounding these incidents. Evidence-based decision-making is fundamental to effectively addressing this public health and safety issue,” expressed Planner Mario O. Font Martin, Statistical Projects Manager and Coordinator of the PRVDRS.

Data to Help Understand the Phenomenon

The PRVDRS integrates information from multiple official sources, including the Puerto Rico Police, the Institute of Forensic Sciences, and the Demographic Registry of the Department of Health. By combining these sources into an anonymized database, the system allows for the analysis of not only how many deaths occur but also the circumstances surrounding them.

From the start of data collection in 2017 through 2023, the system has documented:

  • 4,304 homicides
  • 1,685 suicides

This integration allows for the identification of patterns and trends that are not always visible in individual reports.

What Does the Digital Platform Offer?

The tool allows citizens to:

  • Explore historical trends since 2017.
  • Analyze data through interactive visualizations and maps.
  • Examine the classification of violence (e.g., community or collective).
  • Identify the type of weapon involved.
  • Review circumstances associated with the incidents.

Currently, the platform presents official consolidated data through 2023, along with preliminary data from 2024 to 2026, which will be updated monthly.

A Nationally Integrated Effort

The PRVDRsis part of the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The PRVDRS collects information documented by the Puerto Rico Police, the Institute of Forensic Sciences, and death certificates from the Department of Health's Demographic Registry into an anonymous database with over 600 variables. For more information on the NVDRS, you can access the following link: National Violent Death Reporting System.

This methodology allows for an understanding of not only the cause of death but also the circumstances and factors related to each case, facilitating comparisons with other U.S. jurisdictions.

Public Access

The platform is available through the official portal of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics: Puerto Rico Violent Death Notification System (PRVDRS) interactive tool

Open access to this data strengthens transparency and fosters informed conversations regarding violence prevention and public policy. Understanding the data is an essential step toward addressing one of the most complex challenges facing Puerto Rico in an informed manner.

About the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics

The Institute is an autonomous government entity responsible for coordinating the production of government statistics to ensure that the data collection systems upon which public policies are based are complete, reliable, and provide rapid and universal access.

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Recruiting for the 2020 Census begins

PRESS RELEASE

RED STATE DATA CENTER OF PUERTO RICO

RECRUITING FOR THE 2020 CENSUS BEGINS

San Juan, PR, February 5, 2019 — The Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico (Institute) announced today that the platform for applying for employment opportunities, related to the next Decennial Census 2020 in Puerto Rico, is now operational. The recruitment carried out by the Federal Census Bureau (U.S. Census Bureau) emerges as part of the planning of the important census operation that is coming. As the leading entity of the Network State Data Center (SDC) of the U.S. Census Bureau in Puerto Rico, the Institute urges all interested persons to complete the employment application. The 2020 Census job application platform is available online at the following email address: https://tinyurl.com/ybsulewp.

To apply for employment with the Census Bureau, applicants must complete three steps: 1) Create an applicant profile, 2) Provide personal information, and 3) Complete an evaluation, depending on employment preference. For general questions about the application process, you can consult the employment applications section at: https://tinyurl.com/yd9hu5vo. If you have questions about the operations of the U.S. Census Bureau in Puerto Rico, you can contact us at: https://estadisticas.pr.gov/contacto.

“Given the complexity of a Decennial Census, activities and projects intensify as we approach the date of the enumeration (April 1, 2020). We are already a little more than a year away from the event, and in this case the application and evaluation phase of candidates for the various positions offered by the Census Bureau begins. Timely recruitment is vital, since the positions involve specialized training that will result in the best possible enumeration of the population,” said Alberto L. Velázquez Estrada, Manager of Statistical Projects at the Institute.

For his part, Dr. Orville M. Disdier, Acting Executive Director, noted that “The preparation of the Decennial Census is a complex and very precise task, which is carried out in a relatively short time. Fortunately, at the Institute we are coordinating and managing all the work processes that need to be completed before April 1, 2020. All of the Institute's demographic and statistical work, vital for the economic and social development of Puerto Rico, is up to date.”

As the leading entity of the Puerto Rico SDC, the Institute manages the SDC portal, which contains the main statistical reports and publications of the U.S. Census Bureau about Puerto Rico, specifically those that are most in demand. These publications include: Annual population estimates, the Puerto Rico Community Survey (Puerto Rico Community Survey), and official statistics on Puerto Rico's 10-year population and housing censuses, among others. The Puerto Rico SDC portal can be accessed through: https://censo.estadisticas.pr/.

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is an autonomous governmental entity responsible for coordinating the Government's statistical production service to ensure that the data collection and statistics systems, on which public policies are based, are complete, reliable, and have quick and universal access. The Institute has in its inventory, accessible through www.estadisticas.pr.gov, over 300 statistical products. In addition, it is a custodian and provides access to over 100 data sets or “data sets” through https://data.pr.gov/ and to over 40 tables and more than 6,000 indicators through: www.indicadores.pr.

For more information you can visit our website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. In addition, you can follow us on cyber social networks through Facebook (estadisticas.pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.

Conference on the 2020 Census, process, importance and purpose of data.

Conference on the 2020 Census, process, importance and purpose of data

Free admission to Caguas on Thursday, February 27, 2020

Make Puerto Rico count! is an initiative of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics to publicize, through an entire day of conferences, the processes of the Decennial Census that is being carried out during this year 2020, the methodology, the importance and the purpose of the data. This will take place on Thursday, February 27, 2020 at the Criollo Center for Caribbean Science and Technology in Caguas from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free and includes lunch and poster presentation.

“The census is much more than just a count of people. It provides us with an image of our society that is useful and necessary in decision-making, in effective planning and in the distribution of funds, among other actions. In addition, it helps us to see how our communities have changed over time,” said Alberto L. Velázquez-Estrada, Manager of Statistical Projects at the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics.

With the participation of census data experts and key field operations personnel from the U.S. Census Bureau, topics related to the census operation and the importance of official population enumeration will be presented, which is considered a unique opportunity in every decade. The topics to be presented are: Decennial censuses and aspects to consider in the current demography of Puerto Rico, by Dr. Judith Rodriguez, former professor of the Graduate Program in Demography of the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico; Census Operation 2020, by Jeff Behler, director of the New York Regional Office (NYRO) of the U.S. Census Bureau; The Complete Enumeration Committees in Puerto Rico, by Giselle Laffitte, partnership specialist (NYRO) of the U.S. Census Bureau; and Visualization of census data, by the Mr. Gerson Vázquez from Data Viz CMLSO Specialist.

In the same way, the activity will present the panel: Use and relevance of census data for public policy and research, with the participation of Dr. María E. Enchautegui Román from the Youth Development Institute, Dr. Viviana De Jesús Monge from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras campus and Medical Sciences campus, demographer Raúl Figueroa, and planner Yoel Velázquez from Albizu University.

“During the past decade, Puerto Rico experienced a variety of economic, social and natural situations, whose impact and consequences will undoubtedly be reflected in this 2020 Census. This is why it is important to educate ourselves on this topic, so that, when the time comes, an informed analysis of the results can be made. At the Institute, we are 100% committed to the work of the Census,” said the Acting Executive Director of the Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico, Dr. Orville M. Disdier.

Those interested in participating must register at the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/haz-que-cuentes-puerto-rico-censo-2020-tickets-76454612805

To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.

Just over 2% of the population emigrated in 2017

PRESS RELEASE

PUERTO RICO STATE DATA CENTER NETWORK (SDC-PR)

Just over 2% of the population emigrated in 2017

This is indicated by the net migratory balance in the most recent Migrant Profile

San Juan, PR, August 23, 2019 — During the calendar year 2017, it was estimated that around 2.4% of the population immigrated to other jurisdictions in the United States, translating into nearly 77,000 people in net terms. This was revealed by the Migrant Profile 2017, which was published today by the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, and which presents an overview of the migratory movement in Puerto Rico in the calendar year 2017. Within 13 years of information from the Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau, this figure marks the migratory peak of this source. In addition, the profile uses information on the net movement of air passengers from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) and the Ports Authority. Here are the main findings:

  1. In 2017, Puerto Rico's migration indicators expanded, showing the effect of the impact of hurricanes: 97,000 people migrated to the United States, increasing the record level of Community Survey data from the previous year
    • 77,000 people migrated to the United States in net terms, a new mark compared to information from the Community Survey
    • 27,000 people immigrated to the United States with some post-secondary education in net terms, according to the Community Survey
    • 294 thousand air passengers to all destinations in net terms according to BTS
  2. The migratory trend intensified in the current decade (2010-2017); in net terms:
    • 458,000 people migrated to other jurisdictions in the United States, according to the Community Survey
    • 737,000 air passengers left for all destinations, according to BTS

3. The ten states with the highest emigration from Puerto Rico (2017), in descending order, were Florida, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, Georgia, and North Carolina.

4. The median income of emigrants and immigrants between Puerto Rico and the United States fell by 11% and 2%, respectively.

5. By 2017, 37% of emigrants and 50% of immigrants were living in poverty, according to the Community Survey.

6. According to data from the Community Survey, the management and professional occupational group continued to have the highest proportion among emigrants, followed by service occupations. As for specific occupations:

    • It was estimated that between 657 and 4,043 emigrants were employed as packers and packers. From 1,072 to 3,416 they were employed as customer service representatives.
    • In turn, it was estimated that 924 to 3,170 were teachers and 774 to 2,676 were responsible for building maintenance and cleaning.

“The continuity in the publication of the Migrant Profile allows us to contrast the most recent estimates of the migrant population against the behavior of previous years. The various series show the trend and changes in the size and characteristics of migrants in demographic and socio-economic aspects. This new publication reflects the immediate effect of the impact of the hurricanes up to December 2017, maximizing the migratory flow to figures never before recorded in Puerto Rico. In the field of education, for the third consecutive year (2015-2017), more than 50% of emigrants aged 25 and over had some post-secondary education. On the other hand, the scenario is presented that more than a third of emigrants, once residing in a state, live below the poverty level.” said Alberto L. Velázquez-Estrada, Manager of Statistical Projects at the Institute.

See more details and information about the 2017 Migrant Profile, as well as previous publications, in the Publications section of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics: Publications.

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is an autonomous governmental entity responsible for coordinating the Government's statistical production service to ensure that the data collection and statistics systems, on which public policies are based, are complete, reliable, and have quick and universal access. In addition, as the leading entity of the SDC in Puerto Rico, the Institute manages the SDC portal, which contains the main statistical reports and publications of the U.S. Census Bureau on Puerto Rico, specifically those that are most in demand, such as annual population estimates; the Puerto Rico Community Survey (Puerto Rico Community Survey) and official statistics on Puerto Rico's 10-year population and housing censuses, among others. The Puerto Rico SDC portal can be accessed through: https://censo.estadisticas.pr/.

For more information you can visit our website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. In addition, you can follow us on social networks through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.

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Press Contact:

Idia Martínez

787-603-3200

imartinez@upfrontpr.net