Data accessed from both death certificates and police reports show that mortality from interpersonal violence is extremely uncommon in Great Britain, particularly in comparison with other countries; in 1985, it accounted for only 0.1 per cent of all deaths and 0.4 per cent of deaths among individuals under 65 years of age. Despite a steady increase in the rate of homicide over the past 20 years, homicide can only be considered to be a minor public health issue in Great Britain. In contrast, data accessed from the British Crime Surveys and from studies conducted both in accident and emergency departments and among individuals hospitalized with head injuries, show that morbidity associated with interpersonal violence may be relatively common in Great Britain. However, until more valid estimates of morbidity can be made, the overall importance of interpersonal violence as a public health issue in Great Britain cannot be assessed with accuracy.