Reporting the results of a study discussing how family structure affects adolescent death rates and under what conditions appeals for social justice are warranted for relative mortality statuses, this article connects family structure, adolescent mortality, and social justice. Arguing that many recent studies have examined the influence of adolescent family structure, sociodemographic characteristics, and judgment impairing substance use on mortality among adolescents in the United States, the author begins by presenting a literature review of theories of social justice. After arguing that links between socioeconomic status and mortality are clearly established, the author contends that other social determinants may also influence health and mortality. Describing the data used in this study from the cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, the author discusses the 12,686 noninstitutionalized youths in the United States, 14- to 21-years-old as of December 31, 1978, who were interviewed in 1979, 1994, 1996, and 1998 concerning labor market experiences and family characteristics. Addressing the 8,399 respondents who returned for interviews in 1998, the author indicates that the 1998 respondents differed on several sociodemographic measures from those in 1979, with major differences reflecting increased family incomes, slightly younger participants, and larger family size. Results from Chi-square, t-test, and ANOVA statistics indicate that family marital instability increased the likelihood of adolescent mortality suggesting support for the social justice arguments to redistribute resources on the basis of relative mortality statuses. Tables, references