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Contents of Homicide trends in the
U.S.
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Homicide trends in the U.S.
Age
trends
The rise
in teen involvement in homicide as both victims and offenders beginning in
the mid-1980's was dramatic
Homicide
victimization rates for teenagers and young adults increased dramatically
in the late 1980's while rates for older age groups declined
- Homicide
victimization rates for children under age 14 have remained stable and
low relative to older groups
- The homicide
victimization rate for 14-17 year-olds increased almost 150% from 1985
to 1993
- 18-24 year-olds
experienced the highest homicide victimization rates, a change from the
late 1970's when 25-34 year-olds had the highest rates
- The victimization
rates have generally declined for adults ages 25-34, 35-49, and 50 and
over
- Since 1993,
victimization rates for teens and young adults have declined but still
remain higher than the levels of the mid-1980's
To view data, click on the chart.
 [D]
View an animation of
homicide victimization rates by age from 1980 to 1999.
Additional detail is
available about homicides of children under age 5, infanticide,
and homicides of persons age 65 and older, eldercide.
For more information
about age patterns in violent victimization see Key Facts at a
Glance.
Homicide offending
rates followed a similar pattern
Offending rates for
teenagers and young adults increased dramatically in the late 1980's while
rates for older age groups declined
- the offending
rates for children under age 14 changed little
- 18-24 year-olds
have historically had the highest offending rates and their rates
doubled from 1985 to 1993
- the homicide
offending rates of 14-17 year-olds exploded after 1985, surpassing the
rates of 25-34 year-olds and 35-49 year-olds
- Since 1993,
offending rates for teens and young adults have declined but remain
higher than levels prior to the mid-1980's
To view data, click on the chart.
 [D]
View an animation of
homicide offending rates by age from 1980 to 1999.
For more information
about age patterns in violent offending see Key Facts at a
Glance.
After many years of decline,
the average age of both victims and offenders has leveled off
The average age of
--
- victims is greater
than that of offenders and fell from 35 years in 1976 to 31 years in
1994
- offenders fell
from about 31 years in 1976 to 27 years in 1994
- both offenders and
victims has increased slightly in recent years yet remains lower than it
was prior to the mid-1980's
To view data, click on the chart.
 [D]
Young victims were more
likely to know the offender than older victims
To view data, click on the chart.
 [D]
Source:
FBI, Supplementary Homicide Reports, 1976-99
Additional
information about the data used in Homicide trends in the
U.S.
The age distribution of
homicide victims and offenders differs by type of homicide
For the years 1976-99
combined -
- Over one-quarter
of the victims of gang-related killings are under the age of 18.
Juveniles are also unusually involved as victims of family, sex-related
homicides, and homicide by arson or poison. At the other extreme,
felony-murder, workplace murder and arson homicides claim a relatively
large percentage of older victims.
- Juveniles are
especially implicated as offenders in homicides that involve multiple
perpetrators, that are gang-related, and, to a lesser extent, that are
felony-related
Homicide Type by Age, 1976-99
Homicide
type |
Victims |
Offenders |
| Under 18 |
18-34 |
35-49 |
50+ |
|
Under 18 |
18-34 |
35-49 |
50+ |
|
All homicides |
9.8% |
52.7% |
22.6% |
14.9% |
|
10.7% |
63.7% |
18.1% |
7.5% |
| Victim/ offender
relationship |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Intimate |
2.2% |
47.4% |
33.2% |
17.1% |
|
1.1% |
47.5% |
33.6% |
17.8% |
|
Family |
18.6% |
33.4% |
26.5% |
21.5% |
|
5.9% |
49.6% |
27.5% |
17.0% |
|
Infanticide |
100.0% |
|
|
|
|
8.5% |
81.5% |
8.9% |
1.0% |
|
Eldercide |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
10.3% |
48.6% |
17.7% |
23.4% |
| Circumstances |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Felony murder |
7.7% |
46.3% |
21.3% |
24.7% |
|
15.7% |
72.7% |
9.6% |
1.9% |
|
Sex related |
19.8% |
45.6% |
15.8% |
18.8% |
|
10.9% |
74.5% |
12.5% |
2.0% |
|
Drug related |
5.5% |
72.4% |
19.1% |
3.0% |
|
12.1% |
75.9% |
10.8% |
1.2% |
|
Gang related |
27.2% |
65.8% |
5.7% |
1.3% |
|
33.4% |
65.0% |
1.4% |
.3% |
|
Argument |
5.4% |
56.7% |
25.9% |
12.0% |
|
6.9% |
60.1% |
23.2% |
9.8% |
|
Workplace |
1.9% |
28.8% |
31.0% |
38.3% |
|
5.2% |
52.2% |
26.7% |
15.9% |
| Weapon |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gun
homicide |
7.5% |
58.7% |
22.5% |
11.2% |
|
11.5% |
62.2% |
17.6% |
8.7% |
|
Arson |
28.4% |
27.2% |
18.6% |
25.8% |
|
12.1% |
58.5% |
22.4% |
7.0% |
|
Poison |
27.2% |
25.6% |
15.5% |
31.7% |
|
3.8% |
53.3% |
26.0% |
16.9% |
| Multiple victims
or offenders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Multiple victims |
18.8% |
45.5% |
18.9% |
16.8% |
|
9.6% |
65.1% |
19.2% |
6.2% |
|
Multiple offenders |
11.4% |
54.8% |
19.7% |
14.1% |
|
18.9% |
72.4% |
7.4% |
1.2% |
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