Homicide
There were 15,980 murders reported in 2001, reflecting a 2.5 increase
over 2000. (Federal Bureau of Investigation.
2002. Crime in the United States, Uniform Crime Reports, 2001.
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.)
Eighty-seven percent of the murders reported to the FBI in 2001
took place in metropolitan areas where 80 percent of the population
resides. Eight percent of the murders reported took place in rural
areas where 12 percent of the population resides. (Ibid.)
Seventy-six percent of the victims of homicide in 2001 were male
and 89 percent were adults. When race was known, 49.8 percent of
the homicide victims were white, 47 percent were black and the
remaining victims were Asian, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans,
or Alaskans. (Ibid.)
Almost one third of the female victims of homicides were slain
by their husbands or boyfriends, whereas 2.8 percent of the male
victims were slain by their wife or girlfriend. (Ibid.)
Among youth in the United States between the ages of 5 and 19,
there were 2358 homicides in the year 1998-1999. Thirty-three of
the homicides occurred while they were at school. (Bureau
of Justice Statistics. November 2002. Indicators of School Crime
and Safety: 2002. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.)
Of the reported homicides for which the weapon was known, 69.5
percent involved the use of a firearm and 77 percent of the firearms
were handguns. (Ibid.)
Family members are the most likely perpetrators in child homicides.
One in 5 children are murdered by family members. (Bureau
of Justice Statistics. 1996. Child Victimizers: Violent Offenders
and Their Victims. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.)
Between 500 and 600 children under the age of five were murdered
annually between 1976 and 1999. In 31 percent of the crimes, the
perpetrator was the father; in 30 percent, the perpetrator was
the mother; and in 23 percent, the perpetrator was a male acquaintance.
Six percent of the children were killed by relatives and 3 percent
were killed by strangers. Of those children killed by someone other
than family, the perpetrator was male in 82 percent of the crimes. (Federal
Bureau of Investigation. July 2001. Uniform Crime Reports: Supplementary
Homicide Reports, 1976-1999. Washington, DC: U.S. Department
of Justice.)
Forty-five percent of homicide victims were related to or acquainted
with their assailant in 2001, 15 percent were murdered by strangers,
and 40 percent of homicide victims had an unknown relationship
with their assailant. (Ibid.)
Of all murder victims, 11 percent were killed by an intimate.
Of all intimate murder victims, 74 percent were female. Of all
female murder victims, about 30 percent were killed by an intimate. (Bureau
of Justice Statistics. November 2001. Intimate Partner Violence
and Age of Victim 1993-1999. Washington, DC: U.S. Department
of Justice.)
Thirty-two percent of all the females between the ages of 20 and
24 that were murdered between 1993 and 1999 were victims of an
intimate partner. (Ibid.)
The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs' (NCAVP) data
collection for same sex domestic violence reported 7 same sex intimate
partner homicides in 2001. (Baum, R. and Moore,
K. 2002. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Domestic Violence
in 2001. New York. National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs.)
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| National Crime Victims' Rights
Week: Fulfill the Promise |
April 6–12, 2003 |
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