Journal article
Perpetrator characteristics and firearm use in pediatric homicides: Supplementary Homicide Reports - United States, 1976 to 2020
Injury epidemiology, Vol.11(1), 37
08/12/2024
DOI: 10.1186/s40621-024-00518-0
PMCID: PMC11318188
PMID: 39135130
Abstract
Background
Describe trends in perpetrator characteristics and firearm use in pediatric homicides across the United States.
Methods
Multiply-imputed data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 1976–2020 Supplementary Homicide Reports were used to estimate perpetrator characteristics (sex, age, and relationship to victim) and firearm use in pediatric homicides. Descriptive analyses were stratified by victim age group, sex, race, and five-year time periods.
Results
Family members were the most common perpetrator of infant and toddler (ages 0–4) and child (ages 5–12) homicides, whereas acquaintances accounted for the majority of adolescent (ages 13–19) homicides. Perpetrator characteristics vary across victim sex and race, particularly among adolescents. Despite overall stability, there were changes in perpetrator characteristics from 1976 to 2020. There was a sustained increase in the proportion of homicides committed with a firearm. In 2016–2020, the proportion of firearm-involved homicides was an all-time high for infant and toddler (14.8%), child (53.1%), and adolescent victims (88.5%).
Conclusions
Policy interventions that improve family stability and well-being may be most effective at preventing infant, toddler, and child homicides, whereas programs that target peer and community relationships, as well as policies that focus on firearm access, may be more crucial for preventing adolescent homicides.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Perpetrator characteristics and firearm use in pediatric homicides: Supplementary Homicide Reports - United States, 1976 to 2020
- Creators
- Mark T. Berg - University of IowaEthan M. Rogers - University of IowaHannah Rochford - Texas A&M University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Injury epidemiology, Vol.11(1), 37
- DOI
- 10.1186/s40621-024-00518-0
- PMID
- 39135130
- PMCID
- PMC11318188
- NLM abbreviation
- Inj Epidemiol
- ISSN
- 2197-1714
- eISSN
- 2197-1714
- Publisher
- BioMed Central
- Grant note
DAS:The Supplementary Homicide Reports (SHR) are publicly available under the Uniform Crime Reporting Program Data Series in the ICPSR repository, [https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/ICPSR/series/57]. The multiply imputed (SHR) version used in this work is available upon request from Prof. James Alan Fox at j.fox@northeastern.edu.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/12/2024
- Academic Unit
- Sociology and Criminology; Center for Social Science Innovation; Injury Prevention Research Center; Public Policy Center (Archive)
- Record Identifier
- 9984696808702771
Metrics
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