Most murdered children younger than age 2 were beaten to death

Between 1980 and 2000, the proportion of firearm murders of younger juveniles remained stable. Over this period, 26% of the murders of juveniles ages 2–11 and 5% of the murders of children younger than age 2 involved firearms. These figures were similar for blacks and whites and for males and females.

Knives and blunt objects were used in 9% of the murders of juveniles younger than age 2 between 1980 and 2000. The use of “personal weapons”—blows to the body by hand or foot—was responsible for the majority (53%) of murders of juveniles younger than age 2; the remaining 32% involved other types of weapons or unknown weapons. This proportion is representative of the murders of males and females and of whites and blacks.

The proportion of murders involving firearms increased more for older juvenile victims than younger victims during the late 1980s and early 1990s

Chart showing percent of juvenile victims murdered by firearm, by age group, 1980-2000.

  • Between 1991 and 2000, about 4 of every 5 murdered juveniles ages 15–17 were killed with a firearm. In the early 1980s, this proportion was about 3 of every 5.

  • In 2000, juveniles ages 15–17 accounted for 43% of all murdered juveniles; 81% of these murders were committed with a firearm. The murder of juveniles ages 15–17 accounted for 73% of all juvenile murders involving a firearm.

Data source: Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 [machine-readable data files].

Between 1980 and 2000, the proportion of victims ages 12–17 murdered with a firearm was lowest for white females

Chart showing percent of juvenile victims murdered by firearm, by racial group and gender, 1980-2000.

  • Annually, for juveniles ages 12–17, the murders of black juveniles were more likely to involve a firearm than the murders of white juveniles, for both males and females.

  • In 2000, the proportion of murders of both black males and white males ages 12–17 that involved a firearm remained at the high levels of 1993. However, for both black females and white females in this age group, the proportion decreased between 1993 and 2000.

Data source: Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 [machine-readable data files].

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Trends in the Murder of Juveniles: 1980–2000 OJJDP Bulletin • September 2004