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| There were 22,100 murders committed in 1994. The murder rate in the United States was 8.9 per 100,000 inhabitants. (Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, 1995. U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, D.C.)
Sexual assault murders were about twice as likely to involve victims and offenders who were strangers (39.2 percent versus 20.9 percent). (National Crime Victimization Survey, 1995. U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, D.C.) Between 1980 and 1994, the number of whites killed by acquaintances increased 44 percent, while the number of blacks killed by acquaintances increased 115 percent. ("Young Black Male Victims". Crime Data Brief, 1994, National Crime Victimization Survey. U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, D.C.) Female homicide victims are more than twice as likely to be killed by husbands or boyfriends than male victims are to killed by wives or girlfriends. Husbands and boyfriends are responsible for 26 percent of female homicides, whereas wives and girlfriends are responsible for three percent of male homicides. (Crime in the United States, 1995. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, D.C.) | Since the mid-1980's the increases in both the number and rate of murder among 15 to 17 year olds, and particularly among black youth in this age range, have outpaced changes in murder in all other age groups. (Greenfeld, Lawrence A., "Child Victimizers: Violent Offenders and Their Victims". Executive Summary, March 1996. U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics and the Office for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Washington, D.C.)Most child murders in 1994 were at the hands of an acquaintance (38 percent), with family members accounting for 22 percent, strangers seven percent, and unknown offenders 30 percent. (Ibid.)
If current trends continue, by the year 2010 the number of juvenile arrests for murder is expected to increase 145% over the 1992. ("Juvenile Offenders and Victims: A Focus on Violence" Statistics Summary, May 1995.U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Washington, D.C.) Any juvenile between ages 12 and 17 is more likely to be the victim of violent crime than are persons past their mid-twenties. (Ibid.) Note: OVC makes no representation concerning the accuracy of data from non-Department of Justice sources. |
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