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Homicides Related to Intimate Partner Violence in Massachusetts: Examining Case Ascertainment and Validity of the SHR

NCJ Number
173587
Journal
Homicide Studies Volume: 2 Issue: Dated: Pages: issue (November 1998)-377
Author(s)
L Langford; N Isaac; S Kabat
Date Published
1998
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This is a database of intimate partner violence-related homicide cases from 1991 through 1995 in Massachusetts using an expanded case definition that includes others killed in the context of intimate partner disputes.
Abstract
Nearly one in four victims who died in intimate partner-related incidents were victims other than the intimate partner. In a comparison of the FBI's Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) with the study database, the SHR identified only 71.1 percent of the partner victims and could at best identify only 26.7 percent of the victims other than partners. Intimate homicides involving multiple victims were underreported in the SHR. Cases involving ex-boyfriend perpetrators were reported as partner homicides less often in the SHR than other intimate relationships. Rates calculated using a methodology designed to compensate for nonreporting and missing data in the SHR overestimated partner homicide rates. The article discusses the generalizability of these findings. Tables, figure, notes, references