From 1997 to 1998, homicide crimes decreased 16.7 percent in rate per 100,000 population. From 1989 to 1998, the homicide crime rate decreased 40.9 percent. Since 1989 homicide rates have decreased for all gender and race/ethnic groups. Blacks experienced the highest rate of decline (down 53.7 percent) but continue to maintain substantially higher homicide victimization rates compared to whites and Hispanics. The homicide rate for victims aged 30-39 decreased 45.3 percent from 1989 to 1998. From 1989 to 1998, the majority of homicide victims knew their assailant. Proportionately, females were 18.5 times more likely to be killed by their spouses than were males. Since 1989 more homicide victims have been killed by firearms than by all other types of weapons combined. From 1997 to 1998, homicide arrests decreased 2.3 percent in rate per 100,000 population at risk. From 1989 to 1998 the majority of homicide arrestees and victims were male. In 1998 the largest proportion of homicide arrestees and victims were Hispanic. Over 70 percent of adults arrested for homicide, for which dispositions were received, were convicted of homicide or some other offense. By the end of 1998, 516 persons were under sentence of death in California. Of these, 32 were sentenced in 1998. Since 1989, 64 peace officers have been killed in the line of duty; 7 were killed in 1998. Extensive tabular and graphic data and appended computation formulas and criminal justice glossary