NCJ Number
57532
Date Published
1978
Length
49 pages
Annotation
THIS ANALYSIS OF 418 CASES OF CRIMINAL HOMICIDE THAT OCCURRED IN HUDSON COUNTY, N.J., FROM JANUARY 1971 THROUGH DECEMBER 1977 ENCOMPASSES RACE, SEX, AND AGE OF VICTIM AND OFFENDER, AND TIME AND METHOD OF COMMISSION.
Abstract
DATA FOR THE STUDY WERE GATHERED FROM THE FILES OF THE COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. THE MAJORITY OF HOMICIDES IN THIS INDUSTRIAL COUNTY NESTLED BETWEEN NEW YORK CITY AND NEWARK OCCURRED DURING THE SUMMER, WITH JULY THE PEAK MONTH. HOMICIDES WERE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR ON SATURDAYS AND IN THE EVENING OR EARLY MORNING HOURS. MALES PREDOMINATED AS BOTH VICTIMS (74.6 PERCENT) AND OFFENDERS (88.4 PERCENT). CONSTITUTING 10.03 PERCENT OF THE COUNTY'S POPULATION, BLACKS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR 45.8 PERCENT OF ALL HOMICIDES. HOMICIDE WAS PREDOMINANTLY AN INTRARACIAL CRIME. THE GREATEST DEVIATION FROM THIS GENERALITY WAS IN THE NUMBER OF HISPANICS KILLING BLACKS. FEMALES WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR 11.6 PERCENT OF ALL HOMICIDES. OF ALL FEMALE HOMICIDE OFFENDERS, 69.2 PERCENT MURDERED MALES, COMPARED TO 24.4 PERCENT OF MALE OFFENDERS MURDERING FEMALES. PERSONS AGE 20 TO 24 WERE MOST LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS AND OFFENDERS. JUVENILES COMPRISED LESS THAN 2 PERCENT OF ALL OFFENDERS BUT 13.9 PERCENT OF ALL VICTIMS. FIREARMS WERE USED IN 52.1 PERCENT OF THE CASES, KNIVES IN 26.5 PERCENT. MANY OF THE RELATIONSHIPS ESTABLISHED BY THE STUDY FINDINGS CANNOT BE EXPLAINED EASILY. IT APPEARS THAT RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OFFENSE CHARACTERISTICS AND SOCIAL AREA ATTRIBUTES MAY REFLECT OTHER VARIABLES, SUCH AS ACCESSIBILITY, AVAILABILITY OF VICTIMS, AND SITUATIONAL RESPONSE. A LITERATURE REVIEW, A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SUPPORTING DATA ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)