NCJ Number
87912
Date Published
1981
Length
114 pages
Annotation
Analysis of the 1,832 homicides in New York City in 1981 showed that 62.7 percent of those in which relationships could be determined involved perpetrators who were known to the victims. Handguns were used in 59.3 percent of the cases.
Abstract
Disputes were the circumstance of 41.6 percent of the homicides, while robbery homicides accounted for 18.8 percent of the cases. Most homicides occurred either in open areas (48.4 percent) or in residences (35.9 percent). Over nine-tenths of the perpetrators were males; more than half were between ages 16 and 25. Over 85 percent of the victims were males. Over one-third of the homicide victims were between ages 21 and 30. The most frequent victims were black males between ages 26 and 30, while black males between ages 16 and 20 were the most frequent perpetrators. Just over half of the perpetrators of all homicides were black. Blacks were victimized by blacks in 87.4 percent of the cases, Hispanics were victimized by Hispanics in 78.9 percent of the cases, and whites were victimized by whites in 48.7 percent of the cases. The most frequent weapon in homicides involving intimates was a cutting weapon, while handguns were most often used by strangers, friends, and acquaintances. Disputes and drug-related homicides between friends and acquaintances accounted for half of the homicides. Males were more likely than females to be murdered in robberies or drug-related incidents, while females were more likely to be murdered in disputes or sex crimes. Over the last 20 years, the most significant trend has been the increase in homicides involving handguns. Ninety-seven data tables and 4 figures present analyses by time, relationship between victims and perpetrator, circumstances, characteristics of victims and perperators, means employed, and geographic area.