Nature and Patterns of Homicide in Eight American Cities, 1978

• NCJ Number: 115304
• Author(s): M A Zahn; M Riedel
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 87 pages
• Grant Number(s): 79-NI-AX-0092
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the nature and pattern of homicides in 1978 in a purposive sample of eight cities chosen on the basis of geographic region, population size, and the congruence/divergence of their 11-year homicide trend line.

Abstract

Dallas, St. Louis, and a representative large Western City diverged from the regional trend line; while Philadelphia, Newark, N.J., Dallas, and Oakland, Calif., followed it. Within each City, all homicide cases were coded; except in Chicago, where a 50-percent systematic random sample of cases were drawn. This data set contains detailed information on each homicide victim, including age, sex, race, birthplace, marital status, living arrangements, occupation, socioeconomic status, and employment status. Also included are situational characteristics of method of assault, location, victim-offender relationship, circumstances surrounding death, victim resistance/precipitation, physical evidence collected, victim drug history and prior criminal record, and number of identified offenders. Data on up to two offenders and three witnesses also are available. Information also was collected on witness age, sex, race, and type (police informant, child eyewitness, etc.). Finally, information from the medical examiner's records are provided, including results of victim narcotics and blood alcohol tests.