NCJ Number
207086
Journal
Youth Studies Australia Volume: 23 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2004 Pages: 33-40
Date Published
September 2004
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This Australian study examined whether there are distinct patterns in the assault-related deaths of a subsection of children, i.e., teens between the ages of 13 and 17.
Abstract
The study analyzed all teen deaths from assault in New South Wales (Australia) from 1996 to July 1999, as determined from coroners' records. For the study's purposes, assault was defined as "death resulting from an act of violence perpetrated upon the young person by another person." In addition to coroners' records, information on the cases was obtained from police, juvenile justice, and Department of Community Services records. The profiles of the deaths were distinguished by female and male victims as determined by the weapons, location, and scenarios. Information is also provided on known perpetrators. The study found that fatal assaults on teens ages 13 through 17 did not fit a homogeneous pattern. They occurred in diverse circumstances, and no one pattern of violence could account for all assaults; however, the circumstances of the assaults could be categorized by similar characteristics. Regarding the gender of perpetrators, they were likely to be male. Regarding the victim's relationship to the perpetrator, parents were not likely to be perpetrators, in contrast to parents being primary perpetrators of fatal assaults on children. Regarding ethnicity of victims, Aboriginal youth and those from minority cultural backgrounds were overrepresented as victims, as were youth with criminal records. Most deaths occurred in private, were perpetrated by someone known to the victim, and were not perpetrated by "gangs." 2 tables and 26 references