Youth Homicide in New York - A Preliminary Analysis

• NCJ Number: 95023
• Journal: Journal of Legal Studies Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1984) Pages: 81-99
• Author(s): F E Zimring
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 19 pages
• Grant Number(s): DJ/LEAA 79-NI-AX-0072
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Statistics

Annotation

Youths who commit homicide in New York City are more likely to kill in groups than are older offenders, more likely to be engaged in collateral felonies, and less likely to kill alone.

Abstract

Data came from police records of all arrests involving youthful offenders acting alone or as part of a group between 1973 and 1980. The homicide rate for youthful offenders has declined since 1973. The homicide rate for persons under age 16 is much smaller than the general homicide rate. The homicide rate increases for each age bracket during the teenage years. Offenders under 16 kill females in robbery situations more often proportionately than do older teenagers and adult controls, whereas the killing of females in nonrobbery situations is lower among both teenage groups than among adults. The youngest offender group also disproportionately killed victims who could be considered soft targets: children 12 and under and adults aged 60 and over. Death rate and robbery statistics for different age groups showed that robbery is not a homogeneous event. In addition, weapon use, independent of intention, determined death rates from assault. Figures, tables, and 42 footnotes are supplied.