NCJ Number
89850
Journal
Death Education Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: (1982) Pages: 265-278
Date Published
1982
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study found that both black female homicide victims and offenders had low socioeconomic status and essentially similar behavior patterns to the extent that they appear to be drawn from the same population.
Abstract
Secondary data on 661 black female homicide victims and 119 black female homicide offenders and survey data on 10 victims and 9 offenders were assembled through the project, Black Homicide and Large Urban Environments. Information on the offenders included age, circumstances of the homicide, relationship to the victim, sex of the victim, and weapon used. Information on the victims covered age, relationship to the murderer, and circumstances of the homicide. The characteristics of the victims and offenders examined were educational level, fighting behavior, previous encounters with the law, home environment and family violence as children, drinking and narcotics problems, and employment at the time of the homicide. Both offenders and victims were characterized by low socioeconomic status, low educational levels, and high unemployment. Both tended to be raised in homes where both parents were present and believed in physically punishing children for misbehavior. Behaviorally, both offenders and victims are likely to have a history of involvement in fights and contact with police. They are not inclined to be heavily involved in alcohol consumption and drug use. On the basis of the results of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov Two Sample Test for two socioeconomic and two behavioral variables, the offenders and victims appear to be drawn from the same population. Implications of the findings for crime prevention programs are discussed, and 32 references are listed.