NCJ Number
179923
Journal
Criminology Volume: 37 Issue: 4 Dated: November 1999 Pages: 879-902
Date Published
1999
Length
24 pages
Annotation
Trends and gender differences in rates of homicide victimization were compared using homicide data for 1930-95.
Abstract
The homicide trends were almost the same for both genders, even when separated by race, despite large gender differences in homicide victimization rate levels. Regressions of female and male homicide victimization rates on demographic, economic, social control, and other variables revealed that the coefficients differed between the sexes only to the extent expected by chance. The important predictors related to offenders and were independent of the type of victim; the incapacitation impact of prison populations was especially strong for all homicide victimization rates. This finding was consistent with other research revealing that men who murder women, and even those who commit sexual and partner assaults, have criminal records that are nearly as bad as those of offenders generally. Findings have implications for several broader topics. These topics include the usefulness of data disaggregation, the usefulness of crime situation theories, the reasons for declining homicide rates, and strategies for reducing violence against women. Findings did not imply that similar factors caused the differing levels of homicide victimization, as opposed to trends, and did not apply to gender differences in offending or in criminal justice processing. However, victimization is more important, because its reduction is the major goal of criminal justice policy. Tables, figure, footnotes, and 92 references (Author abstract modified)