HOMICIDE AND SUICIDE IN NORTH CAROLINA - AN EMERGING SUBCULTURE OF SELF-VIOLENCE? (FROM VIOLENT CRIME HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, 1977, BY JAMES A INCIARDI AND ANNE E POTTIEGER - SEE NCJ-52628)

• NCJ Number: 52632
• Author(s): J A HUMPHREY; S PALMER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CHANGES IN THE CHARACTERISTICS OF CRIMINAL HOMICIDE AND SUICIDE VICTIMS IN NORTH CAROLINA FROM 1972 TO 1975 ARE ANALYZED.

Abstract

BASED ON DATA GATHERED BY THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER, THE ANALYSIS FOCUSES ON THE VARIABLES OF SEX, RACE, AGE, MARITAL STATUS, AND OCCUPATION. FROM 1972 TO 1975, CRIMINAL HOMICIDE STABILIZED AT A HIGH LEVEL WHILE THE STATE'S SUICIDE RATE, SOMEWHAT ABOVE THE NATIONAL RATE, INCREASED CONSIDERABLY. BOTH FORMS OF VICTIMIZATION APPEAR TO BE SPREADING TO CATEGORIES OF PERSONS PREVIOUSLY AT LOW RISK OF VICTIMIZATION. FOR EXAMPLE, HOMICIDE VICTIMIZATION INCREASED MOST AMONG WHITES, THE ELDERLY, THE MARITALLY SEPARATED, PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL WORKERS, AND (WHEN SEX, RACE, AND AGE WERE COMBINED) ELDERLY NONWHITE FEMALES. MOST OF THESE GROUPS WERE AT LOW RISK OF HOMICIDE VICTIMIZATION IN 1972. SUICIDE VICTIMIZATION ROSE MOST AMONG FEMALES, THE YOUNG (11 TO 19 YEARS), THE SEPARATED, PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL WORKERS, AND (COMBINING SEX, RACE, AND AGE) ELDERLY NONWHITE FEMALES. AS WITH HOMICIDE, MOST OF THESE GROUPS HAD BEEN AT LOW RISK OF VICTIMIZATION. IN THE CASE OF HOMICIDE, MAJOR DECREASES IN VICTIMIZATION TENDED TO BE AMONG PREVIOUSLY LOW RISK GROUPS. HOWEVER, WITH SUICIDE, GROUPS WITH THE GREATEST DECREASES (OR SMALLEST INCREASES) IN VICTIMIZATION RATES OVER THE 4-YEAR PERIOD WERE EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN GROUPS AT HIGH AND LOW RISK IN 1972. THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE CONCEPT CAN BE USEFULLY EXTENDED TO INCLUDE VIOLENCE TOWARD THE SELF IS SUGGESTED. SUBCULTURES OF SELF-VIOLENCE MAY CONTAIN CUSTOMS AND VALUES THAT ADVOCATE VARIOUS FORMS OF SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR (SMOKING, ALCOHOLISM, DRUG ABUSE, ETC.), OF WHICH SUICIDE IS THE MOST EXTREME. SUCH SUBCULTURES MAY BE FORMING IN NORTH CAROLINA AND IN THE UNITED STATES AS A WHOLE. (THE NATION'S CRIMINAL HOMICIDE RATE HAS SHOWN A DECLINE, WHILE ITS SUICIDE RATE HAS INCREASED SLIGHTLY.) SUBCULTURES OF SELF-VIOLENCE MAY BE BRINGING ABOUT EXTENSION OF SUICIDE VICTIMIZATION TO PERSONS PREVIOUSLY AT LOW RISK. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)