NCJ Number
76302
Date Published
1980
Length
92 pages
Annotation
An analysis of California's homicide data for 1979 is presented.
Abstract
The report provides an overview of findings concerning homicide and its victims and of the criminal justice system's response. The report's main emphasis is on willful homicide. Factors such as the homicide rate, victim-offender relationship, and circumstances contributing to the homicide are analyzed in terms of the victims' sex, race, and age. Other areas analyzed include characteristics of persons arrested for murder and peace officers killed in the line of duty. Comparison data from 1970 through 1978 are included. From 1970 to 1979, the number of willful homicides increased from 6.8 to 13.0. More persons were killed on Saturday and Sunday than on other days of the week, and fewer persons were killed from January through June than from July through December. The State's 20 most populous counties had a disproportionately large share of willful homicide victims. Almost 80 percent of the victims were male; 39.0 percent were white; 29.8 percent were Mexican American; and 27.3 percent were black. For all races, the victim was most likely to be a friend or acquaintance of the offender; and the most common contributing factor was an argument. The most common weapon was a firearm. Of the arrestees, 88.3 percent were male, 87.9 percent were adults, 28.9 percent were white, 35.2 percent were Mexican American, and 33.3 percent were black. Three-fifths of the cases involving adult offenders resulted in convictions. Twelve police officers were killed in the line of duty. Data tables, graphs, and charts are included.