NCJ Number
157252
Journal
Juristat Volume: 15 Issue: 11 Dated: (August 1995) Pages: 1-19
Date Published
1995
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This report presents an overview of 1994 Canadian homicide data that address the nature and extent of homicide incidents, victim and accused characteristics, and recent national trends; homicide data at the Provincial/Territorial and census metropolitan area levels are also presented.
Abstract
In Canada homicide is classified as first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter, or infanticide; deaths caused by criminal negligence, suicide, and accidental or justifiable homicide are not included in the definition. The homicide rate in Canada decreased by 6 percent in 1994, reaching a 25-year low (2.04 per 100,000 population). The decrease was primarily due to a decline of 30 homicides in the Montreal metropolitan area. Shooting continued to account for approximately one-third of all homicides. In 1994, 90 homicides were committed with a handgun, 66 with a rifle/shotgun, 26 with a sawed-off rifle/shotgun, and 14 with a fully automatic firearm. In 1994, 8 in 10 homicides were solved by police, consistent with previous years. Although the number of spousal homicides in 1994 (n=85) was fewer than in 1993 (n=87) and in 1992 (n=105), spousal homicides continued to account for one out of every six solved homicides. There was an increase over 1993 in both the number and proportion of youths aged 12-17 accused of homicide. The age of greatest risk of being a homicide victim was during the first year of life. According to police, there was evidence of drug trafficking or the settling of drug-related accounts in approximately 1 in 10 homicides in 1994. 6 tables and 8 figures