NCJ Number
43970
Date Published
1977
Length
11 pages
Annotation
MAJOR FINDINGS FROM A STUDY OF RECORDED INCIDENCES OF CRIMINAL HOMICIDE IN PHILADELPHIA, PA., FROM 1948 THROUGH 1952 ARE SUMMARIZED.
Abstract
CRIMINAL HOMICIDE INCLUDES FIRST- AND SECOND-DEGREE MURDER AND VOLUNTARY AND INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER. IN THE 5-YEAR PERIOD STUDIED, THERE WERE 588 CASES OF CRIMINAL HOMICIDE IN PHILADELPHIA INVOLVING 621 OFFENDERS. THE DATA SHOW THAT CRIMINAL HOMICIDES ARE PRINCIPALLY CRIMES OF PASSION, OR VIOLENT SLAYINGS THAT ARE NEITHER PREMEDITATED NOR PSYCHOTIC MANIFESTATIONS. THE TYPICAL CRIMINAL SLAYER IS A YOUNG MAN IN HIS 20'S WHO KILLS ANOTHER MAN ONLY SLIGHTLY OLDER. BOTH ARE LIKELY TO BE OF THE SAME RACE. IF THE VICTIM AND SLAYER ARE BLACK, THE CRIME IS USUALLY COMMITTED WITH A KNIFE. IF THEY ARE WHITE, THE HOMICIDE USUALLY RESULTS FROM A BEATING ON A PUBLIC STREET. MEN KILL AND ARE KILLED FOUR TO FIVE TIMES MORE FREQUENTLY THAN WOMEN. WHEN WOMEN DO KILL, THEIR VICTIMS USUALLY ARE MEN AND THEIR CRIMES ARE USUALLY COMMITTED IN THE HOME. EITHER OR BOTH THE VICTIM AND OFFENDER HAD BEEN DRINKING PRIOR TO THE HOMICIDE INCIDENT IN NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF THE CASES STUDIED. NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF THE OFFENDERS AND ONE-HALF OF THE VICTIMS HAD PREVIOUS ARREST RECORDS. ALTERCATION, DOMESTIC QUARREL, JEALOUSY, ARGUMENT OVER MONEY, AND ROBBERY ARE THE POLICE-RECORDED MOTIVES IN 8 OUT OF 10 CASES. OVER ONE-QUARTER OF THE CASES ARE CHARACTERIZED AS VICTIM-PRECIPITATED HOMICIDES. THE FINDINGS IMPLY THAT A CONFLICT EXISTS BETWEEN THE PREVAILING MIDDLE-CLASS VALUES OF SOCIETY AND THE VALUES OF A SUBSOCIAL OR SUBCULTURAL GROUP. THERE MAY BE A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOMICIDE RATES AND THE DEGREE OF INTEGRATION OF THE SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE.