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Contents of Homicide trends in the U.S.

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Homicide trends in the U.S.
Intimate homicide

There has been a decline in homicide of intimates,
especially male victims

Intimates are defined to include spouses, ex-spouses, boyfriends, and girlfriends.

The number of men murdered by intimates dropped by 71% since 1976.
The number of women killed by intimates was stable for two decades. After 1993, the number declined reaching the lowest level recorded in 2001 and remained there in 2002.

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[D]

In general, the number of intimate victims in each race and gender group declined

Between 1976 and 2002 --

the number of white females killed by intimates rose in the mid-1980's, then declined after 1993 reaching the lowest recorded in 2002, a 9% decline from the 1976 number.
the number of intimate homicides for all other race and gender groups declined over the period; the number of black males killed by intimates dropped by 81%, white males by 56% and black females by 49%.

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Intimate Homicides by Gender and Race of Victim

[D]

About 11% of murder victims were determined to have been killed by an intimate

Most murder victims were familiar with their assailants.

Spouses and family members made up about 15% of all victims.
About one-third of the victims were acquaintances of the assailant.
In 14% of all murders, the victim and the offender were strangers.
The victim/offender relationship was undetermined in about one-third of homicides.

**Victim/Offender Relationship, 1976-2002**
			All homicides, 1976-2002
			Percent	Number

Total			100.0%	544,909
	Intimate		11.3%	61,605
	Non-intimate		54.3%	296,110
	Undetermined		34.4%	187,194

Total			100.0%	544,909
	Stranger		13.9%	75,978
	Nonstranger
		Spouse	6.9%	37,792
		Other family	7.8%	42,614
		Boyfriend/Girlfriend	4.4%	23,812
		Other Acquaintance	32.6%	177,518
	Relationship undetermined		34.4%	187,194

Female murder victims are substantially more likely than male murder victims to have been killed by an intimate

In recent years -

About one third of female murder victims were killed by an intimate.
About 3-4% of male murder victims were killed by an intimate.
Of all female murder victims, the proportion killed by an intimate was relatively stable until 1995 when the proportion began increasing, although it has stabilized recently.
Of male murder victims, the proportion killed by an intimate has dropped.

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[D]

For every age group female murder victims are more likely than
male victims to have been killed by an intimate

**Percent of all murders by intimates, 1976-2002**
	Male victims		Female victims

Under 18	1	%	6	%
18-24	2		29
25-29	5		37
30-34	7		41
35-39	8		43
40-44	10		41
45-49	10		40
50-59	10		32
60+	7		20

Most victims of intimate homicide are killed by their spouses,
although much less so in recent years

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[D]

The intimate homicide rate has fallen for blacks in every gender and relationship category while the rate for whites has not declined for all categories

The intimate homicide rate --

for white girlfriends was about the same in 2002 as it was in 1976
for white wives and ex-wives has declined but not as much as that for white husbands and ex-husbands
for black husbands and ex-husbands was 16 times greater in 1976 than it was in 2002
is higher for black girlfriends than any other group in 2002, although it has declined 58% since 1976

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Intimate homicides by relationship, race and gender of victim

[D]

Note: This chart refers to persons ages 20-44. The number of married or divorced persons is the population base used to calculate spouse and ex-spouse rates and the number of never married or widowed persons is the population base used to calculate boyfriend/girlfriend rates.

The number of male and female intimate victims killed with guns has fallen. For female victims the number of victims killed by other weapons has remained stable.

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[D]

In general, guns are most often used in intimate homicide but weapon type varies by relationship. From 1990 to 2002 --

Over two-thirds of the spouse and ex-spouse victims were killed by guns.
Boyfriend victims were more likely to be killed by knives than any other group of intimates.
Girlfriends are more likely to be killed by force than any other group of intimates.

Homicides by relationship and weapon type, 1990-2002
Relationship of victim to offender	Total		Gun		Knife		Blunt object		Force		Other weapon
Husband	100	%	70	%	26	%	2	%	1	%	2	%
Ex-husband	100		87		9		1		0		2
Wife	100		68		14		5		9		4
Ex-wife	100		78		12		2		6		2
Boyfriend	100		46		45		3		3		3
Girlfriend	100		57		19		5		14		5

Source: FBI, Supplementary Homicide Reports, 1976-2002.
See also Additional information about the data.

Note: The victims of the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks are not included in this analysis.

Homicide trends in the U.S. Intimate homicide

There has been a decline in homicide of intimates, especially male victims

In general, the number of intimate victims in each race and gender group declined

About 11% of murder victims were determined to have been killed by an intimate

Female murder victims are substantially more likely than male murder victims to have been killed by an intimate

Most victims of intimate homicide are killed by their spouses, although much less so in recent years

The intimate homicide rate has fallen for blacks in every gender and relationship category while the rate for whites has not declined for all categories

The number of male and female intimate victims killed with guns has fallen. For female victims the number of victims killed by other weapons has remained stable.

Homicide trends in the U.S.
Intimate homicide

There has been a decline in homicide of intimates,
especially male victims

Most victims of intimate homicide are killed by their spouses,
although much less so in recent years