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PubMed2006

Ecological analysis of the distribution and socio-spatial context of homicides in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Over the last decade, the number of homicides in Porto Alegre has increased to the point where external causes are now the main group of causes of death in the 5-34-year age group. Preventing these deaths depends fundamentally on identifying factors related to excess violence in population groups. The overall aim of this study is to analyse the spatial distribution of homicide victims by place of residence in Porto Alegre, the capital of the southernmost Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul, in 1996, in order to identify and understand the socio-spatial context. Demographic and socioeconomic indicators based on the 1991 census and 1996 population count were used to build a multivariate classification characterizing the 1851 census tracts. Homicides occurring in 1996 were located using the municipality's Geographic Information System. Four socioeconomic groups were identified, mainly differentiated by housing indicators. Small areas on the urban periphery in which slums (favelas) are concentrated presented higher homicide rates. Homicide rates were lower in the two groups with higher income and educational level. The second step was to classify the census tracts according to the homicide indicator. In this case, areas were differentiated by the number of household inhabitants per room, income, schooling, and median age. We conclude that the multivariate socioeconomic classification presents a limited capacity to identify populations exposed to homicides, suggesting that socioeconomic conditions themselves do not determine violent behaviour. On the other hand, the spatial methods allowed us to identify small areas where deaths are concentrated and whose populations should receive special attention in planning measures to prevent violent deaths.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

State-level homicide victimization rates in the US in relation to survey measures of household firearm ownership, 2001-2003.

Two of every three American homicide victims are killed with firearms, yet little is known about the role played by household firearms in homicide victimization. The present study is the first to examine the cross sectional association between household firearm ownership and homicide victimization across the 50 US states, by age and gender, using nationally representative state-level survey-based estimates of household firearm ownership. Household firearm prevalence for each of the 50 states was obtained from the 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Homicide mortality data for each state were aggregated over the three-year study period, 2001-2003. Analyses controlled for state-level rates of aggravated assault, robbery, unemployment, urbanization, per capita alcohol consumption, and a resource deprivation index (a construct that includes median family income, the percentage of families living beneath the poverty line, the Gini index of family income inequality, the percentage of the population that is black and the percentage of families headed by a single female parent). Multivariate analyses found that states with higher rates of household firearm ownership had significantly higher homicide victimization rates of men, women and children. The association between firearm prevalence and homicide victimization in our study was driven by gun-related homicide victimization rates; non-gun-related victimization rates were not significantly associated with rates of firearm ownership. Although causal inference is not warranted on the basis of the present study alone, our findings suggest that the household may be an important source of firearms used to kill men, women and children in the United States.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Death by homicide, suicide, and other unnatural causes in people with mental illness: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: People with mental illness are at great risk of suicide, but little is known about their risk of death from other unnatural causes. No study has commented on their risk of being victims of homicide; public concern is pre-occupied with their role as perpetrators. We aimed to calculate standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) and directly standardised rate ratios for death by homicide, suicide, and accident in people admitted to hospital because of mental illness. METHOD: We did a population-based study in which we linked the data for 72208 individuals listed in the Danish Psychiatric Case Register between 1973 and 1993, and who died before Dec 31, 1993, with data in the Danish National Register of Causes of Death. FINDINGS: 17892 (25%) patients died from unnatural causes. Our results show raised SMRs for homicide, suicide, and accident for most psychiatric diagnoses irrespective of sex. The all-diagnosis SMRs for women and men, respectively, were: 632 (95% CI 517-773) and 609 (493-753) for homicide, 1356 (1322-1391) and 1212 (1184-1241) for suicide, and 318 (305-332) and 466 (448-484) for accident. We recorded an increased risk of dying by homicide in men with schizophrenia and in individuals with affective psychosis. The highest risks of death by homicide and accident were in alcoholism and drug use, whereas the highest risks of suicide were in drug use. INTERPRETATION: People with mental disorders, including severe mental illness, are at increased risk of death by homicide. Strategies to reduce mortality in the mentally ill are correct to emphasise the high risk of suicide, but they should also focus on other unnatural causes of death.

Accidents↗
PubMed2003

Epidemiology of child homicide in Jefferson County, Alabama.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to present the epidemiology of homicide among children younger than 6 years of age in Jefferson County, Alabama. This study focused on obtaining great detail on homicides and suspicious deaths occurring within a fixed population. METHODS: For purposes of this study, cases included Jefferson County deaths attributed to "homicide" or that were "undetermined" as noted in the coroner files among children younger than 6 years of age who were born and died between January 1, 1988 and December, 31, 1998. Victim and offender characteristics were obtained from the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner Office records. Environmental factors and circumstances surrounding the death were noted as well. RESULTS: The 53 study subjects were mainly female (55%), Black (69%), younger than 2 years of age (85%), had single mothers (38%), and a history of abuse (53%). Offenders were more likely to be male (64%), Black (73%), and a parent of the victim (53%). Homicides primarily resulted from an angry impulse (61%), with hands the most common weapon (61%). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of deaths in this study occurred among children younger than age 2, with a high proportion of fatalities among Black children of unmarried mothers. The offender most often knew the victim, with half of all homicides and two-thirds of all infant homicides involving a parent. More than half of the homicides resulted from an angry impulse, while the most common scenario for deaths with undetermined intent involved the caretaker finding the child unresponsive.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1996

What can child homicide rates tell us about the effectiveness of child welfare services?

This paper examines the methodological problems involved in using child homicide rates as measures of the success or failure of child protection efforts. A comprehensive review of child homicide research identifies three major methodological issues: (1) The classification of child deaths as homicides is unreliable; (2) child homicides may not generally represent the endpoint of a continuum of violence ranging from inadequate parenting to maltreatment to death; and (3) child homicides are not frequent enough occurrences to effectively measure the impact of child welfare services and policies. We conclude that while improved reporting and classification procedures may lead to some useful avenues for research, relying on child homicide statistics to evaluate child welfare services may contribute to further narrowing the scope of child welfare by stressing procedures geared primarily to preventing child homicides. Child welfare services need to develop outcome measures that tap the broader mandate of improving the circumstances and well-being of children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Intra-urban differentials in death rates from homicide in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, 1988-1994.

The objective of this research was to analyze the relationship between socioeconomic statistics and homicide mortality rates in the city of São Paulo between 1988 and 1994. City districts were grouped into five geographic areas. A socioeconomic indicator (ISE) was constructed with census information combining average income of the family head, illiteracy rate for the population over 5 yr of age, average number of rooms and number of persons per household. The higher the score, the better the socioeconomic situation (possible values: 4 to 384). Deaths from homicide were grouped by residential areas, and the rates for these areas were calculated. The association between homicide rates and the socioeconomic situation was analyzed with Spearman correlation coefficients. Average ISE scores varied from 291 in the Central area (homicide rate = 27.96 deaths per 100000) to 119.9 in the East area (homicide rate = 40.38). The Spearman coefficient between ISEs and homicide rates was -0.98 (p < 0.05). Due to the heterogeneity inside the areas, the median ISE is a better indicator of the socioeconomic conditions yielding an rs = -1.0. Almost half the population resides in areas with the highest risk of homicide mortality (East and South). Taking the Central area as a reference, we found risks of 1.36 in the Western, 1.37 in the Northern, 1.44 in the Eastern and 2.67 in the Southern areas.

Brazil↗
PubMed1999

Multivariate analysis ('forensiometrics')--a new tool in forensic medicine. Differentiation between firearm-related homicides and suicides.

A forensiometric model to discriminate between homicidal and suicidal firearm-fatalities is presented. It is based on a survey of all 45 homicidal and 251 suicidal firearm-fatalities that were examined at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Stockholm, Sweden during the period 1983-92. The model used 15 variables to describe 19.8% of the variation in the data and its goodness of prediction, Q2, was 0.742. The variables ranked in falling order of covariation with homicide (i.e. correlation with or importance in the prediction of homicide) were: presence of other injuries than firearm-wounds, entrance wound in the front part of the chest except precordium, bullet path through clothes, entrance wound in upper extremity, female victim, entrance wound in abdomen, entrance wound in head except temples, central forehead and mouth, and entrance wound in back. The variables most correlated to suicide were: used firearm found close to victim's body, reported suicidal ideation, victim's age, presence of contact wound(s), male victim, presence of farewell letter and entrance wound in mouth. The model was thereafter validated on a test-set of 18 homicides and 84 suicides during 1993-95. All suicides and 16 homicides were classified by the model in agreement with the previous police and forensic medical examinations. Thus, the model's sensitivity to classify homicides is estimated to be 89% and its specificity 100%.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Domestic violence homicides: ED use before victimization.

The purpose of this study was to document prior emergency department (ED) use and injuries presented by victims of domestic violence (DV) homicides. We identified all female DV homicide cases investigated by Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department (KCPD) officials over 5 years. Medical Records from 12 hospitals were searched to determine how many homicide victims were in the ED within the 2 years preceding their homicide. The records were reviewed and classified according to the Flitcraft Criteria. KCPD documented 139 female homicides victims, with 34 (24.5%) of these ruled DV-related. Of these 34 victims, 15 (44%) presented to an ED within 2 years of homicide. The 15 subjects made 48 total visits, which included 20 (42%) injury-related visits. Fourteen (93%) of the victims seen in the ED presented with injuries on at least 1 encounter. Eight patients had head injuries (53.3%), 2 had perineal lacerations (13.3%), 2 had rapes (13.3%), and 1 had a suicide attempt (6.7%). The medical records of 8 (53.3%) of the 15 victims yielded at least suggestive evidence of battering. There was documented domestic violence in 2 cases and intervention in none. Because nearly half of all women who were victims of a DV-related homicide had been in the ED within 2 years before their deaths, the ED could play an important role in prevention. Approximately one half had documentation at least suggestive of battering. These results suggest the potential for universal screening, and documented safety assessments.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

In cold blood: characteristics of criminal homicides as a function of psychopathy.

This study investigated the relationship between psychopathy and the characteristics of criminal homicides committed by a sample of 125 Canadian offenders. It was hypothesized that the homicides committed by psychopathic offenders would be more likely to be primarily instrumental (i.e., associated with premeditation, motivated by an external goal, and not preceded by a potent affective reaction) or "cold-blooded" in nature, whereas homicides committed by nonpsychopaths often would be "crimes of passion" associated with a high level of impulsivity/reactivity and emotionality. The results confirmed these predictions; homicides committed by psychopathic offenders were significantly more instrumental than homicides by nonpsychopaths. Nearly all (93.3%) of the homicides by psychopaths were primarily instrumental in nature compared with 48.4% of the homicides by nonpsychopaths.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Homicide mortality in the United States, 1935-1994: age, period, and cohort effects.

The authors analyzed homicide mortality data for the United States from 1935 to 1994, to delineate temporal trends and birth cohort patterns. This study included 850,822 homicide-attributed deaths documented by the National Center for Health Statistics, and incorporated graphical presentation, median polish, and Poisson regression modeling in an age-period-cohort analysis. Death rates from homicide in the United States doubled in the past four decades, with most of the increase having occurred during the 1960s and early 1970s. Poisson regression models confirmed that the rise of homicide mortality in both men and women was largely attributable to a significant period effect between 1960 and 1974. No discernible cohort patterns were found among women. However, homicide rates for recent male birth cohorts appeared to peak at younger ages and at higher levels. A significant increase in homicide mortality risk beginning with males born around 1965 was found by examining the residuals of median polish, and the second-order changes in the regression coefficients from the age-period-cohort model. The hike of homicide mortality during 1985 and 1994 was explained by this cohort effect. Increased prevalence of substance abuse and availability of firearms are two likely factors underlying this disturbing cohort pattern.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Homicides involving knives and other sharp objects in Scotland, 1981-2003.

BACKGROUND: Homicide rates have been increasing in Scotland, and homicides involving knives are of particular concern. METHODS: and results We use mortality and population data from 1981 to 2003 to calculate smoothed, standardized mortality rates for all homicides and homicides involving knives and other sharp objects, for all of Scotland and separately for Glasgow. Over half of homicides where the victim was male involved the use of a knife. Over 20 years, the homicide rate rose 83%, whilst that involving knives increased by 164%. CONCLUSION: The rapid increase in homicide involving knives is becoming a public health problem. Proposed changes to legislation are unlikely to halt this rise.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Years of potential life lost by children and adolescent victims of homicide, Recife, 1997.

This is a study of years of potential life lost (YPLL) by children and adolescents aged between 1 month and 19 years who were victims of homicide in Recife during 1997. It also draws a profile of the victims. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was made of death certificates of Recife residents, aged between 1 month and 19 years, occurring during 1997, to identify homicides and the three other most frequent causes of death in the age group, in order to make a profile of homicide victims. YPLL was calculated for this cause of death and the other three. Homicide was responsible for 36.6 per cent of the deaths, followed by pneumonia (9.4 per cent), vehicle accidents (6.3 per cent) and other accidents (6.0 per cent). Most of the murder victims were 15-19-year-old male students, but their level of schooling was unknown in 96.6 per cent of cases. Death was caused by firearms in 93.2 per cent of the cases. Homicides were responsible for 59.1 per cent of YPLL, followed by pneumonia, vehicle accidents and other accidents. The risk of losing years of potential life by homicide in the group studied was 27.20 in 1000. These figures show the magnitude of homicides as a cause of premature death and how they have become a public health problem.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1988

Homicide in Cape Town, South Africa.

All autopsies performed on homicide victims at the Salt River police mortuary, Cape Town, in the first 6 months of 1986 were reviewed. Most of the homicides that had occurred in Cape Town were as a result of stab wounds to the chest. Smaller, but significant, numbers of homicides were as a result of stab wounds to the head and neck, blunt injury to the head, or gunshot wounds. Homicidal burning also has occurred in civil unrest situations. Infanticide was rarely encountered. Alcohol was detected in the homicide victims in 62.9% of cases; 8.4% had a blood alcohol concentration higher than 0.30 g/100 ml. Our figures confirm that Cape Town has one of the highest homicide rates in the world (56.9/100,000 per annum for 1986). Homicides in Cape Town are characterized by assaults with sharp instruments, usually knives, although "pangas," or cane knives, are also commonly used.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1981

Homicide in five southern states: a firearms phenomenon.

Homicide is a leading contributor to loss of life in the productive years. Of the 20,000 homicides yearly in the United States, the majority are committed with firearms. Because homicide rates and gun ownership are highest in the southern states, a descriptive study of 20,980 homicides occurring in five southern states between 1967-1975 was done with particular emphasis on the role of firearms. Total rates in this study were 60% to 85% higher than concurrent national rates. Homicide with firearms accounted for 76.2%, and was the only method of homicide to show a significant increase in rate or a distinctive age distribution. Homicide in the US is a firearms phenomenon. Appropriate and effective regulation of access to firearms is an obvious first step in the prevention of this public health problem.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Homicide in New Zealand: an increasing public health problem.

Injury purposely inflicted by other persons is a significant public health problem as well as a criminal problem. It accounts for approximately 3 per cent of all deaths from injury in New Zealand. National injury mortality data for the period 1978 to 1987, supplemented by reference to files of the Coroner's Court and the High Court, were used to identify the characteristics of victims of homicide, the nature of the injuries they sustained, and the circumstances in which the injuries were inflicted. The mortality rate from homicide for the 10-year period was 1.6 per 100,000 persons per year. A significant increase in the rate of homicide was identified. The rates for males were higher (2.0) than those for females (1.2), with those 20 to 24 years of age most at risk. Maori had higher rates than non-Maori. Homicides were most frequently committed with cutting and piercing instruments, and most commonly occurred in private homes. Homicides were most likely to occur on Fridays or Saturdays, between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. In 55 per cent of homicides the victim and assailant were known to one another. Unemployment, membership of ethnic minority groups, availability of weapons, the private nature of interactions in the home, alcohol consumption, and stress in personal relationships were all identified as factors associated with homicide in the decade under study. The implications of these findings for the prevention of injury from assault are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Regional variation in homicide rates of infants and children.

GOAL: This study examines regional correlates of homicide rates for infants and children for the states of America. SAMPLE: The sample consists of all homicide victims in the 48 continental, contiguous states of America in both 1980 and 1990 from the ages of 0-14. METHODS: The homicide rates of infants aged 0-1 and children aged 1-4 and 5-14 were correlated with social indicators for the American states in 1980 and 1990. RESULTS: In 1980, children aged 1-14 had higher homicide rates in the more generally violent, urban, and socially disorganized states. However, no correlates for the homicide rate of infants were identified, suggesting that different theories may be required to explain their deaths. The analyses were repeated using data for 1990, at which time crime rates and fewer medical facilities were more weakly associated with the homicide rate of infants. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that different sociological theories may be required to account for the regional variation in the homicide rates of infants from those used for explaining the variation in the rates of children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

A comparative study of predictive criteria in the predisposition of homicidal adolescents.

The authors evaluated the criteria that are cited in the literature as predictive of homicidal predisposition. They applied three categories of criteria--clinical, developmental, and environmental factors--to a study group of 10 adolescents who had committed homicide, 10 who had threatened or attempted homicide, and 10 hospitalized controls. Their findings did not support the presence of a well-crystallized predisposition for homicidal behavior in this population, but they did show that the adolescents who committed homicide were psychotic-regressive and those who threatened or attempted homicide were organic-impulsive. The study strongly suggests the importance of environmental factors in reinforcing homicidal behavior.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Adolescent pregnancy and homicide: findings from the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 1994-1998.

Homicide has remained the third leading cause of death among girls aged 10 to 19 for more than a decade. Recent research indicates that pregnant or postpartum teens are three times more likely to be victims of homicide compared to their nonpregnant counterparts. These findings portray a compelling picture that leads the authors to investigate the relationship between homicide and pregnancy among teens in Maryland. The purpose of this study is to compare women whose deaths had been evaluated by the medical examiner and who had evidence of pregnancy to women without evidence of pregnancy, with a particular focus on adolescents; 329 (17.7%) adults and 66 (32.7%) adolescents were victims of homicide. Adolescent homicide victims were 3.7 (1.2 to 11.8) times more likely to be pregnant compared to adult homicide victims. The rate of homicide was nearly double in all women who were pregnant. Further research is necessary to evaluate factors associated with these risks so that the future generation and society are protected.

Adolescent↗