Homicide Studies recent issues

Intimate Partner Homicide by Presence or Absence of a Self-Destructive Act

Liem, M., Roberts, D. W. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:03:17 PST

Intimate partner homicide is not only the most common type of domestic homicide, but is also most prevalent in homicides followed by a self-destructive act (e.g., suicide or a suicide attempt). To date, very few studies have addressed this unique circumstance of intimate partner homicide, particularly in comparison to intimate partner homicides that are not followed by a self-destructive act. One possible reason for this lack of research might be that many consider homicide and suicide discrete phenomena, therefore devaluing the similarities that might exist between them. The "Currents of Lethal Violence" analogy describes homicide and suicide as two currents in a stream of lethal violence. We propose that intimate partner homicide followed by a self-destructive act mixes these currents. This study aims to assess the differences among intimate partner homicide perpetrators who did and did not commit a self-destructive act following the homicide. Descriptive and bivariate analyses of predictive variables were obtained from the records of 341 male intimate partner homicide perpetrators held at a Dutch forensic observation hospital between 1980 and 2006, of which 44 committed a self-destructive act following the offense. Perpetrators that attempted suicide were more likely to have a diagnosis of depressive illness and to have threatened suicide prior to the offense. Perpetrators in this group showed evidence of far-reaching dependency on the victim and a fear of abandonment. Further research into this area is necessary to elucidate this issue.

Stability and Change in Homicide Victim, Offender, and Event Characteristics in Chicago, 1900 and 2000

Gruenewald, J. A., Pridemore, W. A. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:03:17 PST

This study took advantage of unique historical data to explore change and stability in homicide victim, offender, and event characteristics in Chicago between two time periods, 1898-1902 and 1998-2002. Data on Chicago homicides from 1898 to 1902 were extracted from the Chicago Police Department Homicide Record Index (compiled by the Chicago Historical Homicide Project), and data from 1998 to 2002 were taken from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Supplementary Homicide Report. Odds ratios were employed to compare homicide characteristics between time periods to examine change and stability on victim (sex, race, age), offender (sex, race), and event (type of weapon, victim—offender relationship, circumstance) characteristics. The results showed significant (a) increases in the proportion of victims who were Black and aged 15-29, the proportion of offenders who were female and Black, and the proportion of family, gun, and profit-motivated homicides and (b) decreases in stranger and argument-related homicides and in the proportion of victims who were female. This study contextualizes these results by discussing how demographic, structural, and cultural changes in Chicago over the course of the 20th century might have influenced stability and change in these characteristics.

Reducing "Unknown" Data in Violent Death Surveillance: A Study of Death Certificates, Coroner/Medical Examiner and Police Reports From the National Violent Death Reporting System, 2003-2004

Logan, J. E., Karch, D. L., Crosby, A. E. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:03:17 PST

To better understand the determinants of violent deaths, researchers need surveillance systems that include a broad spectrum of information (e.g., victim demographics, event characteristics [date/location of death] and preceding circumstances). Missing information can limit the ability to develop preventive interventions.This study examines the value of using multiple source documents (i.e., death certificates, coroner/medical examiner reports, and police reports) to reduce missing or "unknown" data on violent deaths. When all sources are accessible, more sources should reduce the amount of unknown data. This study finds this to be true only for certain variables, that is, those capturing preceding circumstances.

The Great Sao Paulo Homicide Drop

Goertzel, T., Kahn, T. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:03:17 PST

The homicide rates in the city and state of São Paulo were cut in half in the years from 2001 to 2007. The decline in the city of São Paulo was especially striking and parallels the decline in New York City in the 1990s. It can be confirmed with a number of independent data sources and was significantly larger than in other Brazilian cities. The decline may be attributed to more effective policing methods including the better enforcement of strict gun-control legislation. It demonstrates that effective measures can be taken to reduce lethal crime in a developing country without waiting to solve underlying socioeconomic problems.

Homicide Patterns and Public Housing: The Case of Louisville, KY (1989-2007)

Suresh, G., Vito, G. F. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:03:17 PST

This study examines the impact of the revitalization of low-income, public housing properties on homicide patterns. It tracks the movement of homicide clusters from the initial properties to those neighborhoods where public housing residents were displaced over a 19-year period in Louisville, Kentucky. The median-income level of residents and vacant housing emerged as important predictors of homicide clusters. This article concludes that low-income public housing and Section 8 housing properties provide an environment where homicides are likely to occur. This pattern remained in effect even when the nature of public housing changed.

Book Review: Wilson, D. (2007). Serial Killers: Hunting Britons and Their Victims 1960-2006. Winchester, UK: Waterside Press. pp. 191

Lilly, J. R. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:03:17 PST

Erratum

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:03:17 PST

The article "Spatial Heterogeneity in the Effects of Immigration and Diversity on Neighborhood Homicide Rates" (DOI: 10.1177/1088767909336728), by Corina Graif and Robert J. Sampson, was published incorrectly in August 2009 issue (Volume 13, Number 3) of Homicide Studies.

Immigration and Homicide Studies: Guest Editor's Introduction

Martinez, R. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:58:34 PDT

Immigration Effects on Homicide Offending For Total and Race/Ethnicity-Disaggregated Populations (White, Black, and Latino)

Feldmeyer, B., Steffensmeier, D. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:58:34 PDT

Sociological studies of crime have rarely examined the effects of immigration on aggregate patterns of violent offending, and particularly few studies have examined this relationship across multiple racial/ethnic populations. The current study extends research on immigration and crime by examining this relationship across total and race/ ethnicity-disaggregated populations (i.e., White, Black, and Latino) and for homicide offending (rather than homicide victimization) using 1999-2001 arrest data drawn from 328 census places in California. Findings reveal that immigrant concentration has trivial (nonsignificant) effects on overall homicides and Latino homicides, but slightly reduces White and Black homicide offending, net of controls. Implications of these findings are as follows: (a) Immigration does not have violence-generating effects but instead appears to have violence-neutral or perhaps some violence-reducing effects on homicide offending, and (b) This small or null effect is fairly consistent across racial/ ethnic populations.

Immigration and Violent Crime: Citizenship Status and Social Disorganization

Polczynski Olson, C., Laurikkala, M. K., Huff-Corzine, L., Corzine, J. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:58:34 PDT

With few exceptions, recent investigations have found levels of criminal involvement to be lower among immigrants than among the native born. We extend this line of research by examining arrest data for native-born citizens, citizens born outside the United States, naturalized citizens, and noncitizens in Orange County (Orlando), Florida, for homicide, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault. Arrest rates for noncitizens are generally lower than those for the native born and similar to those of naturalized and foreign-born citizens, but their sexual assault rate is the highest of the four groups. The concentration of immigrants has no significant impact on arrest rates for native- and foreign-born citizens at the census-tract level. Additional research is necessary to more fully understand the linkage between immigration and crime, but mounting evidence that the new immigrants to not contribute to elevated crime levels in urban areas should be an important component of policy discussions.

Spatial Heterogeneity in the Effects of Immigration and Diversity on Neighborhood Homicide Rates

Graif, C., Sampson, R. J. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:58:34 PDT

This article examines the connection of immigration and diversity to homicide by advancing a recently developed approach to modeling spatial dynamics—geographically weighted regression (GWR). In contrast to traditional global averaging, we argue on substantive grounds that neighborhood characteristics vary in their effects across neighborhood space, a process of "spatial heterogeneity." Much like treatment-effect heterogeneity and distinct from spatial spillover, our analysis finds considerable evidence that neighborhood characteristics in Chicago vary significantly in predicting homicide, in some cases showing countervailing effects depending on spatial location. In general, however, immigrant concentration is either unrelated or inversely related to homicide, whereas language diversity is consistently linked to lower homicide. The results shed new light on the immigration-homicide nexus and suggest the pitfalls of global averaging models that hide the reality of a highly diversified and spatially stratified metropolis.

Neighborhood Dynamics of Urban Violence: Understanding the Immigration Connection

Chavez, J. M., Griffiths, E. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:58:34 PDT

Social disorganization is the dominant framework linking neighborhood patterns of immigration to local rates of crime and violence despite inconsistent findings and evidence to the contrary. Using tract-level census data from 1970 to 1990 and Chicago homicide data from 1980 to 1995, this study explores whether and how the changing face of immigration is (un)related to homicide patterns within the contemporary urban environment. The results show that stable and consistent growth in foreign born is not associated with neighborhood trends in violence, whereas growth in recent arrivals occurs almost exclusively within the safest neighborhoods of the city. This research highlights the need to distinguish recent waves of immigrants/migrants from their historic counterparts.

The Role of Immigration for Violent Deaths

Nielsen, A. L., Martinez, R. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:58:34 PDT

This article examines the role of community-level factors, including percentage immigrant, for Latino- and Black-specific homicides and suicides in Miami, Florida. Using medical examiner data for 1985-1995 violent deaths and 1990 Census data, this article examines the contexts under which ethnic-specific lethal violence occurs at the census tract level. The results indicate that immigrants are not disrupting communities or undermining social integration. Overall, the article illustrates the importance of considering immigration for understanding race- and ethnic-specific lethal violence as well as the utility of examining the community contexts in which both homicide and suicide tend to occur.

Homicidal Events Among Mexican American Street Gangs: A Situational Analysis

Valdez, A., Cepeda, A., Kaplan, C. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:58:34 PDT

This article examines the complexity of street gang homicides and focuses on situational factors that lead to gang members' susceptibility to this violent behavior within the context of a disadvantaged minority community. This study is based on an analysis of 28 homicides involving Mexican American gang members. The absence of immigrant youth involvement in these types of violent crimes is discussed. Findings demonstrate how locally embedded social processes associated with specific gang types, ecology, drugs, circumstances, and motives unfold into homicidal events. These findings may contribute to the development of street-based social programs focused on gang mediation, dispute resolution, and crisis intervention.

Immigration, Economic Disadvantage, and Homicide: A Community-level Analysis of Austin, Texas

Akins, S., Rumbaut, R. G., Stansfield, R. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:58:34 PDT

In this article, the effect of recent immigration on homicide rates across city of Austin, Texas census tracts is examined. Since 1980, Austin's recent immigrant population increased by more than 580% across the metropolitan area and it is now considered a "pre-emerging" immigrant gateway city to the United States. Therefore the changing population dynamics in Austin provide an excellent opportunity to study the effect of recent immigration on homicide. After controlling for structural predictors of homicide and correcting for spatial autocorrelation, our findings indicate that recent immigration is not associated with homicide.

Incorporating Ethnic-Specific Measures of Immigration in the Study of Lethal Violence

Stowell, J. I., Martinez, R. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:58:34 PDT

The growing body of research on immigration and crime consistently finds that immigration, contrary to both criminological theory and popular sentiment, is not related to higher levels of lethal violence. Instead, a common finding in the literature is that immigration predicts lower levels of violence, and homicide in particular. The primary objective of the present study is an initial test of hypotheses associated with the Latino paradox, by focusing on the degree to which the impact of immigration operates differentially as a product of ethnicity. Using neighborhood-level homicide data and ethnically disaggregated indicators of immigration, these are consistent with the expectations of the Latino paradox.

Contextualizing the Immigration and Crime Effect: An Analysis of Homicide in Chicago Neighborhoods

Velez, M. B. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:58:34 PDT

Neighborhoods with concentrated disadvantage have heightened levels of crime, and since the 1980s they have seen an infusion of immigrants. The article suggests that the influx of recent immigrants should contribute to the revitalization of disadvantaged neighborhoods and thereby help to reduce violent crime. The article tests whether the effect of concentrated disadvantage on local homicide levels is attenuated by levels of recent arrivals (1985-1990). The article find that recently arrived immigrants are associated with reductions of lethal violence in disadvantaged neighborhoods. It suggest that the influx of recent immigrants in disadvantaged neighborhoods reinvigorates local economic opportunity structures and social networks, and revitalizes neighborhood organizations and institutions. However, recently arrived immigrants are associated with increases in local homicide levels in advantaged contexts. Recent immigrants appear to elevate homicide via the potential disruption they cause in local social networks and efforts at community social control.

Homicide-Suicide in the Netherlands: An Epidemiology

Liem, M., Postulart, M., Nieuwbeerta, P. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:40:41 PDT

Homicides followed by the suicide of the perpetrator are a rare yet very serious form of interpersonal violence that occurs mainly in partnerships and families. No systematic research on homicide-suicide has ever been conducted in the Netherlands. This study provides an overview of the international homicide-suicide literature. Additionally, this article describes, for the first time, the incidence and patterns of homicide-suicide in the Netherlands and compares these to homicides not followed by suicide. To do so, an existing record containing all homicide cases in the Netherlands in the period 1992-2006 was used. Additional information on homicide-suicide events was retrieved through newspaper analysis. A total of 135 people died in 103 events. Homicide-suicide occurs with an annual incidence of 0.07 to 0.02 per 100,000 persons per year. People who commit homicide-suicide cannot be easily equated to those accused of other types of homicide.

Social Support and Homicide

Worrall, J. L. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:40:41 PDT

This article tests social support theory with a focus on the relationship between general relief payments to the poor and homicide. General relief, a new and untapped measure of social support, represents an improvement on earlier measures of social support, such as welfare spending, because it (a) reflects local priorities, (b) includes both cash grants and in-kind services, and (c) is sufficiently variable at the local level to make it statistically useful. Data from Worrall (2005) were reanalyzed, revealing that general relief was inversely related to homicide, even in the face of various robustness checks.

Examining the Role of Lifestyle and Criminal History Variables on the Risk of Homicide Victimization

Ezell, M. E., Tanner-Smith, E. E. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:40:41 PDT

This study uses a lifestyle and routine activities (LSRA) approach to examine the offender—victim overlap in the case of lethal victimization. Longitudinal arrest and mortality data from three samples of individuals released from the California Youth Authority (CYA) are used to examine the lifestyle and criminal history factors that influence the risk of homicide victimization. Results from counting process Cox proportional hazards models indicate that gang membership, the period after release from incarceration, violent arrest history, ethnicity and race, county of release, and family criminality are all significantly related to the bivariate and multivariate risk of homicide victimization. However, other lifestyle and criminality factors such as alcohol and drug abuse and total offense history fail to predict the risk of homicide victimization. The article concludes with a discussion of the results in terms of their implications for theory, public policy, and future research needs.

Homicides Clearances: An Analysis of Arrest Versus Exceptional Outcomes

Jarvis, J. P., Regoeczi, W. C. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:40:41 PDT

A number of studies in the homicide clearance literature combine arrest and exceptional clearances into a single category. This study addresses the question of whether these divergent homicide case outcomes are influenced differently by various aspects of the case. Using National Incident-Based Reporting System data on homicides from 1996 to 2002, the authors analyze logistic regression models of cases cleared by arrest and exceptionally cleared. Our results show that although certain factors have similar influences on both arrest and exceptional clearances, victim gender, offender race, weapon use, victim/offender relationship, and circumstances have differing impacts on case outcomes. The findings challenge recent research findings on clearances suggesting that exceptional clearances are almost solely politically motivated, and implications for measuring clearance are discussed.

Sliding Down the Slippery Slope of Multiple Murder: "Examining Offending Specialization in a Sample of Male Multiple Homicide Offenders"

Duwe, G. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:40:41 PDT

Multiple Homicide Offenders: Arbitrary Cut-Off Points and Selection Bias

Wright, K. A., Pratt, T. C., DeLisi, M. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:40:41 PDT

Book Review: Nieuwbeerta, P., and Leistra, G. (2007). Dodelijk Geweld: Moord en Doodslag in Nederland [Deadly Violence: Murder and Manslaughter in The Netherlands]. Amsterdam: Uitgeverij Balans. 307 pp. ISBN 9-7890-5018-8289

Block, R. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:40:41 PDT

Reassessing Political Explanations for Murders of Police

Kaminski, R. J., Stucky, T. D. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:58:57 PST

The article discusses how Jacobs and Carmichael, drawing on the racial threat thesis, argue that the overrepresentation of Blacks among felons who murder police is in part explained by Blacks' conscious or unconscious responses to political subordination by the State. In testing this argument, Jacobs and Carmichael find that their key theoretical variable—the presence of a Black mayor—is inversely related to police homicides and injurious assaults across many model specifications. This article describes a limited reanalysis of Jacobs and Carmichael's homicide data and additional analyses with a larger sample of cities. The findings suggest that the significance of the Black mayor variable may have been an artifact of model specification. Instead, there is evidence that Black city council representation may be associated with reduced homicides of police by Blacks. Further research is needed, however, because of the limited explanatory power of the key factors highlighted in past research.

Slain and Slandered: A Content Analysis of the Portrayal of Femicide in Crime News

Taylor, R. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:58:57 PST

The present study is a content analysis of crime news to determine how femicide victims are portrayed by a Florida metropolitan newspaper. The analysis consisted of 292 domestic homicide-related articles published by one newspaper from 1995 to 2000. The data were analyzed to determine effects on newsworthiness, context revealed, and patterns of victim blame. A dichotomy concerning victim blame emerged from the analysis, suggesting victims are blamed directly and indirectly for their own femicides. Direct tactics include using negative language to describe the victim, highlighting her choices not to report past incidences, and portraying her actions with other men as contributing to her murder. Indirect tactics include using sympathetic language to describe the perpetrator; emphasizing the perpetrator's mental, physical, emotional, and financial problems; highlighting the victim's mental or physical problems; and describing domestic violence in terms that assign equal blame to both partners.

An Exploratory Analysis of Factors Affecting Homicide Investigations: Examining the Dynamics of Murder Clearance Rates

Keel, T. G., Jarvis, J. P., Muirhead, Y. E. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:58:57 PST

This study seeks to examine the practices of law enforcement agencies in attempting to solve cases of homicide. Five key dimensions, as determined from the extant literature, are examined using data from a recent law enforcement agency study of homicide investigative practices and policies. These include management practices, investigative procedures, analytical methods, demographics of the population served, and the extent of political influences that might affect agency effectiveness in clearing homicides. As expected, the results show some factors that enable effective agency investigations and other factors that hinder such processes. Some results can be interpreted to support contentions of victim devaluation by the police. However, an alternative interpretation, and perhaps more viable notion, is offered suggesting that police devaluation by the community may also contribute to explanations for the variance found in homicide clearance rates.

Analyzing 911 Homicide Calls for Indicators of Guilt or Innocence: An Exploratory Analysis

Harpster, T., Adams, S. H., Jarvis, J. P. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:58:57 PST

This study examined verbal indicators to critically analyze 911 homicide statements for predictive value in determining the caller's innocence or guilt regarding the offense. One hundred audio recordings and transcripts of 911 homicide telephone calls obtained from police and sheriffs departments throughout the United States provided the database for the study. Using qualitative approaches for formulating the linguistic attributes of these communications and appropriate quantitative analyses of the resulting variables, the likelihood of guilt or innocence of the 911 callers in these adjudicated cases was examined. The results suggest that the presence or absence of as many as 18 of the variables are associated with the likelihood of the caller's guilt or innocence regarding the offense of homicide. These results are suggestive of up to six distinct linguistic dimensions that may be useful for examination of all homicide calls to support effective investigations of these cases by law enforcement.

Reviewer Acknowledgments, Volume 12

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:58:57 PST