Identifying the Effect of Immigration on Homicide Rates in U.S. Cities: An Instrumental Variables Approach
Studies of the effect of immigration on homicide in U.S. cities have reported mostly null or negative results. These studies suffer from a failure to weight by population size and the lack of a credible identification strategy. Using data from the Census and the Uniform Crime Reports, 146 U.S. cities in the year 2000 are analyzed using weighted instrumental variables (IV) regressions to overcome these limitations. Estimates are insignificant, and none suggest a substantial negative effect of immigration on homicide, a finding that is replicated with 1990 data. Model comparisons indicate that conventional specifications exa...
Source: Homicide Studies - April 8, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Schnapp, P. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Homicide Injury Quantification: Correlations and Reliability of Injury Severity Scores Applied to Homicide Victims
This study explores six different injury severity scores with the goal to recommend a valid method that is reliable and easy to use. To investigate this issue, 103 homicides are examined regarding the correlations between these scores. This study concludes that the Homicide Injury Scale is valid, easy to use, and has a satisfactory inter-rater reliability. (Source: Homicide Studies)
Source: Homicide Studies - December 22, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tamsen, F., Logan, F. K., Thiblin, I. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Trends in Conflict: Uniform Crime Reports, the National Crime Victimization Surveys, and the Lethality of Violent Crime
Previous research has found reduced mortality from aggravated assaults, attributed to medical care improvements. However, aggravated assault has limitations as a longitudinal measure of injuries from violence. The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) can address this by providing estimates of serious injuries from criminal victimization. Their lethality trend is not compatible with the previous finding across 1973 through 1999, remaining stable rather than falling. After 1999, both Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)-and NCVS-based measures indicate increases in lethality. The trend differences raise serious problems of data...
Source: Homicide Studies - December 22, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Eckberg, D. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Income Inequality and Homicide in the United States: Consistency Across Different Income Inequality Measures and Disaggregated Homicide Types
Choices of inequality measure and homicide type may account for mixed findings on the income inequality–homicide link. We aim to acquaint criminologists with several income inequality measures beyond the familiar Gini index and apply the different measures to general and specific homicide rates, noting the practical effect of these choices on results. The income inequality measures differ in their fidelity to relative deprivation ideas, but still correlated highly with each other in data from 208 large U.S. cities. Multivariate analysis also found that all measures of income inequality had significant and positive as...
Source: Homicide Studies - December 22, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Roberts, A., Willits, D. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
The Accuracy of Supplementary Homicide Report Rates for Large U.S. Cities
We investigated the precision of Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) homicide rate estimates for large U.S. cities during the 5 years, 1998-2002. The homicide rates based on the National Vital Statistics System provided a parallel measure and the basis for estimating the reliability and average error. When cities with incomplete SHR data were removed from the sample, the estimated reliability was high (.99), and the standard error of measurement was low (1.2 homicides per 100,000 residents). Reliability remained high for subsets of cities and for most subsets of victims. For some groups, however, such as African Americans ...
Source: Homicide Studies - December 22, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Loftin, C., McDowall, D., Curtis, K., Fetzer, M. D. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Introduction to the Special Issue on Measurement Issues in Homicide Research
(Source: Homicide Studies)
Source: Homicide Studies - December 22, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Addington, L. A. Tags: Introduction Source Type: research
The Profiles of Victims, Perpetrators, and Unfounded Beliefs in Honor Killings in Turkey
Despite Turkey’s increasing awareness of honor killings, many unfounded beliefs and assumptions still pervade concerning the general profiles of victims, perpetrators, and the crimes committed. These erroneous views are predicated upon a plethora of weak generalizations rather than robust research evidence. Yet, such claims have a significant impact on both the regulations aiming to combat these killings and the working practices of the officers struggling to prevent their occurrence. By deploying a qualitative interview method, corroborated by court rulings and prison files, and reflecting views of prisoners who hav...
Source: Homicide Studies - September 16, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Doğan, R. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Different Cultural Understandings of Honor That Inspire Killing: An Inquiry Into the Defendant's Perspective
This article attempts to make a start in supplying this missing focus and argues that the concept of honor, here, is different from other honor-related homicides that other commentators and the relevant literature reflect. (Source: Homicide Studies)
Source: Homicide Studies - September 16, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Doğan, R. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Victim Lifestyle as a Correlate of Homicide Clearance
The current inquiry adds to the literature by using Hindelang’s lifestyle theory to examine the relevance of victim involvement in a deviant lifestyle to the likelihood of and time to homicide clearance. Bivariate analyses suggest that victim lifestyle is an important factor in the distribution of clearance enhancing characteristics across homicide incidents. Cox proportional hazard models indicated that higher levels of victim participation in deviant lifestyle significantly increased the time until a homicide was cleared by arrest. Theoretical and practical issues are discussed in light of these findings. (Source: Homicide Studies)
Source: Homicide Studies - September 16, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Rydberg, J., Pizarro, J. M. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
An Examination of Mental Health, Hostility, and Typology in Homicide Offenders
We examined the psychological characteristics of homicide offenders (n = 95) compared with incarcerated samples of rapists (n = 232) and generally violent men (n = 97) using the original Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), its Overcontrolled Hostility (O-H) scale, and the Buss Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI). Prominent MMPI elevations were found on scales 4 and 8 for each group. While general violent offenders had the highest BDHI scores, there were no differences among groups in O-H. Cluster analyses revealed a disordered and nondisordered homicide offender type. Results are discussed in light of extant ...
Source: Homicide Studies - September 16, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Brad, C. A., Coupland, R. B. A., Olver, M. E. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Examining the Instrumental-Expressive Continuum of Homicides: Incorporating the Effects of Gender, Victim-Offender Relationships, and Weapon Choice
The current study examines and extends the instrumental–expressive categories of homicide. Correspondence analysis of 30 years of homicide data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Supplementary Homicide Reports focuses on gender differences, the victim–offender relationship and weapon choice among the types of homicide. Findings reveal that the weapon type used in homicides depends on the sex and relationship of the offender and victim. Results also support a revised instrumental–expressive homicide continuum that includes offensive-defensive categories. The enhanced homicide dimensions inclu...
Source: Homicide Studies - June 16, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Fox, K. A., Allen, T. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Establishing the Victim-Offender Relationship of Initially Unsolved Homicides: Partner, Family, Acquaintance, or Stranger?
This analysis examines the extent to which homicides initially reported as unknown offender in end-of-year reports, once cleared, are more likely to have been perpetrated by strangers than other cleared homicides. Using solved and unsolved homicides in Indianapolis (N = 829), we determined victim–offender relationships in homicides reported as unsolved in year-end reports, when solved, were not significantly different from homicides reported as having a suspect in year-end reports. Indianapolis homicides were classified disproportionately as acquaintances. Findings help negate the ongoing myth that unsolved homicides...
Source: Homicide Studies - June 16, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Quinet, K., Nunn, S. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
The Prevalence of Alcohol-Involved Homicide Offending: A Meta-Analytic Review
This study meta-analyzes 23 independent studies that included information from 28,265 homicide offenders across nine countries. On average, 48% of homicide offenders were reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the offense and 37% were intoxicated. We found no demographic variations across age, gender, or race, although the proportion testing positive within the United States appears to be decreasing over time. Further, the proportion of offenders who were under the influence of alcohol was lower among those who committed the homicide with a firearm. Communities that have high homicide rates should work to...
Source: Homicide Studies - June 16, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Kuhns, J. B., Exum, M. L., Clodfelter, T. A., Bottia, M. C. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
HOMICIDE STUDIES Journal Editor: Call for Applications
(Source: Homicide Studies)
Source: Homicide Studies - April 23, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Tags: Articles Source Type: research
The Influence of Criminal History on the Likelihood of Committing Lethal Versus Nonlethal Violence
This study focuses on the criminal history of serious violent offenders. Our aim is to determine: (a) to what extent the criminal history of lethally violent offenders differs from nonlethally violent offenders and (b) to what extent one’s criminal history influences the likelihood that violence ends lethally. We use criminal record data of offenders convicted of lethal violence (i.e., homicide offenders, N = 2,049) and offenders convicted of nonlethal violence (i.e., attempted homicide offenders, N = 3,387). The results suggest that nonlethally violent offenders have a more severe criminal history and that offender&...
Source: Homicide Studies - April 23, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Ganpat, S. M., Liem, M., van der Leun, J., Nieuwbeerta, P. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
