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Characteristics of Homicidal and Violent Juveniles

NCJ Number
189967
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2001 Pages: 401-409
Author(s)
David M. Shumaker; Geoffrey R. McKee
Date Published
August 2001
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article examines characteristics of homicidal and violent juveniles.
Abstract
This study compared 30 juvenile males charged with murder with a group of 62 juvenile males charged with other violent felony offenses. Comparisons were made across 33 demographic, historical, clinical, offense, and forensic characteristics. The groups were similar in demographic characteristics and family backgrounds. Juvenile homicide defendants, however, were less likely than the comparison group to have a current Axis I psychiatric diagnosis. They were more likely to have acted alone and to have committed their alleged crime in a domestic setting. The study claims four important methodological advantages over the majority of previous efforts in this area: (1) it included a relatively large sample of homicide cases, thus increasing the power of the analyses and external validity of the results; (2) it targeted an unusually broad range of both clinical and offense-related variables, generating a more complete picture of the homicide cases; (3) it systematically assessed potential developmental differences as well as differences between juveniles charged with murder and assault and battery with intent to kill; and (4) the comparison group was homogeneous, with all members having been charged with a limited range of serious, violent felony offenses. The paper recommends further research on juveniles charged with homicide, using larger, multistate, and multinational samples. Table, references

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