NCJ Number
194732
Date Published
2001
Length
104 pages
Annotation
This document provides information about the crime of homicide in the State of California in the year 2000.
Abstract
From 1999 to 2000, homicide crimes increased 1.7 percent in rate per 100,000 population in California. From 1991 to 2000, the homicide crime rate decreased over 52 percent. Homicide rates have decreased for all gender, race/ethnic, and age groups since 1991. Victims under age 18 experienced the highest rate of decline. In 2000, most white victims fell into the aged “40 and over” category. Most Hispanic and Black victims fell into the aged “18-29” category. From 1991 to 2000, the majority of homicide victims knew their assailant. Proportionately, females were eight and a half times more likely to be killed by their spouses than were males in 2000. In 2000, 7 of the State’s 58 counties exceeded the 2000 statewide homicide rate of 6 victims per 100,000 population. Homicides occurred most often during the summertime. In 2000, males were more likely to be killed on streets or sidewalks and less likely to be killed in their residences; the inverse was true for females. Since 1991, more homicide victims have been killed by firearms than by all other types of weapons combined. In 2000, over 49 percent of homicide victims aged 5 to 29 were killed as a result of gang-related or drug-related activities. Over 52 percent of homicides were cleared by an arrest or by “exceptional means” in 2000. From 1991 to 2000, the majority of homicide arrestees and victims were male. In 2000, the largest proportion of homicide arrestees and victims were Hispanic. The majority of homicide arrestees were aged 18 to 29; the largest proportion of homicide victims was aged 18 to 29. By the end of 2000, 589 persons were under sentence of death in the State. Of these, 33 were sentenced in the year 2000. Since 1991, 60 peace officers have been feloniously killed in the line of duty. Two were killed in 2000. Since 1991, the homicide rate for peace officers killed in the line of duty decreased over 40 percent per 100,000 sworn law enforcement personnel. 51 charts, 42 tables, 2 appendices