NCJ Number
29533
Date Published
1974
Length
30 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY ATTEMPTS TO ANALYZE CHANGES IN THE STATIC AND DYNAMIC PATTERNS OF HOMICIDE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE CHANGES THAT OCCURRED DURING THE 10-YEAR PERIOD FROM 1965 TO 1974.
Abstract
DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM POLICE RECORDS OF THE HOMICIDE DIVISION OF THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT. FOR THE PERIOD UNDER STUDY, HOMICIDE WAS AN OVERWHELMINGLY INTRARACIAL CRIME. MOST VICTIMS AND OFFENDERS WERE BLACK MALES; OVERALL, THE NUMBER OF HOMICIDES WITH BLACK VICTIMS INCREASED BY 137 PERCENT. DURING THIS TIME, THERE WAS A LARGE INCREASE IN HOMICIDE USING A GUN AS THE WEAPON. BASICALLY, TWO PATTERNS OF HOMICIDE OCCURRED: THE FIRST WAS A PATTERN OF ALTERCATION HOMICIDE BASED ON DOMESTIC FEUDS OR ARGUMENTS BETWEEN FRIENDS, WHILE THE SECOND PATTERN OF HOMICIDE WAS ROBBERY-RELATED. THE LATTER PATTERN HAS INCREASED MUCH MORE RAPIDLY THAN THE FIRST; HOWEVER, THE CHARACTERISTICS OF VICTIMS OF ROBBERY HOMICIDES ARE BECOMING MORE SIMILAR TO THOSE OF NONROBBERY HOMICIDES AND TO OFFENDERS. BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE HOMICIDES INVOLVED GUNS, THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A FAILURE OF THE CURRENT GUN CONTROL LEGISLATION. HOWEVER, THE GEOGRAPHIC, RACIAL, AND SEXUAL CONCENTRATION OF THE HOMICIDE OFFENSE MAY LIMIT THE RESOURCES THAT THE COMMUNITY IS WILLING TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO COMBAT THE PROBLEM. THE REPORT SUGGESTS THAT LITTLE TIME OR MONEY WILL BE SPENT ON HOMICIDE PREVENTION AND THAT THE CRIME WILL REMAIN CONCENTRATED AMONG YOUNG BLACKS AND MEXICAN AMERICANS IN THE CITY. EXTENSIVE TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (JSP)