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Homicide
trends in the U.S.
Victim/offender relationship
Most homicides with known victim/offender relationships involved people who knew each
other
- The number of homicides where the victim/offender relationship was undetermined has been increasing since 1999 but has not reached the levels experienced in the early 1990s.
To
view data, click on the chart.
[D]
Note: Intimate includes spouses, ex-spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, and same-sex
relationships.
Friend/Acquaintance includes neighbor, employee, employer, and other known.
These data are grouped from the original categories. For the detailed categories see the following tables:
Weighted | Unweighted
In 14% of all murders, the victim and the offender were strangers.
- Spouses and family members made up about 15% of all victims.
- About one-third of the victims were acquaintances of the assailant.
- The victim/offender relationship was undetermined in over one-third
of homicides.
Victim/Offender Relationship, 1976-2005
| |
|
|
All homicides,
1976-2005 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percent |
Number |
|
| Total |
100.0% |
594,276 |
| |
Stranger |
13.9% |
82,428 |
| |
Nonstranger |
|
|
| |
|
Spouse |
7.0% |
41,700 |
| |
|
Other family |
8.0% |
47,358 |
| |
|
Boyfriend/Girlfriend |
3.8% |
22,829 |
| |
|
Other Acquaintance |
32.1% |
190,767 |
| |
Relationship
undetermined |
35.2% |
209,194 |
|
Homicides committed by friends/acquaintances and strangers are
more likely to involve guns than those committed by initmates or family
members
To
view data, click on the chart.
[D]
Source: FBI, Supplementary Homicide Reports, 1976-2005.
See also Additional information about the data.
Note: The victims of the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks are not included in this analysis.
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