The Epidemiology of Child Homicide in California, 1981 through 1990

Abstract

An analysis of 30,929 California homicides (including 1,498 homicides younger than age 15) revealed important differences in child and adult risk factors. Adult victims and offenders were predominantly male, and Black or Hispanic; child victims and offenders were closer in race and sex composition to the general population. Adults were most likely to be killed by a stranger or acquaintance, children by a relative. Adult homicides peaked overnight and on weekends, child homicides at midday and midweek. Most adult homicides occurred in public, precipitated by a felony or a dispute; most child homicides occurred at home, precipitated by child abuse or homicide-suicide.