Gender Differences in Patterns and Trends in U.S. Homicide, 1976–2017

Abstract

In the research literature on homicide, gender has typically received far less attention than other demographic characteristics, specifically the age and race of victims and offenders. To some extent this is understandable given that the overwhelming majority, almost three-quarters, of homicides in the United States involve a male killing another male. Therefore, the usual patterns of homicide mirror for the most part the patterns of male homicide. However, there are substantial differences in the trends and patterns of female offending and victimization that should not be obscured in the aggregate. In this article, we replicate previous work with updated data by using a national homicide database (the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Supplementary Homicide Reports) from 1976 through 2017, multiply imputed for missing data, to examine gender differences among victims and offenders in terms of characteristics such as age, race, weapon, circumstances, and victim–offender relationship.