Summary: A comprehensive analysis of FBI data spanning 44 years reveals that family members are the most frequent perpetrators of homicides involving infants and children in the United States, with firearms playing an increasing role in these tragic incidents.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
In a sobering revelation, new research has uncovered that family members are the primary perpetrators of homicides involving infants and young children in the United States. The study, which analyzed FBI data from 1976 to 2020, also highlights a disturbing trend in the increasing use of firearms in these crimes.
Hannah Rochford, PhD, an assistant professor at Texas A&M University School of Public Health, led the research team that delved into the characteristics of perpetrators and their use of firearms in homicides involving victims from birth to 19 years of age. The findings, published in the journal Injury Epidemiology, offer crucial insights that could shape future prevention strategies and public health policies.
A Closer Look at the Data
The study utilized the multiply-imputed version of the FBI’s 1976-2020 Supplementary Homicide Reports (SHR) to overcome limitations in data reporting. Rochford explained the importance of this approach, stating, “The unimputed SHR is limited by ‘unit missingness’ because not every law enforcement agency provides data for the reports every year, and ‘item missingness’ because some homicide incidents were missing case information.”
Key findings from the analysis include:
- Family members were the most common perpetrators for victims aged 0-4 and 5-12.
- Acquaintances accounted for the majority of adolescent (ages 13-19) homicides.
- One-quarter of adolescent female homicides were perpetrated by an intimate partner.
- Firearm use in homicides has steadily increased across all age groups.
The Rise of Firearms in Child Homicides
Perhaps one of the most alarming trends revealed by the study is the sustained increase in the proportion of homicides committed with firearms. From 2016 to 2020, firearm involvement reached all-time highs across the study period:
- 14.8% for infants and toddlers (ages 0-4)
- 53.1% for children (ages 5-12)
- 88.5% for adolescents (ages 13-19)
The burden of firearm homicide was particularly heavy for Black pediatric victims. Black infants and toddlers experienced twice the burden as their White counterparts, highlighting a stark racial disparity in these tragic incidents.
Understanding the Patterns
The research team’s findings align with developmental changes in family dependency, peer relationships, and age-related independence. Rochford noted, “Adult female family members were responsible for more than a quarter of all infant and toddler homicides, but to less than 1 percent of adolescent homicides.”
This pattern suggests that different prevention strategies may be necessary for different age groups. For infants, toddlers, and young children, interventions that improve family stability and well-being could be most effective. In contrast, programs targeting peer and community relationships, as well as policies focusing on firearm access, may be crucial for preventing adolescent homicides.
Implications for Policy and Prevention
The study’s findings underscore the need for comprehensive, evidence-based public health policies and prevention strategies. Rochford emphasized the importance of national-level information, stating, “The more national-level information we have about these perpetrators, the better we can develop comprehensive, evidence-based public health policies and prevention strategies.”
However, the research also highlights a significant challenge in addressing this issue. Rochford pointed out, “Unfortunately, the data has lagged behind data that is known for most other public health challenges.” This lag in data collection and analysis makes it difficult to learn from past trends, such as the youth violence surge of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
As policymakers and public health officials grapple with the ongoing issue of child and adolescent homicides, this study provides valuable insights that could inform more targeted and effective prevention strategies. By understanding the patterns of perpetrator relationships and the increasing role of firearms, interventions can be tailored to address the specific risks faced by different age groups.
Quiz
- According to the study, who are the most common perpetrators of homicides involving infants and young children? a) Strangers b) Family members c) Acquaintances d) Intimate partners
- What age group experienced the highest proportion of homicides committed with a firearm from 2016 to 2020? a) Infants and toddlers (ages 0-4) b) Children (ages 5-12) c) Adolescents (ages 13-19) d) All age groups equally
- What limitation of the unimputed Supplementary Homicide Reports did the researchers address in their study? a) Lack of racial data b) Incomplete geographical coverage c) Unit and item missingness d) Overrepresentation of certain crime types
Answer Key:
- b) Family members
- c) Adolescents (ages 13-19)
- c) Unit and item missingness
Further Reading:
- National Violent Death Reporting System: https://www.cdc.gov/nvdrs/about/index.html
- Youth Violence Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/youth-violence/prevention/index.html
- Firearm Violence Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/firearms/index.html
Glossary of Terms:
- Supplementary Homicide Reports (SHR): A data collection system used by the FBI to gather detailed information about homicides in the United States.
- Multiply-imputed: A statistical technique used to handle missing data by creating multiple plausible imputed datasets.
- Unit missingness: The absence of data for entire units (e.g., law enforcement agencies not reporting for a given year).
- Item missingness: The absence of specific pieces of information within a reported incident.
- Pediatric homicide: The killing of a child or adolescent (typically defined as individuals under 18 or 19 years of age).
- Public health policy: Government actions or programs designed to promote and protect the health of a population.
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