Violent Crime Victimization

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Serving Children, Families, and Communities

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Q:	Does juvenile homicide victimization vary by race?
A:	Black youth accounted for about 16% of the juvenile population between 1980 and 2006, but were the victims in 47% of juvenile homicides during the 27-year period.

Juvenile homicide victims by race, 1980-2006

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In the early 1980's, the homicide rate for black juveniles was 4 times the rate for white juveniles. This disparity increased so that by 1993 the black rate was 6 times the white rate. The relatively greater decline in black juvenile homicides between 1993 and 2002 (down 52%, compared with a 36% decline for whites) dropped the disparity in black-to-white homicide rates back to 4-to-1, before increasing slightly in the 2003 through 2006 period.
About half (49%) of juvenile murder victims in 2006 were white, 47% were black, and 2% were either American Indian or Asian.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/victims/qa02310.asp?qaDate=2006. Released on October 24, 2008.

Adapted from Puzzanchera, C. and Kang, W. (2008). Easy Access to the FBI's Supplementary Homicide Reports: 1980-2006. Available on-line at: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/ezashr/.

Data Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2006 [machine-readable data files]. Washington, D.C.: FBI.