Situational Variables
n | % | Wt % | |
---|---|---|---|
Number of victims: n = 130; weighted mean = 1.28; SD = 0.85; range = 1–7 | |||
Victim gender | |||
Male | 68 | 52 | 52 |
Female | 62 | 48 | 48 |
Same gender as offender | |||
Yes | 61 | 47 | 49 |
No | 69 | 53 | 51 |
Victim's ethnicity | |||
White | 98 | 75 | 75 |
Black | 21 | 16 | 16 |
Hispanic | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Asian/Pacific Islander | 3 | 2 | 1 |
American Indian | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Unknown | 4 | 3 | 4 |
Same ethnicity as offender | |||
Yes | 114 | 88 | 88 |
No | 12 | 9 | 9 |
Unknown | 4 | 3 | 4 |
Relationship to offender | |||
Familial (nonspouse) | 37 | 29 | 27 |
Acquaintance or friend | 36 | 28 | 26 |
Intimate | 26 | 20 | 21 |
Stranger | 11 | 9 | 8 |
Unknown | 20 | 15 | 18 |
Day of murder | |||
Monday | 14 | 11 | 12 |
Tuesday | 13 | 10 | 14 |
Wednesday | 16 | 12 | 14 |
Thursday | 27 | 21 | 19 |
Friday | 14 | 11 | 9 |
Saturday | 27 | 21 | 18 |
Sunday | 18 | 14 | 14 |
Unknown | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Accomplice† | |||
Yes | 15 | 16 | 15 |
No | 70 | 74 | 75 |
Unknown | 10 | 11 | 10 |
Method of murder* | |||
Firearm | 67 | 52 | 55 |
Knife or other sharp instrument | 27 | 21 | 20 |
Strangulation or suffocation | 12 | 9 | 9 |
Bludgeon with object or fists | 13 | 10 | 10 |
Automobile | 7 | 5 | 3 |
Burning | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Drowning | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Other | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Unknown | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Location of murder | |||
Victim's residence | 43 | 33 | 27 |
Victim and offenders' shared residence | 26 | 20 | 23 |
Public area (e.g. street, park) | 23 | 17 | 18 |
Other residence or victim's vehicle | 22 | 17 | 17 |
Place of business | 11 | 9 | 10 |
Other | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Unknown | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Alcohol use prior to murder† | |||
No | 19 | 20 | 18 |
Unknown | 54 | 57 | 60 |
Yes | 22 | 23 | 22 |
Alcohol impairment | |||
Yes | 16 | 17 | 15 |
No | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Unknown | 5 | 5 | 6 |
Drug use prior to murder† | |||
No | 23 | 24 | 23 |
Unknown | 51 | 54 | 58 |
Yes | 21 | 22 | 20 |
Drug impairment | |||
Yes | 14 | 15 | 14 |
No | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Unknown | 6 | 6 | 7 |
* More than one weapon possible.
† Offender-level data (n = 95).