| Violent Crime Victimization |
| Q: |
Has the number of juveniles killed with a firearm changed since 1980? |
| A: |
The growth in the number of juveniles murdered using a firearm that began in 2003 was reversed between 2006 and 2010 as the number fell 25% over the last 4 years. |
Juvenile homicide victims by firearm involvement, 1980-2010
| Year |
Firearm |
No Firearm |
|
| 1980 |
738 |
1,075 |
| 1981 |
649 |
1,041 |
| 1982 |
651 |
1,035 |
| 1983 |
569 |
968 |
| 1984 |
537 |
926 |
| 1985 |
628 |
944 |
| 1986 |
644 |
1,074 |
| 1987 |
747 |
965 |
| 1988 |
923 |
1,015 |
| 1989 |
1,153 |
1,001 |
| 1990 |
1,257 |
1,038 |
| 1991 |
1,459 |
1,116 |
| 1992 |
1,553 |
1,008 |
| 1993 |
1,726 |
1,115 |
| 1994 |
1,596 |
1,067 |
| 1995 |
1,591 |
1,031 |
| 1996 |
1,322 |
1,082 |
| 1997 |
1,144 |
914 |
| 1998 |
927 |
1,000 |
| 1999 |
919 |
878 |
| 2000 |
747 |
835 |
| 2001 |
705 |
935 |
| 2002 |
761 |
812 |
| 2003 |
689 |
854 |
| 2004 |
748 |
818 |
| 2005 |
810 |
824 |
| 2006 |
951 |
833 |
| 2007 |
931 |
870 |
| 2008 |
869 |
860 |
| 2009 |
765 |
761 |
| 2010 |
710 |
738 |
|
[ Graph version ]
[ Excel file ]
- Between 1984 and 1993, the number of juveniles killed with a firearm increased more than 200%. By 2003, the number of firearm-related juvenile homicides was 60% below the 1993 peak.
- The large drop in the number of juveniles killed with a firearm after 1993 resulted in the overall number of juvenile homicides in 2003 falling to its lowest level since at least 1984.
- However, between 2003 and 2006, murders of juveniles by firearms increased 38%, then fell 25% through 2010. In the early 1990s, about 61% of murdered juveniles were killed with a firearm; this percentage fell to 43% in 2001 then reached about 50% in each of the last 3 years.
- Firearms were used less often in the killings of young children. In 2010, for example, 14% of homicide victims under age 12 were killed by a firearm while 82% of victims ages 12–17.
Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/victims/qa02306.asp?qaDate=2010.
Released on July 31, 2012. Adapted from Puzzanchera, C. and Kang, W. (2012). Easy Access to the FBI's Supplementary Homicide Reports: 1980-2010. Available on-line at: http://ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezashr/. Data Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2010 [machine-readable data files]. Washington, D.C.: FBI.
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