Patterns of Homicide in Vancouver, 1980-1986

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Patterns of Homicide in Vancouver, 1980-1986 Patterns of Homicide in Vancouver: 1980-1986 Gordon Maxwell Bradley Coburn B.A. (Geography), University of British Columbia, 1978 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS (CRIMINOLOGY) in the School of Criminology O Gordon Maxwell Bradley Coburn 1988 Simon Fraser University December 1988 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author. APPROVAL Name: Gordon Maxwell Bradley Coburn Degree: Master Of Arts (Cri~ninology) Title of Thesis: Patterns of Homicide in Vancouver: 1980-1986. Examining Committee: Chainnan: Ted S. Palys, Ph. D. - Douglas F. Cousineau, Ph. D. Senior Supervisor Raymond R. Corrado, Ph. D. L J. Evenden, Ph. D. External Examiner Department of Geography Simon Fraser University Date Approved: December 6, 1988 TirIe c4 T-4esis,'z~pjfyy/~pff~y?~/jl~p~/ Patterns of Homicide in Vancouver: 1980-1986 Gordon M.B. Coburn ABSTRACT The literature on the urban analysis of homicide occurrence has been dominated by American research largely patterned upon methodology developed by Wolfgang (1958). Subsequent homicide theory development and hypothesis testing, were largley founded upon American experience with American generated data. The current thesis arose with a query whether empirical generalizations and theory development of urban homicide patterns that have developed in the United States could be readily transferred to the Canadian experience. The purpose of this thesis is to fill a void in the literature by the introduction of primary Canadian homicide data from the obse~ed patterns of homicide in Vancouver, British Columbia. All homicides that occurred in the City of Vancouver between January 1, 1980 and December 3 1,1986, formed the sample. Data for the 204 victims and 174 suspects of homicide who were identified in 194 homicide cases, were gathered from the complete homicide file as prepared by the detectives of the Major Crime Section of the Vancouver City Police. Methodology developed by Wolfgang (1958) was employed to examine patterns of homicide with respect to twenty-four victim, suspect, and situational variables. In addition, the spatial distribution of homicide was examined employing techniques developed by Bullock (1955) and Wilt (1974). The major findings of this study revealed both similarities and profound differences in the patterns of homicide in Vancouver and that of the literature. Although the absence of a large black population in Vancouver precluded direct comparisons regarding racial involvement, it was discovered that Native iii Indians in Vancouver had numerical involvement with homicide occurrence that was far in excess of their proportion in the population. It was also found that firearms were rarely used in Vancouver homicide, in contrast to American and national Canadian statistics. The importance of alcohol as a factor in urban homicide was further exemplified by the analysis of the exact levels of blood alcohol content of the participants of homicide in Vancouver. Two "strategic areas" and a "strategic spot" of homicide in Vancouver were identified. It was suggested that the high homicide rates found in the strategic areas, may have resulted from the violent interaction of a number of subcultures found within the areas. The interaction and "convergence" of the various subcultures is speculated to be largely responsible for the fact that Vancouver, for the last ten years, has had the highest per capita homicide rate of any large urban centre in Canada. In conclusion, recommendations were made to improve the current methods of data collection, and the reporting of homicides, by the police, to Statistics Canada. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge and thank; Dr. Douglas Cousineau, my Senior Supervisor, whose office door was always open; Dr. Ray Corrado, Supervisor; Dr. Len Evenden, for agreeing to be the External Examiner; Mrs. Aileen Sams and Liz Szockyj, for their help and friendship over the years; and to the Vancouver Police Department for granting me access to the homicide files. This study would not have been possible without the patient support of my wife, Susan. TABLE OF CONTENTS .. APPROVAL .......................................................................................11 ABSTRACT ....................................................................................111 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................ v INTRODUCTION ............................................................................ 1 CHAPTER I .....................................................................................7 LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................... 7 CHAPTER II ................................................................................... 29 METHODS ............................................................................. 29 The Sample .................................................................... 30 The Research and Data .................................................... 30 Variable Selection and Definition ...................................... 32 CHAPTER 111 .................................................................................. 43 PATTERNS OF HOMICIDE ....................................................43 Temporal Patterns .......................................................... 43 Homicide Location Patterns ............................................. 46 *Race. Age. and Gender Patterns ................................. 51 Address. Employment.. and Marital Status Patterns .............. 57 Wea~onPatterns ............................................................. 59 I Motive Patterns .............................................................. 65 &Wctim-~us~ectRelationship Patterns ................................ 70 Suicide after Homicide Patterns ........................................ 75 Homicide Charge Patterns ................................................ 77 Homicide Case Dispositions. .............................................. 79 Sentencing Patterns ......................................................... 81 Victim Precipitated Homicide Patterns .............................. 83 Alcohol Involvement and Homicide Patterns ...................... 85 Homicide Drug Involvement Patterns ................................ 89 Criminal Background Patterns ......................................... 89 CHAPTER IV .................................................................................. 94 SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF HOMICIDE IN VANCOUVER ... 94 CHAPTER V ................................................................................... 111 CONCLUSION ....................................................................... 111 Suggestions for Future Research ................................................ 124 APPENDIX 1.................................................................................. -126 APPENDIX 2 .................................................................................. 127 APPENDIX 3 .................................................................................. 129 APPENDIX 4 .................................................................................. 130 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................. 143 List of Tables Table Page Victim Homicide Rate by Year ......................................... 43 Number of Homicides by Month ....................................... 44 Homicides by Season ....................................................... 44 Homicide by Welfare Period ............................................45 Homicide by Day of Week ................................................ 45 Homicide by Location ..................................................... 47 Homicide Location by Victim-Suspect Relationship ............. 48 Homicide Location by Motive ........................................... 49 Homicide Weapon Use by Victim Location ......................... 50 Vancouver Racial Composition 1981 ................................. 51 Vancouver Homicide Population by Race ........................... 52 Age Classifications of Victims and Suspects by Gender ...........................................................................55 Weapon by Race and Sex of Victim ................................... 60 Weapon Use by Motive .................................................... 61 Motive by Gender-Victims and Suspects ............................ 65 Motive by Victim-Suspect Relationship by Gender .............. 66 Motive by Alcohol Involvement Victims ....................................................... 68 Suspects....................................................... 68 Motive by Employment Status Victims ....................................................... 69 Suspects....................................................... 70 Victim-Suspect Relationship by Gender ............................. 71 Victim-Suspect Relationship by Alcohol Involvement ................................................................... 73 Victims ....................................................... 73 Suspects....................................................... 73 Victim-Suspect Relationship by Weapon Use ...................... 74 Homicide Charges by Gender ........................................... 77 Victim-Suspect Relationship by Charge Type ..................... 78 Homicide Case Disposition ..............................................
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