U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report Murder in Families By John M. Dawson • When a son killed a parent, his victim and Patrick A. Langan, Ph.D. July 1994 was about as likely to be the mother as the BJS Statisticians father: 47% mothers versus 53% fathers. The United States has over 3,000 But when a daughter killed a parent, her A survey of murder cases disposed counties, but more than half of all victim was more likely to be the father than in 1988 in the courts of large urban murders occur in just 75 of them, the the mother: 81% fathers versus 19% counties indicated that 16% of murder Nation’s mort populous jurisdictions. mothers. victims were members of the defendant's This report taps a rich source of murder family. The remainder were murdered by data — prosecutors’ files in a sample of • In murders of persons under age 12, the friends or acquaintances (64%) or by these large urban places — for detailed victims' parents accounted for 57% of the strangers (20%). These findings are drawn information on the nature and extent of murderers. from a representative sample survey of a particular type of murder: those that State and county prosecutors' records. occur within families. In addition, the • Eleven percent of all victims age The survey covered disposed charges report uses these files justice systems 60 or older were killed by a son or against nearly 10,000 murder defendants, respond to family murder. daughter. whose murder cases accounted for over 8,000 victims. This study was possible as a result of • No significant difference in the conviction the generous cooperation of urban rate separated family murder defendants Other findings include the following: prosecutors and their staffs in jurisdic- (76%) from nonfamily murder defendants tions throughout the Nation. On behalf (72%). w Among murder victims 6.5% were killed of BJS, I want to express my sincere by their spouses, 3.5% by their parents, appreciation. • Convicted family murder defendants 1.9% by their own children, 1.5% by their (88%) were as likely to receive a prison siblings, and 2.6% by some other family Lawrence A. Greenfeld sentence as convicted nonfamily murder member. Acting Director defendants (91%). • A third of family murders involved a female as the killer. In sibling murders, victims were husbands and 62% were • Firearms were used in the killing females were 15% of killers, and in wives. of 42% of all family murder victims, murders of parents, 18%. But in spouse compared to 63% of all nonfamily murder murders, women represented 41% of • Forty-five percent of family murder victims. killers. In murders of their offspring, victims were female, compared to women predominated, accounting for 55% 18% of nonfamily murder victims. • Seventy-four percent of murder defen- of killers. dants had a prior criminal record of arrest When a mother killed her own child, the or conviction for a crime. A substantial • Among black marital partners, wives offspring she killed was more likely to be a percentage of murder victims, 44%, also were just about as likely to kill their son than a daughter: 64% sons versus had a prior criminal record. However, 19% husbands as husbands were to kill their 36% daughters. But when a father killed of family murder victims had a prior record, wives: 47% of the victims of a spouse his own child, the offspring he killed was compared to 51% of nonfamily murder were husbands and 53% were wives. about as likely to be a daughter as a son: victims. Also, 56% of family murder defen- Among white victims murdered by their 52% daughters versus 48% sons. dants, compared to 77% of other murder spouse, wives were much less likely to be defendants, had a prior record. the killers: 38% of the The survey Compared to other murder victims, Compared to other murder defend- family murder victims were — ants, defendants in family murders— Survey data were compiled from State prosecutors' files and were based on a More often More often representative sample of all murder cases disposed in large urban counties in 1988. $ female than male: $ were age 30 or older: The murders were committed in 1988 or 45% versus 18% (table 2) 57% versus 32% (table 2) earlier. The Nation's 75 largest counties under age 12: $ $ had a history of mental illness: (as defined by the number of arrests and 19% versus 2% (table 2) 14% versus 3% (table 3) population size) formed the population $ age 60 or older: $ committed a daytime murder: from which 33 counties were systematically 12% versus 6% (table 2) 38% versus 24% (table 5) sampled for the survey. $ killed during the daytime: $ committed the murder in the 39% versus 25% (table 5) defendant’s own home: Within each of the 33 sampled counties, a killed in the victim’s own home: $ 64% versus 10% (table 5). criminal case was eligible for sampling if 82% versus 22% (table 5) (a) 1 or more defendants in the case were Less often charged with murder, and (b) at least 1 Less often murder defendant in the case was $ were under age 30: disposed by a court in 1988. The sample $ identified as alcohol users: 43% versus 68% (table 2) consisted of 2,539 murder cases against 33% versus 51% (table 3) $ were identified as alcohol users: 3,119 defendants and involving 2,655 $ unemployed: 48% versus 68% (table 3) victims. When statistically weighted, the 7% versus 16% (table 3) $ were unemployed: 3,119 defendants in the sampled cases killed by a firearm: $ 29% versus 37% (table 3) represented 9,576 murder defendants in 42% versus 63% (table 5) $ had a victim of the same sex: the Nation's 75 largest counties, and the $ armed: 15% versus 20% (page 4) 34% versus 80% (table 4) 2,655 victims represented 8,063 victims in killed by multiple assailants: $ $ used a firearm: the 75 largest counties. The weighted 9% versus 19% (table 6) 43% versus 64% (table 5) estimate of 8,063 victims accounted for $ identified as having a past record $ had a record of arrest or conviction: 39% of the nationwide total of 20,860 or arrest or conviction: 56% versus 77% (table 7) murder victims in 1988. $ involved in murders in which both $ were involved in murders in which the defendant and the victim had a both the defendant and the victim had Murder includes (1) intentionally causing prior criminal record: a prior criminal record: the death of another person without 14% versus 43% (table 8). 15% versus 44% (table 8). extreme provocation or legal justification, (2) causing the death of another while committing or attempting to commit another crime, and (3) nonnegligent or Table 1. Murder victims and defendants in the 75 largest urban counties, voluntary manslaughter. Murder excludes by victim-assailant family relationship, 1988 negligent or involuntary manslaughter as well as attempted murder, which is classi- Relationship of Murder victims Murder defendants victim to assailant Number Percent Number Percent fied as aggravated assault. Murder also All 8,063 100.0% 9,576 100.0% includes accessory to murder, aiding and Nonfamily 6,755 83.8 8,292 86.8 abetting a murder, and facilitating a Family 1,308 16.2 1,284 13.4 murder. When the term murder is used in Spouse 528 6.5 531 5.5 this report with-out qualification, it includes Offspring 285 3.5 258 2.7 nonnegligent manslaughter. Defendant in Parent 154 1.9 150 1.6 this report refers to a person arrested for Sibling 123 1.5 121 1.3 Other 218 2.6 224 2.3 murder and presented by the police for Note: Spouse includes common-law spouse. cousin, in-law, extended family members, and other family prosecution. Offspring includes grandchild and step-child. members. Parent includes grandparent and step-parent. Detail percentages may not add to total because of Victims Sibling includes step-sibling. Other includes rounding. Murder cases disposed in the 75 largest counties in 1988 involved an estimated 8,063 victims (table 1). Sixteen percent of victims had a family relationship to at least one defendant in the case. The most frequent specific relationship was that of spouse; the least frequent, sibling. Nonfamily victim-offender relationships 2 Murder in Families Table 2. Sex, race, and age, by the family relationship of murder victims and defendants, 1988 Relationship of Sex Race Age victim to assailant All Male Female White Black Other Under 12 12-19 20-29 30-59 60 or older Victims All 100% 77.8% 22.2% 43.5% 54.2% 2.3% 4.8% 10.9% 35.6 % 41.8 % 7.0 % Nonfamily 100 82.2 17.8 44.4 53.3 2.3 2.1 12.2 38.5 41.1 6.1 Family 100 55.5 44.5 39.0 58.6 2.4 18.8 3.9 20.3 45.3 11.6 Spouse 100 40.2 59.8 41.2 56.4 2.4 0.0 0.0 27.9 65.0 7.1 Offspring 100 55.8 44.2 32.6 65.6 1.8 78.5 10.9 7.7 3.0 0.0 Parent 100 57.2 42.8 54.8 45.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9 56.7 42.4 Sibling 100 73.0 27.0 33.5 64.5 2.0 8.7 2.0 43.3 42.6 3.3 Other 100 74.9 25.1 34.1 61.0 4.9 4.6 8.2 19.1 47.5 20.6 Defendants All 100% 89.5% 10.5 % 36.2% 61.9% 1.8% 0.1% 21.8% 42.5 % 31.4 % 4.2 % Nonfamily 100 93.2 6.8 35.7 62.6 1.8 0.1 23.1 44.5 28.4 3.8 Family 100 65.5 34.5 39.7 58.0 2.3 0.0 13.0 29.7 50.5 6.8 Spouse 100 59.3 40.7 41.8 56.1 2.2 0.0 0.9 21.9 66.1 11.1 Offspring 100 45.4 54.6 34.5 64.5 1.0 0.0 17.2 36.4 40.3 6.0 Parent 100 81.6 18.4 49.8 50.2 0.0 0.0 38.2 30.7 29.4 1.7 Sibling 100 84.9 15.1 32.2 65.8 2.0 0.0 16.9 36.7 46.4 0.0 Other 100 83.5 16.5 38.1 56.1 5.9 0.0 18.0 35.9 41.3 4.9 Note: See table 1 notes for definitions of the family relationships.