U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

J. Robert Flores, Administrator September 2004

Of fice of Justice Pr ograms • Par tnerships for Safer Communities • www.ojp.usdoj.gov 

Trends in the Murder of 

Juveniles: 1980–2000 

Paul D. Harms and Howard N. Snyder 

An estimated 1,610 juveniles were mur- National estimates developed from SHR 

dered in the United States in 2000.1 This data yield the following statistics on murwas the smallest number in 15 years and dered juveniles: 

was substantially less than the peak of 

2,880 in 1993. In fact, adjusting for varia- ◆ Juveniles younger than 12 comprised 

tions in the size of the juvenile popula- 42% of juvenile murder victims between 

tion, the murder rate for juveniles in 2000 1980 and 2000. 

(2.3 murders per 100,000 juveniles) was ◆ Between 1980 and 2000, the murder 

less than in any of the preceding 20 years. rate for children younger than 1 was 

In 1980, 8% of all murder victims were greater than the rate for any age from 

younger than 18. By 1993, one in eight per- 1 to 15. 

sons (12%) murdered in the United States ◆ Males accounted for 67% of all juvenile was a juvenile. That proportion remained murder victims between 1980 and 2000 

stable through 1999, and then dropped and 77% of murder victims ages 12–17. to 10% in 2000. 

These findings are derived from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) Uniform Crime Reporting Program, through 

which the FBI requests a detailed supplementary homicide report (SHR) on each 

murder from local law enforcement agencies. The SHR data, which are available 

for 91% of the homicides committed in the 

◆ The murder rate for female juveniles 

remained largely unchanged between 

1980 and 1998, and then dropped to a 

21-year low in 2000. In contrast, the 

murder rate for male juveniles increased 117% between 1984 and 1993 

and then dropped, leaving the 2000 

rate only 8% above its lowest level in 

the 21-year period. 

United States between 1980 and 2000, pro- ◆ Between 1980 and 1993, the murder rate vide information on the demographics of 

victims and known offenders, the relation- for juveniles ages 12–17 increased 163% 

for blacks and 49% for whites. Between ship between them, and the weapon used.	 1993 and 2000, the murder rate for this 

age group decreased 64% for black juveniles and 51% for white juveniles. 1 Throughout this Bulletin, the term “juvenile” refers 

to persons younger than 18 years old. The terms ◆ In 1980, 41% of murdered juveniles 

“murder” and “homicide” are used synonymously to were killed with a firearm. By 1993, the represent “murder and nonnegligent manslaughter” proportion had increased to 61%; by from the supplementary homicide report. 2000, it had dropped back to 47%. 

and 2000. 

Bulletin. 

sent the violent deaths of more than 

A Message From OJJDP 

Homicides are always tragic, but the 

killing of a child is especially so. This 

Bulletin draws on statistics from the 

Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 

Uniform Crime Reporting Program— 

in particular, supplementary homicide report data—to analyze trends 

in the murder of youth between 1980 

Between 1980 and 2000, approximately 434,000 persons were murdered in the United States. About 1 

in 10 of these victims were juveniles. 

Fortunately, the number of youth 

murdered in 2000 (1,610) was considerably below the number of youth 

murdered in 1993 (2,880)—the peak 

year in the period covered by this 

In fact, the 2000 murder rate for juvenile victims was lower than in any of 

the preceding 20 years. Moreover, the 

murder rate for youth dropped 47% in 

just 7 years. 

Despite the decrease, there is small 

comfort in numbers when they repre1,600 children each year. While the 

findings reported in these pages 

show marked improvement, there is 

still reason for concern. For example, 

the murder rate for children younger 

than age 1 was higher than the rate 

for all youth ages 1–15. 

While the trend over the past several 

years has been positive, there is work 

to be done. 

Access OJJDP publications online at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp 
1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 

0 

500 

1,000 

1,500 

2,000 

2,500 

3,000 

Ages 12–14 

Ages 15–17 

Ages 2–11 

Ages 0–1 

◆ 

◆ 

◆ 

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 

0 

2 

4 

6 

8 

10 

12 

14 

16 

Ages 12–14 

Ages 15–17 

Ages 2–11 

Ages 0–1 

◆ 

Number of murder victims 

In 2000, the annual number of all juvenile homicides fell to its lowest 

level in 15 years 

Fewer juveniles were murdered in 1984 (1,500) than in any other year between 1980 and 

2000; the greatest number of juveniles were murdered in 1993 (2,880). 

From 1984 to 1993, the number of murder victims ages 15–17 increased from 560 to 1,500, 

while the number of murders in the other juvenile age groups remained relatively constant. 

The proportion of 15- to 17-year-old victims increased from 37% in 1984 to 52% in 1993. 

By 2000, this proportion had dropped to 43% of all juvenile murder victims. 

Data source: Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 

[machine-readable data files]. 

Murders per 100,000 juveniles in age group 

Both the large increase in the juvenile homicide rate between 1984 

and 1993 and the subsequent decrease were attributable mainly to 

changes in the homicide rates of juveniles ages 12–17 

Between the low year of 1984 and the peak year of 1993, the murder rate increased 183% 

for 15- to 17-year-olds, 111% for 12- to 14-year-olds, 4% for 2- to 11-year-olds, and 40% for 

juveniles younger than 2 years old. 

Data source: Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 

[machine-readable data files] and population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. [See 

data source note on page 8 for detail.] 

The murder rate for juvenile 

victims reached a 21-year 

low in 2000 

Between 1980 and 2000, an estimated 

433,820 people were murdered in the 

United States. Of all the people murdered 

during this period, 43,370 (10%) were juveniles. The total number of persons murdered in the United States in 2000 (15,590) 

was the smallest of any year between 1980 

and 2000. In 2000, an estimated 1,610 juveniles were murdered in the United States, 

the smallest number since 1984. 

From 1993 to 2000, the murder rate 

dropped from 4.3 to 2.3 murders per 

100,000 juveniles—a 47% decrease in 

the juvenile murder rate in 7 years.2 The 

dramatic drop in the rate at which juveniles were murdered from 1993 to 2000 

was good news. This decrease, however, 

followed a disturbing increase during the 

9 years preceding 1993. 

In 1984, the rate at which juveniles were 

murdered was 2.4 murders per 100,000 

juveniles. Between 1984 and 1993, the 

rate increased 79%. The large decrease 

from 1993 to 2000 brought the murder rate 

for juveniles in 2000 to a point 4% below 

the previous low in 1984, making 2000 the 

least lethal year for juveniles in the 1980 

to 2000 period. 

The large increase and subsequent decrease in the murder of juveniles between 

1980 and 2000 were not reflected in the 

murder trends for all types of juveniles. 

The overall pattern described above was 

due to the large changes in the murder 

of juveniles ages 12–17 over this period. 

These older juveniles were 58% of all juvenile murder victims between 1980 and 

2000. Murder rates of younger juveniles 

were relatively constant over this period. 

In addition, the large increase in the number of juveniles murdered between 1980 

and 1993 resulted more from male than 

female homicides. Over this period, the 

juvenile male homicide rate increased 

117% while the juvenile female rate increased 23%. Further, the increase in the 

murder rate for black juveniles (92%) was 

far greater than the increase for white 

juveniles (20%). Between 1993 and 2000, 

these large increases were followed by 

large decreases for both male (50%) and 

female (38%) juveniles and for both white 

(37%) and black (54%) juveniles. 

2 Throughout this Bulletin, murder rates represent 

the number of victims per 100,000 persons in the 

age group. 

2 
Trends in murder rates were 

similar for older juvenile 

victims and young adult 

victims 

The substantial growth and then decline 

in the murder rate for juveniles ages 12–17 

between the low year of 1984 and 2000 is 

paralleled in the murder trends for adult 

victims ages 18–30. However, the increase 

and subsequent decrease in the murder 

rate was proportionally smaller as the 

victim’s age approached 30 years. 

Murder rates at least doubled between 

1984 and 1993 for each age from 13 to 20. 

The largest murder rate increase between 

1984 and 1993 for any juvenile or adult 

victim age group was the 202% increase 

experienced by 17-year-olds. Murders of 

victims ages 21–24 grew by 62% between 

1984 and 1993, while the rate for victims 

ages 25–30 grew by 24%. Between 1993 

and 2000, murder rates decreased more 

for victims ages 12–17 (58%) than for victims ages 18–20 (46%), 21–24 (34%), and 

25–30 (33%). 

Juveniles most likely to be 

murdered were younger than 

1 and those ages 16 and 17 

Between 1980 and 2000, the murder rate 

for children younger than 1 averaged 7.1. 

The average rate dropped consistently 

with age for children between ages 1 and 

5 (from 4.1 to 1.1, respectively). The murder rate stabilized for children ages 6–11 

(at about 0.8). Between 1980 and 2000, the 

murder rate for juveniles younger than 1 

was nearly twice that of 1-year-olds and 

more than five times the rate for juveniles 

ages 2–11. 

Between 1980 and 2000, the average murder rate increased with age for juvenile 

victims older than 11. Over this period, 

the murder rate averaged 1.1 for 12-yearolds and grew to 12.3 for 17-year-olds. 

In 2000, the murder rate for 

male victims ages 12–17 was 

more than three times the 

female rate 

Between 1980 and 2000, an estimated 

24,950 juveniles ages 12–17 were murdered; 77% were male. The murder rate 

for female victims ages 12–17 increased 

29% between 1980 and 1993, while the 

corresponding male rate increased 118%. 

Both rates peaked in 1993, when the murder rate for male victims ages 12–17 (13.6) 

was four times the female rate (3.4). 

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 

0 

200 

400 

600 

800 

1,000 

1,200 

1,400 

1,600 

Whi

in 1993 and 40% in 1984 

◆ 

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 

0 

2 

4 

6 

8 

10 

12 

14 

16 

White 

Murder victims per 100,000 juveniles ages 0–17 

◆ 

te 

Black 

Other race 

Number of murder victims ages 0–17 

In 2000, 46% of juvenile murder victims were black, compared with 53% 

Between the low year of 1984 and the peak year of 1993, the number of murdered white 

juveniles increased 49%, the number of murdered black juveniles increased 150%, and 

murders of juveniles of other races increased 129%. 

Data source: Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 

[machine-readable data files]. 

Black 

Other race 

The murder rate for black juveniles peaked in 1993 at about seven 

times the murder rate for white juveniles 

In 2000, the murder rates for both white juveniles and juveniles of other races were at their 

lowest levels in the 1980 to 2000 period. In the same year, the murder rate for black juveniles 

was just 4% above its lowest value in the 1980 to 2000 period, but still four times the rate for 

white juveniles. 

Data source: Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 

[machine-readable data files] and population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. 

[See data source note on page 8 for detail.] 

The murder rates for both males and 

females within this age group fell similarly 

after 1993. Between 1993 and 2000, the 

murder rate for males ages 12–17 decreased 60% and the corresponding female 

rate decreased 52%. The murder rate for 

females ages 12–17 in 2000 was at its lowest level in the 1980 to 2000 period, while 

the corresponding male rate was still 29% 

above its lowest level of the period. 

3 
The increase and subsequent decrease in the murders of juveniles


between 1980 and 2000 were attributable mostly to changes in the


murder rate for males


Murder victims per 100,000 juveniles ages 0–17


7


6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

0 

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 

Males 

Females 

Murder victims per 100,000 juveniles ages 0–17 Murder victims per 100,000 juveniles ages 0–17


25


20 

15 

10 

5 

0 

80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 

Black 

White 

Males 

0.0 

0.5 

1.0 

1.5 

2.0 

2.5 

3.0 

3.5 

White 

Males 

Year	 Year 

Murder victims per 100,000 juveniles ages 0–17 Murder victims per 100,000 juveniles ages 0–17 

7 

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

0 

80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 

Females 

Black 

White 

0.0 

0.4 

0.8 

1.2 

1.6 

2.0 

White 

Females 

Year	 Year 

◆ Variations in the substantially smaller victimization rate for white juveniles are masked when 

placed on a graph displaying the corresponding black rate. So that readers can see the relative variations within the white and black rates, the white rates are presented separately using 

a magnified scale on the y axis. 

◆ Between the low year of 1984 and the peak year of 1993, the juvenile murder rate increased 

117% for males and 23% for females. By 2000, the male rate had fallen to a level 9% higher 

than the 1984 rate and the female rate had fallen to a level 23% lower than the 1984 rate. 

◆ Between 1984 and 1993, murder rates increased 167% for black males, 72% for white males, 

50% for black females, and 4% for white females. By 2000, the rates for both white females 

and black females had fallen below their 1984 levels (31% and 11% lower, respectively). In 

contrast, in 2000, murder rates for both white males and black males were still higher than 

their 1984 levels (5% and 12% higher, respectively). 

Data source: Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 

[machine-readable data files] and population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. [See data 

source note on page 8 for detail.] 

Most murder victims 

ages 12–17 were black 

Of the 24,950 juveniles ages 12–17 who 

were murdered between 1980 and 2000, 

12,880 (52%) were black and 11,270 (46%) 

were white. The remaining 620 murder 

victims were American Indian, Alaska 

Native, Asian, or Pacific Islander.3 

The large change in the overall murder 

rates for juvenile victims ages 12–17 between 1980 and 2000 is reflected in the 

rate for black juveniles. The murder rate 

for black juveniles ages 12–17 increased 

163% between 1980 and 1993, reaching 

a peak rate of 31.6 murders for every 

100,000 blacks in this age group. In comparison, the murder rate for white victims 

in the 12–17 age group increased 49% during the same time period, to peak at 4.4 

murders per 100,000 in 1993. 

The murder rate for black victims decreased more than the rate for whites 

between 1993 and 2000 (64% versus 51%). 

Even with the greater decline, the 2000 

murder rate for black victims ages 12–17 

(11.4) was still more than five times 

greater than that for white victims in the 

same age group (2.2). The 2000 murder 

rate for white victims ages 12–17 was 

lower than the rate in any year during the 

1980s and 1990s, while the black rate was 

substantially above its lowest level in the 

period (9.4 in 1984). 

Murder rates for victims 

ages 2–11 reached a 21-year 

low in 2000 

Children ages 2–11 accounted for 22% 

(or 9,590) of the juvenile murder victims 

between 1980 and 2000. The average 

annual murder rates for 2-year-olds (3.3) 

and 3-year-olds (2.1) were above the rates 

for children ages 4–11 (which averaged 

about 0.9) over this period. In general, the 

murder rate for children ages 2–11 decreased by 32% between 1980 and 2000. 

The age-specific murder rates for male 

and female victims in the 2–11 age group 

were essentially equal from 1980 to 2000. 

The average murder rate for male victims 

ages 2–11 was 1.3, compared with 1.2 for 

female victims. The murder rates for both 

male and female juveniles ages 2–11 decreased between 1980 and 2000 (31% and 

33%, respectively), reaching 21-year lows 

in 2000 (1.0 and 0.9, respectively). 

3 Total based on unrounded numbers. The race was 

unknown for 190 victims. 

4 
Between 1980 and 2000, the murder rate 

for black children in the 2–11 age group 

averaged 3.3, nearly four times the average murder rate of 0.9 for white children 

in this age group. The murder rate for 

white juveniles ages 2–11 decreased 33% 

between 1980 and 2000 (to end at 0.7), 

while the rate for black juveniles in this 

age group decreased 27% over this period 

(reaching 2.3 in 2000); both fell to their 

lowest levels of the 1980s and 1990s. 

Murder rates for victims 

younger than age 2 were 

greater for males than 

females and blacks than 

whites 

Juveniles younger than age 2 accounted 

for 20% (8,830) of the juvenile murder 

victims between 1980 and 2000, although 

they made up only 11% of the juvenile 

population. Victimization was somewhat 

more prevalent among males (54%) than 

females (46%). 

During the 1980s, the average murder rate 

for males younger than age 2 was similar 

to that for young females (5.4 and 5.0, 

respectively). Increases in the rates for 

young males and females during the 1980s 

and 1990s (20% and 14%, respectively) 

maintained this similarity in murder rates; 

the average rates in the 1990s were 6.5 

for males younger than age 2 and 5.6 for 

young females.4 

During the 1980s, the murder rate for 

blacks younger than age 2 was nearly four 

times that for whites (13.7 versus 3.6). 

Similar increases in the rates for blacks 

and whites between the 1980s and 1990s 

(19% and 15%, respectively) maintained 

this disparity in murder rates for young 

black (16.3) and white (4.2) children in 

the 1990s. 

Most murders of juveniles 

ages 12–17 involved firearms 

Although the annual number of nonfirearm murders of juveniles remained 

fairly steady between 1980 and 1993 (averaging 1,040), the number of juveniles murdered by firearms increased 133% (from 

750 in 1980 to 1,750 in 1993). The proportion of murders of juveniles that involved 

a firearm increased from 41% to 61% 

between 1980 and 1993. From 1993 to 

2000, the number of juveniles murdered 

4 Large yearly fluctuations necessitated comparisons 

of multiyear periods. 

Between 1980 and 2000, murder rates were about equal for boys and 

girls until they reached their teenage years 

Murder victims per 100,000 juveniles in age group, 1980–2000


22


20


18


16


14


12


10


8


6


4


2


0


All 

Females 

Males 

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 


Age of victim


Murder victims per 100,000 juveniles in Murder victims per 100,000 juveniles in 


age group, 1980–2000 age group, 1980–2000


80


70


60


50


40


30


20


10


0


0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 


Age Age


Males 

White 

0 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

White 

Males 

Black 

Murder victims per 100,000 juveniles in Murder victims per 100,000 juveniles in 


age group, 1980–2000 age group, 1980–2000


18


16


14


12


10


8


6


4


2


0


0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16


Age Age


Black 

White 

0 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

White 

Females Females 

◆ Variations in the substantially smaller victimization rate for white juveniles are masked when 

placed on a graph displaying the corresponding black rate. So that readers can see the relative variations within the white and black rates, the white rates are presented separately 

using a magnified scale on the y axis. 

◆ Between 1980 and 2000, black males were four times as likely to be murdered as white 

males up to age 12. After age 12, the murder rate for black males increased faster than that 

for white males. By age 17, black males were eight times as likely to be murdered as white 

males. 

◆ Over the same period, the murder rate for black female juveniles averaged 3.5 times that for 

white female juveniles. 

◆ Both black females and white females were more likely to be murdered before their first 

birthday than at any other time in their juvenile years. 

Data source: Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 

[machine-readable data files] and population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. 

[See data source note on page 8 for detail.] 

5 
with a firearm decreased from 1,750 to 

The large increase in murder rates for juvenile victims between 1984 760 (nearly equal to the number in 1980), 

and 1993 was almost entirely in firearm murders while the number of nonfirearm murders 

decreased from 1,130 to 850 (a 21-year 

Murder victims per 100,000 juveniles ages 0–17 

3.0 

2.5 

2.0 

1.5 

1.0 

0.5 

0.0 

Firearm involved 

No firearm i voln ved 

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 

◆ By 2000, the firearm murder rate for juvenile victims was within 23% of its 21-year low in 

1984. The steady decline in the nonfirearm murder rate for juvenile victims brought it to a 

21-year low in 2000. 

Data source: Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 

[machine-readable data files] and population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. 

[See data source note on page 8 for detail.] 

Between 1980 and 2000, firearms were most likely to be used in the 

murders of victims in their late teens and early twenties 

Murder victims per 100,000 persons in 

age group, 1980–2000 Percent of murder victims in age group, 1980–2000 

16 

Firearm involved 

No firearm involved 

80% 

14 70% 

12 60% 

10 50%


8
 40%


6
 30%


4
 20%


2
 10%


0
 0% 

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 

Firearm involved 

Age of victim	 Age of victim 

◆ Between 1980 and 2000, the murder victims most likely to be killed with a firearm were 

those age 17—79% of the murders of 17-year-olds involved a firearm. 

◆ More than 70% of the murders of victims in each age group from 14 to 27 were committed 

with a firearm. 

◆ Firearms were used in more than half of the murders of victims ages 12–61. 

◆ Less than 4% of murder victims younger than age 1 were killed with a firearm. 

Data source: Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 

[machine-readable data files] and population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. 

[See data source note on page 8 for detail.] 

low). As a result, by 2000, less than half 

(47%) of all juvenile homicides involved 

firearms.5 

Of all juveniles murdered with firearms 

between 1980 and 2000, 86% were ages 

12–17. During this period, 76% of the murder victims in the 12–17 age group were 

killed with firearms, and 15% were murdered with a knife or blunt object. Within 

the 12–17 age group, the proportion of 

murders involving firearms increased from 

60% in 1980 to 85% in 1994, then dropped 

to 78% by 2000. 

The proportion of murders involving 

firearms increased for males and females 

and for blacks and whites in the 12–17 age 

group between 1980 and 1993. This increase was followed by a large decrease 

between 1993 and 2000 for females and for 

whites, but not for males or blacks in this 

age group. 

Percent of murders involving a firearm: 

Ages 12–17 1980 1993 2000 

Males 68% 88% 86% 

Females 38 66 49 

Whites 51% 78% 70% 

Blacks 70 88 85 

The relatively high proportions of murders of juveniles ages 12–17 involving 

firearms in 2000 are due in part to the 

steady decline in the number of nonfirearm murders, which decreased 55% 

between 1980 and 2000. This change was 

in large part because of decreases in the 

numbers of murders of juveniles ages 

12–17 involving knives or blunt objects— 

between 1980 and 2000, these murders 

decreased by 66%. 

Most murdered children 

younger than age 2 were 

beaten to death 

Between 1980 and 2000, the proportion 

of firearm murders of younger juveniles 

remained stable. Over this period, 26% of 

the murders of juveniles ages 2–11 and 5% 

of the murders of children younger than 

5 Percentages based on unrounded numbers. 

6 
age 2 involved firearms. These figures 

were similar for blacks and whites and for 

males and females. 

Knives and blunt objects were used in 9% 

of the murders of juveniles younger than 

age 2 between 1980 and 2000. The use of 

“personal weapons”—blows to the body 

by hand or foot—was responsible for the 

majority (53%) of murders of juveniles 

younger than age 2; the remaining 32% 

involved other types of weapons or unknown weapons. This proportion is representative of the murders of males and 

females and of whites and blacks. 

Most younger juveniles were 

murdered by family members 

Between 1980 and 2000, offenders in 26% 

of the murders of juveniles were unknown. 

In cases in which murderers of juveniles 

were identified by law enforcement, 38% 

were family members, 47% acquaintances, 

and 15% strangers. Adolescents were far 

less likely to be murdered by family members than were juveniles younger than age 

12. This pattern is most pronounced for 

male juveniles. 

Percent of offenders 

Gender Acquaintand Age Family ance Stranger 

Males 32% 51% 18% 

0–11 66 29 5 

12–17 8 66 26 

Females 50% 40% 10% 

0–11 67 28 5 

12–17 19 63 18 

Totals may not equal 100% because of rounding. 

Adults committed the 

majority of murders of 

juveniles 

Of all juveniles murdered by known 

offenders between 1980 and 2000, 75% 

were murdered by adults, 21% by juveniles, and 4% by a group of offenders that 

included at least one juvenile and at least 

one adult—meaning that a juvenile offender was involved in 25% of all murders of 

juveniles. Between 1980 and 2000, juvenile 

offenders were involved in 9% of the murders of children younger than age 2, 11% 

of the murders of juveniles ages 2–11, and 

39% of the murders of juveniles ages 12–17. 

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 

0% 

10% 

20% 

30% 

40% 

50% 

60% 

70% 

80% 

90% 

Ages 15–17 

Ages 12–14 

Ages 2–11 

Ages 0–1 

Percent of victims murdered by firearm 

◆ 

◆ 

White male Black male White female Black female 

0% 

10% 

20% 

30% 

40% 

50% 

60% 

70% 

80% 

90% 

100% 

Victims ages 12–17 

Percent of victims murdered by firearm 

1980 1993 2000 

◆ 

◆ 

The proportion of murders involving firearms increased more for 

older juvenile victims than younger victims during the late 1980s 

and early 1990s 

Between 1991 and 2000, about 4 of every 5 murdered juveniles ages 15–17 were killed with 

a firearm. In the early 1980s, this proportion was about 3 of every 5. 

In 2000, juveniles ages 15–17 accounted for 43% of all murdered juveniles; 81% of these 

murders were committed with a firearm. The murder of juveniles ages 15–17 accounted for 

73% of all juvenile murders involving a firearm. 

Data source: Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 

[machine-readable data files]. 

Between 1980 and 2000, the proportion of victims ages 12–17 

murdered with a firearm was lowest for white females 

Annually, for juveniles ages 12–17, the murders of black juveniles were more likely to involve 

a firearm than the murders of white juveniles, for both males and females. 

In 2000, the proportion of murders of both black males and white males ages 12–17 that 

involved a firearm remained at the high levels of 1993. However, for both black females and 

white females in this age group, the proportion decreased between 1993 and 2000. 

Data source: Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 

[machine-readable data files]. 

7 
Bulletin NCJ 194609

Data source note 

Analysis of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2000 

[machine-readable data files], and population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Population Estimates by Age, Sex, 

Race, and Hispanic Origin: 1980 to 1999 

(With Short-Term Projection to Dates in 

2000) [machine-readable data files available online, released September 2000]. 

This Bulletin was prepared under cooperative 

agreement number 99–JN–FX–K002 from the 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention. 

Points of view or opinions expressed in this 

document are those of the authors and do 

not necessarily represent the official position 

or policies of OJJDP or the U.S. Department 

of Justice. 

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention is a component of the Office of 

Justice Programs, which also includes the 

Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of 

Justice Statistics, the National Institute of 

Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime. 

Acknowledgments 

tor of Systems Research, National 

This Bulletin was written by Paul D. 

Harms, Ph.D., Research Associate, 

and Howard N. Snyder, Ph.D., DirecCenter for Juvenile Justice, with 

funds provided by OJJDP to support 

the National Juvenile Justice Data 

Analysis Project. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance provided by the FBI’s Criminal Justice 

Information Services Division. 

Get the Latest Statistics 

Online From OJJDP 

If you need statistics about juvenile 

justice, the Statistical Briefing Book 

on the OJJDP Web site is the place 

to look. Visit the Briefing Book at 

ojjdp.ncjrs.org/ojstatbb/index.html 

for reliable answers to the most frequently asked questions about juvenile offending, victimization, and 

involvement in the juvenile justice 

system.