Homicide trends in the U.S.
Trends by raceRacial differences exist, with blacks disproportionately represented among homicide victims and offenders Blacks were 6 times more likely than whites to be murdered in 2000 To view data, click on the chart.  [D]
For more information about racial patterns in violent victimization
see Key Facts at a Glance.
Blacks were over 7 times more likely than whites to commit homicide in 2000 To view data, click on the chart.  [D]
The race distribution of homicide victims and offenders differs by type of homicide For the years 1976-2000 combined - - Black victims are greatly over represented in homicides involving arguments or drugs. Compared with the overall involvement of blacks as victims, blacks are less often the victims of sex-related homicides, homicide by poison and workplace killings.
- Race patterns among offenders are similar to those among victims, except that black offenders are involved in a relatively large percentage of felony-murders (nearly six out of ten).
Homicide Type by Race, 1976-2000
| | Victims | | Offenders |
|---|
| White | Black | Other | | White | Black | Other |
|---|
| All homicides | 51.1% | 46.7% | 2.2% | | 46.4% | 51.5% | 2.0% | | Victim/offender relationship | | | | | | | | | Intimate | 55.7% | 42.1% | 2.2% | | 53.5% | 44.4% | 2.1% | | Family | 59.8% | 37.8% | 2.4% | | 58.3% | 39.4% | 2.3% | | Infanticide | 55.5% | 41.9% | 2.6% | | 55.2% | 42.1% | 2.6% | | Eldercide | 68.5% | 29.9% | 1.6% | | 54.5% | 44.0% | 1.6% | | Circumstances | | | | | | | | | Felony murder | 55.2% | 42.2% | 2.6% | | 39.2% | 59.2% | 1.5% | | Sex related | 67.0% | 30.4% | 2.7% | | 56.8% | 41.3% | 1.9% | | Drug related | 36.8% | 62.3% | .9% | | 32.7% | 66.3% | 1.0% | | Gang related | 58.2% | 38.4% | 3.5% | | 56.7% | 39.1% | 4.2% | | Argument | 47.9% | 49.9% | 2.1% | | 45.7% | 52.1% | 2.2% | | Workplace | 85.0% | 11.9% | 3.1% | | 70.2% | 26.9% | 3.0% | | Weapon | | | | | | | | | Gun homicide | 47.8% | 50.3% | 1.9% | | 43.7% | 54.6% | 1.7% | | Arson | 59.4% | 37.7% | 2.9% | | 54.5% | 43.1% | 2.4% | | Poison | 78.5% | 18.3% | 3.2% | | 74.3% | 23.0% | 2.7% | | Multiple victims or offenders | | | | | | | | | Multiple victims | 64.5% | 32.0% | 3.5% | | 57.9% | 38.6% | 3.5% | | Multiple offenders | 55.5% | 41.7% | 2.8% | | 46.1% | 51.6% | 2.4% | Although slightly less true now than before,
most murders are intraracial From 1976 to 2000 -- - 86% of white victims were killed by whites
- 94% of black victims were killed by blacks
To view data, click on the chart.  [D]
Stranger homicides are more likely to cross racial lines than those that involve friends or acquaintances For homicides committed by -- - a friend or acquaintance of the victim, 1 in 10 is interracial
- a stranger to the victim, 3 in 10 are interracial
To view data, click on the chart.  [D]
Source: FBI, Supplementary Homicide Reports, 1976-2000
Additional information about the data used in Homicide trends in the U.S. Related charts on this site
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