Current Trends Homicide Surveillance: High-Risk Racial and
Ethnic Groups -- Blacks and Hispanics, 1970 to 1983
The following summary is from the Homicide Surveillance Report,
"High-Risk Racial and Ethnic Groups--Blacks and Hispanics, 1970 to
1983", issued by CDC in November 1986*:
Although great strides have been made in improving the health
of
the American people, a marked disparity remains in the burden of
death
and illness faced by blacks and other minorities relative to the
white
population. High rates of homicide mortality among blacks and other
minorities account for much of this disparity (1).
Homicide is the leading cause of death among blacks 15-34 years
of
age. Overall, homicide is the third leading cause of years of
potential life lost (YPLL) for blacks. For whites and persons of
other
races, it is the sixth leading cause of YPLL. For the period 1970
to
1983, the crude homicide mortality rate for blacks was 37.4 per
100,000, 6.7 times the rate for whites (5.6) and 4.4 times the rate
for persons of other races (8.5). Homicide rates for blacks
decreased
by 21.7% from 1970 to 1983, whereas homicide rates for whites
increased by 30.2% (Figure 1). Despite these trends, homicide rates
for blacks were still 5.3 times greater than rates for whites in
1983.
Black males had the highest rates (approaching 100 per 100,000 for
those 25-34 years of age) followed by black females, white males,
males and females of other minority races, and white females. For
each
racial category, homicide rates were highest in the West. A
slightly
higher proportion of black than white victims were killed by
persons
known to them, by firearms, and under circumstances unrelated to
another felony.
In the Southwest, Hispanics were at intermediate homicide risk,
with lower rates than those of blacks but almost three times the
rate
of non-Hispanic whites in the region. Almost all the increased risk
for Hispanics was among Hispanic males. In the Southwest, firearms
and
explosives were the weapons used in 70.3% of homicides among
blacks,
65.1% of homicides among Hispanics, and 58.7% of homicides among
non-Hispanic whites. Among Hispanic males, one-fourth of all
homicides
were committed with cutting and piercing instruments, compared with
18.1% and 18.5% among non-Hispanic white males and black males,
respectively.
Certain patterns of homicide mortality in the United States
were
common to all racial and ethnic groups. Specifically, homicide
rates
were highest among males and young adults; at least half of all
victims were killed with firearms, most of which were handguns.
Most
homicides occurred during the course of an argument or other
nonfelony
circumstance, and most victims knew their assailants. While
identifying high-risk racial and ethnic groups helps to target
resources and programs for homicide research and prevention, these
common patterns suggest that preventive interventions may be
applicable to the entire population.
Reported by: Div of Injury Epidemiology and Control, Center for
Environmental Health and Injury Control, CDC.
References
US Department of Health and Human Services. Report of the
Secretary's Task Force on Black and Minority Health.
Washington,
DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health
Service, 1985.
*Copies of the full report may be obtained by writing Patrick
O'Carroll, M.D., Koger Center, Mailstop F36, 1600 Clifton Road,
Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia 30333.
Disclaimer
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