Bulletin Board, Week 7
Hollywood would have you believe most women killed in the United States are the
victims of "intimate murder." It's simply not true, according to the United States
Department of Justice, and their Bureau of Justice Statistics. When Karen was killed in
1999, a comprehensive report on intimate murder (victims killed by spouses,
ex-spouses, and girlfriends/boyfriends) had just been made available through the BJS.
There was another report a few years old specifically about spousal murder. They are
the kind of reports considered required reading for homicide investigators in the real
world, as opposed to those on cable television.
On the week 2 bulletin board, I posted the some of the newer (lower) statistics available
through the BJS, but the earlier statistics are still pertinent. Here is a summary of
murder "profiling" data available at the time of Karen's death:
90% of murderers are male.
70% of murderers are between the ages of 17-34.
White victims (in one victim/one offender murders) are 85% of the time killed by a
white offender.
Black victims are 94% of the time killed by a black offenders.
The overwhelming motive for murder is money.
"Intimate murder now accounts for about 9% of the murders which occur nationwide."
Of the murders in which the relationship was known between the victim and the killer,
approximately 15% were intimate. About 10 percent of that were the spouse or
ex-spouse, and the other 5 percent were boyfriend/girlfriend.
There are reports placing the female intimate murder rate as high as 30%, and others
placing it around 15%, depending on the population being surveyed, and the statistical
methods used.
Of women killed in the U.S., 13% are known to have been murdered by total strangers,
but these numbers vary greatly. It is widely believed the number is artifically low, since
stranger murder is harder to prosecute, and less likely to have the "relationship"
documented in a routine Uniform Crime Report.
Roughly speaking, 1/3 of women killed are victims of intimate murder, with spousal
murder 1 in 5. The other 2/3 are killed by total strangers, or more commonly by
someone they have met--perhaps know their name--but have no personal relationship.
The typical profile of the victim of intimate murder?
The victim is female 3/4 of the time.
The victim is young, usually below the age of 34, with highest risk between the ages of
16-24 (rates 16/1,000).
Divorced or separated female. (also rates of 16/1,000) Married women are at lowest
risk (1.5/1,000).
Low income. Income greater than $30,000 carries lowest risk (2/1,000).
Limited education. College graduates have the lowest risk (3/1,000)
Half of victims were drinking at the time of their murder (as were half the killers).
10-25% of victims "precipitated the incident" by provoking the defendant with a weapon
or hitting them.
The most common cause of death is gunshot wound, especially with female victims.
The typical intimate murderer?
Male, young, poor, uneducated, drinking and/or using drugs at the time of the
murder.
78% have a prior criminal conviction.
40% had a "criminal justice status" at the time of the murder:
20% were on probation.
10% are on parole, etc.
9% are under a restraining order not to approach the victim.
If FBI profilers controlled investigations (and investigators), Malvo and Muhammed
would have killed 500 people by now, while we were still looking for that lone, white
sniper.
It is the investigation that tests the profile--not the other way around.
REALITY CHECK
Seven...
Six...
Five...