Statistical Briefing Book > Offending by Juveniles Previous Page
Homicide
Q: How does homicide offending by youth vary by sex?
A: The annual number of male juvenile homicide offenders varied substantially between 1980 and 2020, unlike the number of female offenders.
  • Females account for a small share of known juvenile homicide offenders. Since 2004, 10% or less of known juvenile homicide offenders were female.
  • The number of female juvenile homicide offenders reached its lowest level in 2013 - down 73% from the 1992 peak - then more than doubled through 2020.
  • Similarly, the number of male juvenile homicide offenders reached its lowest level in 2013 - 75% below the 1994 peak - then increased 89% by 2020.
  • The number of known juvenile homicide offenders declined for both groups between 2018 and 2019, and then increased in the last year: 40% for males and 15% for females.
Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/offenders/qa03102.asp?qaDate=2020. Released on December 09, 2021.

Adapted from Puzzanchera, C., Chamberlin, G. and Kang, W. (2021). Easy Access to the FBI's Supplementary Homicide Reports. Available on-line at: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezashr/.

Data Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2020 [machine-readable data files]. Washington, D.C.: FBI.