Known juvenile homicide offenders by firearm involvement, 1980-2020

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Serving Children, Families, and Communities

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Homicide

Q:	What are the trends in homicides committed by youth involving firearms?
A:	The national trend in murders by known juvenile offenders reflected the growth and subsequent decline in homicides committed with firearms.

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Between 1984 and 1994, the number of firearm related homicides committed by known juvenile offenders quadrupled.
The sharp decline in homicides by known juvenile offenders between 1994 and 2001 was attributable entirely to a decline in homicides by firearm. During that period, the number of firearm related homicides fell 73%.
Firearm-related murders by juveniles increased between 2001 and 2007, then declined 46% through 2013, reaching its lowest level since at least 1980. Since the 2013 low point, the number of juvenile homicide offenders that used a firearm more than doubled through 2020. In the last year alone, the number of firearm related homicides increased 38%.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/offenders/qa03103.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.