b'NATIONAL DATAAccording to the FBI SHR data, in 2020 there were 9,753 Black homicide victims in the United States. The homicide rate among Black victims in the United States was 23.41 per 100,000. For that year, the overall national homicide rate was 6.03 per 100,000. For whites, the national homicide rate was 3.24 per 100,000. The Black homicide victimization rate was nearly four times the overall homicide victimization rate (23.41 per 100,000 compared to 6.03 per 100,000) and seven times the white homicide victimization rate (23.41 per 100,000 compared to 3.24 per 100,000). From 2019 to 2020, the Black homicide victimization rate increased by 29 percent (from 18.08 per 100,000 in 2019 to 23.41 per 100,000 in 2020). The rate of 23.41 per 100,000 in 2020 was the highest Black homicide victimization rate in the 17-year history of this study. Additional information contained in the FBI SHR data on Black homicide victimization is below.SEXOf the 9,753 Black homicide victims, 8,398 (86 percent) were male, 1,352 (14 percent) were female, and three were of unknown sex (less than one percent). The homicide rate for Black male victims was more than four times the overall rate for male homicide victims (41.92 per 100,000 compared to 9.83 per 100,00) and more than eight times the rate for white male homicide victims (41.92 per 100,000 compared to 4.84 per 100,000). The homicide rate for Black female victims was more than twice the overall rate for female homicide victims (6.25 per 100,000 compared to 2.32 per 100,000) and nearly four times the rate for white female homicide victims (6.25 per 100,000 compared to 1.66 per 100,000).The Black male homicide victimization rate was more than six times the Black female homicide victimization rate (41.92 per 100,000 compared to 6.25 per 100,000).MAY 2024Race Male Homicide Rate Female Homicide Rate Both Sexes Homicide Rate Black 41.92 6.25 23.41White 4.84 1.66 3.24Overall 9.83 2.32 6.03more than twice the overall rate for female homicide victimsed by homicide. For the year 2020, Blacks Americans repre-AGEsented 14 percent of the nations population, yet accounted (6.25 per 100,000 compared to 2.32 per 100,000) and nearly y Black homicide victims ( fcorent) wfour times thee for whited thire f homicide victims eight per(6.25 53 perere lescent s than 18 yof all homicide ears old and 2victims.6 25 Black The devastation ho-Sevraten hundr temalemicide inflicts on Black teens and adults remains a national per 100,000 compared to 1.66 wpero per 100,000) Themale e or older. The average age was 32 years old.homicide victims (t cent) wer.e 65 yBlackears of agcrisis that should be a top priority for policymakers to ad-homicidevictimizationratewasmorethansixtimesthedress. An important part of ending our nations gun violence Black female homicide victimization rate (41.92 per 100,000 MOST COMMON WEAPONS epidemic will involve reducing homicides in the Black com-compared to 6.25 per 100,000).For homicides in which the weapon used could be identified, 8munity. 9 perAt the same time, the firearmslooking to cent of Black victims (8,285 out of 9industry,297) , 3.24 6.03 Seven hundred thirty Black homicent (- 6 victimsbeyond ) werits e killed with handguns. Te77 shrinking base of whithere e wmale ere gun owners, AGE 1.66 2.32 23.41 were shot and killed with guns. Of these, 58 per 4, xpand cide victims (eight percent) were less than 18 years old andhas increased its marketing efforts targeting Black, Latino, 603 victims killed with knives or other cutting instruments, 241 victims killed by bodily force, and 88 victims 225 Black homicide victims (two percent) were 65 years ofand Asian Americans.7 Such efforts can only increase gun VICTIM/OFFENDER RELATIONSHIPkilled by a blunt object. In comparison, 70 percent of whitdeath e victims and 80 perand injury in these cent of victims of all rcommunities. In acaddition,es were individu-age or older. The average age was 32 years old. For homicides in which the victim to offender relationship could be identified, 76 percent of Black v is prevalent are at killed with guns. als living in communities where violenceictims (2,734 MOST COMMON WEAPONS For homicides in which the weaponincreased risk for a broad range of negative health and be-out of 3,585) were killed by someone they knew. Eight hundred fifty-one victims were killed by strangers. used could be identified, 89 percent of Black victims (8,285havior outcomes. An increased understanding of how trauma resulting from community violence influences development, out of 9,297) were shot and killed with guns. Of these, 58 per- health, and behavior can lead to improvements in the way cent (4,776 victims) were killed with handguns. There were CIRCUMSTANCEmany social services are delivered as well as policy changes 603 victims killed with knives or other cutting instruments, For homicides in which the circumstances could be identified, 78 percent (3,837 out of 4,939) were not 241 victims killed by bodily force, and 88 victims killed by aat the local and federal levels.8 For Black victims of homicide, blunt object.ed comparison, 70 percent of white victims andlike all victims of homicide, gunsusually handgunsare relat In to the commission of any other felony. Of these, 49 percent (1,868 homicides) involved arguments 2 | VIOLENCE POLICY CENTERBLACK H far and away the number-one murder tool. Successful efforts OMICIDE VICTIMIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES80 percent of victims of all races were killed with guns.between the victim and the offender, and 13 percent (516 homicides) were reported to be gang-related.to reduce Americas Black homicide toll, like Americas homi-CONCLUSION: Black Americans are disproportionately affect- cide toll as a whole, must put a focus on reducing access and exposure to firearms.Weapons Used in HomicidesVictim/O\x08ender Relationship CircumstanceInvolving Black Victims241, 3% 80, 1%88, 1%603, 6%851, 24% 1,102, 22%8,285 , 89% 2,734, 76% 3,837, 78% Firearm Knife or Cutting InstrumentO\x11ender Known to Victim StrangerFelony Related Non-Felony Related Blunt Object Bodily Force Other WeaponThe FBI has made changes in the way it collects and reports crime data that in the short term will drastically reduce the availability of state and local data and deprive researchers access to detailed information that can help prevent gun violence and other crime. In There were 80 incidents reported as justifiable homicides of Black victims killed by law enforcement in 2021 the FBI stopped collecting detailed crime data from police agencies that are not ready to participate in the National Incident-2020. The SHR does not specifically identify killings by law enforcement that are not ruled justifiable. In Based Reporting System (NIBRS), an updated and expanded version of the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) system. While full implementation of NIBRS would be an improvement on the current UCR system, as of June 2022 only 66 percent of the U.S. population were covered by the wake of ongoing controversial incidents of Black citizens killed by police, media reports have focused NIBRS-reporting law enforcement agencies.3 Instead of allowing local agencies who missed the deadline to continue to report crime on the lack of reliable statistics on lethal incidents involving law enforcement. In December 2015, the FBI data via the UCR, the FBI has partnered with the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) to create national estimates to account for the missing information. For the immediate future these changes will severely hobble ongoing efforts, like this VPC series of studies, to understand announced that it would dramatically expand its data collection on violent police encounters by 2017. 4In and prevent gun violence, domestic violence, homicide, and, in fact, all types of violent crime.October 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice outlined a plan to improve the collection of law enforcement use of force data. The FBI has begun to release online very limited information on law enforcement use of Follow us on 12force incidents. In addition, the agency notes that in 2022 only 9,712 out of 18,514 federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies throughout the nation participated and provided use of force data. The officers employed by these agencies represent 69 percent of federal, state, local, and tribal sworn officers in the nation. 54FBI to sharply expand system for tracking fatal police shootings, The Washington Post, December 8, 2015 (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/fbi-to-sharply-expand-system-for-tracking-fatal-police-shootings/2015/12/08/a60fbc16-9dd4-11e5-bce4-708fe33e3288_story.html).5Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer, Law Enforcement Collections (https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/le/uof).4 | VIOLENCE POLICY CENTERBLACK HOMICIDE VICTIMIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES'