The Center for Homicide Research conducted an in-depth statistical analysis of its GLBT Homicide Database in 2006. This study combines data analysis from CHR itself and from the FBI’s database. When looking at the demographic makeup of gay homicides, several key findings stick out. The CHR found that from gay homicides, people of color are …
In May 1988 a lesbian couple, camping along the Appalachian Trail were shot by a cave-dwelling mountain man who came across them engaged in intimate activity. One victim died at the scene and the other suffered serious injuries. When approached by the authorities the offender initially claimed the shooting had been a simple hunting accident. …
A theory has developed that credits the drowning deaths of a number of young men in the Midwest and Northeastern United States to the work of a serial homicide offender. In 1999, journalists first reported that college-aged students were drowning in rivers after an evening of heavy drinking (Maller). These deaths were said to form …
With the enactment of new laws and a national debate on whether teachers should be armed, the Center for Homicide Research examined the issue of accidental discharges by schoolteachers. Researchers found that one group of current firearm users were also experiencing accidental discharges – the police. Firearm advocates propose that teacher training should match that …
Sex Strikes, or withholding sexual activity as a means of stopping homicide has been used around the world. Little has been written about this as a homicide prevention strategy, yet it has been enacted in many countries around the world. This brief pulls together information about its origin, implementation, and success. To access the brief, click …
Sex Strikes: Boycotting Sex as a Homicide Prevention Tactic Read More »
The Homicide Center is re-titling this research brief to better describe its content. When people go missing under suspicious circumstances, it is often easier to track and locate their missing motor vehicle rather than their person. Written by an emergency communications center supervisor, this brief outlines strategies for helping to locate difficult-to-find missing vehicles. To …
How to Locate Missing Vehicles in Suspected Homicide Cases Read More »
Stigmatized properties are often hard to sell because many people are superstitious, further perpetuating the conceptual idea of stigmatized property. However, prospective buyers who are able to overlook the home’s tragedy may only pay a fraction of the asking price for such a property. The reduced price occurs because stigmatized properties often take longer to …
Homicides in many instances involve more than an easily delineated victim and offender. This brief discusses patterns of third parties in conflict and examines peacemaker homicides specifically. How many peacemaker homicides occurred in Minnesota between 2006 and 2015 and what patterns exist there? What can be done to prevent peacemaker homicides? To access the brief, …
Third Parties in Conflict: Factors in Creating A Peacemaker Homicide Outcome Read More »
One of the most well-known legal defenses, the claim of self-defense, if successfully asserted and proven, acts as a justification to what would otherwise be considered criminal activity. This brief identifies the variance among state jurisdictions in determining what constitutes self-defense. Issues relevant to homicide researchers are also addressed. To read the brief, click here. …
When is Deadly Force Self-Defense a Legal Defense to Homicide Read More »
A theory attempting to explain the drowning deaths of intoxicated, young, white, college males is taken to task based on empirical data. The claim that women do not drown is shown to be the result of methodological or sampling biases. Researchers gathered 200 cases of dead women pulled from rivers. A surprise finding relates to …