Changing Patterns of Homicide and Social Policy in Philadelphia, Phoenix, and St. Louis, 1980-1994
Description
This study sought to assess changes in the volume and types
of homicide committed in Philadelphia, Phoenix, and St. Louis from
1980 to 1994 and to document the nature of those changes. Three of the
eight cities originally studied by Margaret Zahn and Marc Riedel
(NATURE AND PATTERNS OF HOMICIDE IN EIGHT AMERICAN CITIES, 1978 [ICPSR
8936]) were revisited for this data collection. In each city, police
records were coded for each case of homicide occurring in the city
each year from 1980 to 1994. Homicide data for St. Louis were provided
by the St. Louis Homicide Project with Scott Decker and Richard
Rosenfeld as the principal investigators. Variables describing the
event cover study site, year of the case, date and time of assault,
location of fatal injury, method used to kill the victim, and
circumstances surrounding the death. Variables pertaining to offenders
include total number of homicide and assault victims, number of
offenders arrested, number of offenders identified, and disposition of
event for offenders. Variables on victims focus on whether the victim
was killed at work, if the victim was using drugs or alcohol, the
victim's blood alcohol level, and the relationship of the victim to
the offender. Demographic variables include age, sex, race, and
marital status of victims and offenders.