Incidence Murder

international murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants, 2011

the world health organization reported in october 2002 person murdered every 60 seconds. estimated 520,000 people murdered in 2000 around globe. study estimated worldwide murder rate @ 456,300 in 2010 35% increase since 1990. two-fifths of them young people between ages of 10 , 29 killed other young people. because murder least crime go unreported, statistics of murder seen bellwether of overall crime rates.

murder rates vary among countries , societies around world. in western world, murder rates in countries have declined during 20th century , between 1 , 4 cases per 100,000 people per year.

unodc : per 100,000 population (2011)


murder rates country

murder rates in jurisdictions such japan, singapore, hong kong, iceland, sweden, switzerland, italy, spain , germany among lowest in world, around 0.3–1 cases per 100,000 people per year; rate of united states among highest of developed countries, around 4.5 in 2014, rates in larger cities on 40 per 100,000. top ten highest murder rates in honduras (91.6 per 100,000), el salvador, ivory coast, venezuela, belize, jamaica, u.s. virgin islands, guatemala, saint kitts , nevis , zambia. (unodc, 2011 – full table here).

the following absolute murder counts per-country not comparable because not adjusted each country s total population. nonetheless, included here reference, 2010 used base year (they may or may not include justifiable homicide, depending on jurisdiction). there 52,260 murders in brazil, consecutively elevating record set in 2009. on half million people shot death in brazil between 1979 , 2003. 33,335 murder cases registered across india, 19,000 murders committed in russia, approximately 17,000 murders in colombia (the murder rate 38 per 100,000 people, in 2008 murders went down 15,000), approximately 16,000 murders in south africa, approximately 15,000 murders in united states, approximately 26,000 murders in mexico, approximately 13,000 murders in venezuela, approximately 4,000 murders in el salvador, approximately 1,400 murders in jamaica, approximately 550 murders in canada , approximately 470 murders in trinidad , tobago. pakistan reported 12,580 murders.

the scene of murder in rio de janeiro. more 800,000 people murdered in brazil between 1980 , 2004.

in united states, 666,160 people killed between 1960 , 1996. approximately 90% of murders in committed males. between 1976 , 2005, 23.5% of murder victims , 64.8% of victims murdered intimate partners female. women in us, homicide leading cause of death in workplace.

in us, murder leading cause of death african american males aged 15 34. between 1976 , 2008, african americans victims of 329,825 homicides. in 2006, federal bureau of investigation s supplementary homicide report indicated half of 14,990 murder victims black (7421). in year 2007 non-negligent homicides, there 3,221 black victims , 3,587 white victims. while 2,905 of black victims killed black offender, 2,918 of white victims killed white offenders. there 566 white victims of black offenders , 245 black victims of white offenders. white category in uniform crime reports (ucr) includes non-black hispanics. in london in 2006, 75% of victims of gun crime , 79% of suspects african/caribbean community. murder demographics affected improvement of trauma care, has resulted in reduced lethality of violent assaults – murder rate may not indicate overall level of social violence.

workplace homicide, tripled during 1980s, fastest growing category of murder in america.

development of murder rates on time in different countries used both supporters , opponents of capital punishment , gun control. using filtered data, possible make case or against either of these issues. example, 1 @ murder rates in united states 1950 2000, , notice rates went sharply shortly after moratorium on death sentences imposed in late 1960s. fact has been used argue capital punishment serves deterrent and, such, morally justified. capital punishment opponents counter united states has higher murder rates canada , european union countries, although countries have abolished death penalty. overall, global pattern complex, , on average, influence of both these factors may not significant , more social, economic, , cultural.

despite immense improvements in forensics in past few decades, fraction of murders solved has decreased in united states, 90% in 1960 61% in 2007. solved murder rates in major u.s. cities varied in 2007 36% in boston, massachusetts 76% in san jose, california. major factors affecting arrest rate include witness cooperation , number of people assigned investigate case.

history of murder rates

intentional homicide rate per 100,000 inhabitants, 2009

according scholar pieter spierenburg homicide rates per 100,000 in europe have fallen on centuries, 35 per 100,000 in medieval times, 20 in 1500 ad, 5 in 1700, below 2 per 100,000 in 1900.

in united states, murder rates have been higher , have fluctuated. fell below 2 per 100,000 1900, rose during first half of century, dropped in years following world war ii, , bottomed out @ 4.0 in 1957 before rising again. rate stayed in 9 10 range of period 1972 1994, before falling 5 in present times. increase since 1957 have been greater if not significant improvements in medical techniques , emergency response times, mean more , more attempted homicide victims survive. according 1 estimate, if lethality levels of criminal assaults of 1964 still applied in 1993, country have seen murder rate of around 26 per 100,000, triple observed rate of 9.5 per 100,000.

the historical homicide rate in stockholm since 1400 ad. murder rate high in middle ages. rate has declined greatly: 45 / 100,000 low of 0.6 in 1950s. last decades have seen homicide rate rise slowly.

a similar, less pronounced pattern has been seen in major european countries well. murder rate in united kingdom fell 1 per 100,000 beginning of 20th century , low 0.62 per 100,000 in 1960, , @ 1.28 per 100,000 of 2009. murder rate in france (excluding corsica) bottomed out after world war ii @ less 0.4 per 100,000, quadrupling 1.6 per 100,000 since then.

the specific factors driving dynamics in murder rates complex , not universally agreed upon. of raise in u.s. murder rate during first half of 20th century thought attributed gang violence associated prohibition. since murders committed young males, near simultaneous low in murder rates of major developed countries circa 1960 can attributed low birth rates during great depression , world war ii. causes of further moves more controversial. of more exotic factors claimed affect murder rates include availability of abortion , likelihood of chronic exposure lead during childhood (due use of leaded paint in houses , tetraethyllead gasoline additive in internal combustion engines).