Abstract
Older offenders are the fastest growing group in the U.S. prison system, although little is known about older offenders who commit homicides, their v ictims, or the details of the crime. The current study inv estigated cov ariates associated with four categories of homicide: intimate, family, acquaintance, and unrelated v ictims. Using the Chicago Homicide Dataset, a subsample was created of offenders 50 years and older (n = 972). In a multinomial multiv ariate regression, where unrelated homicides were defined as the base outcome, it was rev ealed in intimate and family comparisons that women were at a significantly higher risk of v ictimization. Crimes that occurred in residences were significantly associated with all three homicides groups compared with unrelated homicides. The use of alcohol was significant in crimes where an acquaintance was the v ictim. The results suggest that earlier identification of at-risk older adults and more social support in the community could be integral in the prev ention of v iolent crimes.
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