Typical circumstances under which the elderly are killed not only differ from typical circumstances under which children or younger adults are killed, but also vary depending on the victim’s gender and age group (ages 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, and 85 or older). Similarly, the typical circumstances under which the elderly commit homicide not only differ from typical circumstances for other offenders, but vary according to the offender’s gender and age group. In analysis of victim-level and offender-level versions of the Chicago Homicide Data set, we describe trends over time and situational patterns in homicides of the elderly or by the elderly.
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