Decision to Kill: Relationships Between Weapon Choice and Dynamic Factors in Homicide

• In Event: Situational and Offender Characteristics as Precursors to Violent Outcomes

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that lead to weapon choice in homicide. An additional aim of this study is to determine the most common situational factors that lead to the use of a firearm in a homicide (location of weapon, weapon retrieval, gender, race, etc.). The study focuses on three research questions: what is the most commonly associated weapon with each motive? What dynamic factors influence the use of a particular type of weapon in a homicide? How does the time it takes an offender to retrieve their weapon affect the choice of weapon in homicide? Data from the Newark Homicide Dataset are analyzed to answer these research questions. Theoretical and practical recommendations are discussed.

Authors

• Karissa Pelletier, Arizona State University

• Jesenia M Pizarro, Arizona State University