Black youths have higher rates of firearm homicide than any other racial/ethnic group.
The firearms homicide rate for black youths is more than twice the rate for Hispanic youths, more than three times the rate for Asian youths and nearly 10 times the rate for white youths.
- In 1997, black males, 17 years of age and younger, had a firearms homicide rate of 10.3 per 100,000.
- In 1997, black males, aged 10 to 17 years, had a firearms homicide
rate of 22.3 per 100,000.
Firearms homicide is the second leading cause of death for black males
17 years of age and younger.
Black Youth Firearms Homicide Rates (per 100,000), 17 Years of Age and Younger
| Year |
Male Rate |
Female Rate |
Total Rate |
| 1990 |
14.2 |
2.8 |
8.6 |
| 1991 |
17.1 |
2.5 |
9.9 |
| 1992 |
16.3 |
3.2 |
9.8 |
| 1993 |
19.0 |
3.3 |
11.2 |
| 1994 |
18.1 |
2.9 |
10.6 |
| 1995 |
15.5 |
2.9 |
9.3 |
| 1996 |
13.0 |
2.3 |
7.7 |
| 1997 |
10.3 |
2.1 |
6.3 |
Firearms homicide is the second leading cause of death for black males aged 10 to 17 years.
Black Youth Firearms Homicide Rates (per 100,000), Youths Aged 10 to 17 Years
| Year |
Male Rate |
Female Rate |
Total Rate |
| 1990 |
32.1 |
5.4 |
18.9 |
| 1991 |
38.9 |
5.1 |
22.2 |
| 1992 |
36.1 |
6.2 |
21.4 |
| 1993 |
42.2 |
6.3 |
24.5 |
| 1994 |
40.2 |
5.7 |
23.2 |
| 1995 |
34.3 |
5.8 |
20.3 |
| 1996 |
28.2 |
4.1 |
16.4 |
| 1997 |
22.3 |
3.8 |
13.2 |
The Violence Policy Center is a national non-profit educational foundation that conducts research on violence in America and works to develop violence-reduction policies and proposals. The Center examines the role of firearms in America, conducts research on firearms violence, and explores new ways to decrease firearm-related death and injury.
