The Role of Juveniles in Urban Homicide: The Case of Houston, 1990-1994

Youth homicide offending is now regarded as a threat to society at large and inner cities in particular. A leading explanation focuses on gangs, drugs, and guns as the nexus of contemporary youth violence. This study profiles juvenile homicide in one of the nation's largest cities, Houston, Texas, for the period of 1990 to 1994. Following Marvin Wolfgang's precedent, the authors summarize these homicide data in terms of demographic characteristics and victim-offender relationships. They then address the spatial distribution of lethal incidents. The authors find that gang-related killing is a relatively small proportion of all juvenile homicide offending. Also, juveniles are more likely than are adults to use firearms, commit homicide in public and outdoor locations, and engage in lethal violence in relation to other felony offending. The authors conclude with a discussion of criminal justice responses to juvenile violence.