FBI CRIME STATISTICS: Justifiable Homicide Killings Show Four Year Rise

[GreenStormCloud]

http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2008/offenses/expanded_information/data/shrtable_15.html

Yr. Total Gun was used

2004 - 222 - 166
2005 - 196 - 147
2006 - 238 - 192
2007 - 257 - 202
2008 - 245 - 204

The columns in the table show that justifiable homicides by other methods is roughly stable, but guns are rising. In the past few years there has been a rapid rise in the number of private citizens with CCW permits.

[damntexdem]

1. Given the small numbers and the short run of years, there's not a great deal of variation.

To see a trend, a much-longer run of years would be necessary.

[X_Digger]

2. Not really..

See here for 1999-2003 figures (Table 2.16)- http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/03cius.htm

If you combine the numbers from your post plus this, and figure the percentages..

1999 - 192 - 158 - 82.3%
2000 - 164 - 138 - 84.1%
2001 - 222 - 183 - 82.4%
2002 - 233 - 189 - 81.1%
2003 - 246 - 203 - 82.5%
2004 - 222 - 166 - 74.8%
2005 - 196 - 147 - 75.0%
2006 - 238 - 192 - 80.7%
2007 - 257 - 202 - 78.6%
2008 - 245 - 204 - 83.3%

The percentage of justified homicides using guns is rather stable, except for a dip in 2004/2005. Average is 80.5%, standard deviation is 1.7% without those two years, 3.3% with.

[GreenStormCloud]

5. I will admit to error on my part. Thanks. N/T

[X_Digger]

6. Well, as Glassunion notes below..

.. this probably only accounts for those that are 100% unassailable. So your contention could be true, but not reflected in the FBI stats.

[pipoman]

8. Has the criteria for justifiable been expanded

with the enactment of 'stand your ground' and 'castle doctrine' type legislation?

[X_Digger]

9. Can't tell from the CUIS site, unfortunately.

I sent off a ping to the local FBI office, hopefully they'll give us some insight.

[Glassunion]

3. Question. Are these numbers from law enforcement or from the courts?

Basically, are these homicides that were ruled justifiable by law enforcement not seeking to press charges, or were these cases where an individual was charged with a crime, but was dropped by the DA or found innocent?

The numbers just seem low to me across the board, not just for firearms.

[X_Digger]

4. per the FBI..

http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2008/offenses/expanded_information/homicide.html

Justifiable homicide — Certain willful killings must be reported as justifiable, or excusable. In the UCR Program, justifiable homicide is defined as and limited to:

* The killing of a felon by a peace officer in the line of duty.
* The killing of a felon, during the commission of a felony, by a private citizen.

Because these killings are determined through law enforcement investigation to be justifiable, they are tabulated separately from murder and nonnegligent manslaughter. Justifiable homicide information is included in this section and in Expanded Homicide Data Table 14, “Justifiable Homicide, by Weapon, Law Enforcement, 2004–2008” and Expanded Homicide Data Table 15, “Justifiable Homicide, by Weapon, Private Citizen, 2004–2008.”

I'd say only the ones not charged based on the above statement.

[AtheistCrusader]

7. I wonder if there is an actual increase, or if this is an improvement in reporting?