Introduction
Material and methods
Study design
Setting
Participants/case identification
Variables
Social-ecological model level | Variables collected or derived from the Victorian Homicide Register |
---|---|
Individual (for both deceased and offender) | Demographic characteristics (i.e. age, sex); cultural and linguistic diversity factors (i.e. born overseas, language other than English, religion); recorded history of substance use or prior exposure to violence; diagnosed or suspected mental illness and treatment, physical illness diagnoses and treatment; and service contacts with government or non-government organisations (e.g. general practitioners/family physicians, emergency department, police, the courts or specialist domestic violence services). |
Interpersonal | Deceased-offender relationship; age disparity; sex within dyad; motive; and family violence history. |
Incident | Description of incident location (i.e. victim’s home); injury mechanism (i.e. firearm, sharp, blunt or bodily force); positive toxicology screen for alcohol or drugs (in the deceased), alcohol and/or illicit drugs detected in the offender; overkill (recorded evidence of excessive force, i.e. multiple stabbing, multiple violent methods or prolonged beating); and criminal justice outcomes. |
Community | Socioeconomic Index for Areas (SEIFA) Index of Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage (IRSD) scores and deciles, (www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/seifa) Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA) classifications (www.pocog.org.au/content.aspx?page=ariatool) for residence (deceased and offender) and incident location as proxy measures of disadvantage at the community level. |
Data source
Bias
Statistical analysis
Results
Variable | Deceased (n=59) | % | Female (n=23) | % | Male (n=36) | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Individual level | |||||||
Accommodation type | Private residence—owned/private rental | 29 | 49.2 | 15 | 65.2 | 14 | 38.9 |
Private residence—public rental | 6 | 10.2 | <5 | - | 5 | 13.9 | |
Age group | 65–74 | 37 | 62.7 | 13 | 56.5 | 24 | 66.7 |
75–84 | 18 | 30.5 | 9 | 39.1 | 9 | 25 | |
85–94 | <5 | - | <5 | - | <5 | - | |
Any physical illness | Yes | 39 | 66.1 | 14 | 60.9 | 25 | 69.4 |
Country of birth | Australia | 15 | 25.4 | <5 | - | 12 | 33.3 |
Outside Australia | 22 | 37.3 | 10 | 43.5 | 12 | 33.3 | |
Diagnosed mental illness | Yes | 8 | 13.6 | <5 | - | <5 | - |
Employment status | Employed | 6 | 10.2 | <5 | - | 5 | 13.9 |
Retired/pensioner | 44 | 74.6 | 18 | 78.3 | 26 | 72.2 | |
Ethnic or cultural affiliation | Known | 11 | 18.6 | 5 | 21.7 | 6 | 16.7 |
History of substance use | Yes | 8 | 13.6 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 22.2 |
History violence exposure | Yes | 15 | 25.4 | 6 | 26.1 | 9 | 25 |
Main language | English | 23 | 39 | 5 | 21.7 | 18 | 50 |
LOTE - known | 9 | 15.3 | <5 | - | 5 | 13.9 | |
Mental illness, suspected | Yes | 12 | 20.3 | <5 | - | 8 | 22.2 |
Physical disability | Yes | 4 | 6.8 | <5 | - | <5 | - |
Physical injury | Yes | 11 | 18.6 | <5 | - | 8 | 22.2 |
Psychiatric treatment (non-proximal) | Yes | 6 | 10.2 | 5 | 21.7 | <5 | - |
Psychiatric treatment (proximal) | Yes | 11 | 18.6 | 7 | 30.4 | <5 | - |
Service contact (any) | Yes | 29 | 49.2 | 10 | 43.5 | 19 | 52.8 |
Service contact (proximal) | Yes | 21 | 35.6 | 8 | 34.8 | 13 | 36.1 |
Suicide attempt | Yes | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Suicide ideation | Yes | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Undergoing treatment for physical illness | Yes | 16 | 27.1 | 9 | 39.1 | 7 | 19.4 |
Interpersonal level | |||||||
Deceased-offender relationship | Friend/acquaintance | 11 | 18.6 | <5 | - | 9 | 25 |
Intimate partner | 10 | 16.9 | <5 | - | 8 | 22 | |
Other familial | 27 | 45.8 | 14 | 60.9 | 13 | 36.1 | |
Stranger | 8 | 13.6 | <5 | - | 5 | 13.9 | |
Unknown | <5 | - | <5 | - | <5 | - | |
Family homicide | Yes | 38 | 64.4 | 17 | 73.9 | 21 | 58.3 |
FV homicide | Yes | 16 | 27.1 | 7 | 30.4 | 9 | 25 |
Motive argument | Yes | 15 | 25.4 | <5 | - | 11 | 30.6 |
Incident level | |||||||
Incident location | Deceased’s home | 32 | 54.2 | 9 | 39.1 | 23 | 63.9 |
Offender’s home | <5 | - | <5 | - | 0 | 0 | |
Public place | 10 | 16.9 | <5 | - | 6 | 16.7 | |
Shared residence | 10 | 16.9 | 5 | 21.7 | 5 | 13.9 | |
Mechanism | Blunt object | 12 | 20.3 | 5 | 21.7 | 7 | 19.4 |
Bodily force | 18 | 30.5 | 8 | 34.8 | 10 | 27.8 | |
Sharp object | 21 | 35.6 | 7 | 30.4 | 14 | 38.9 | |
Overkill (excessive force) | Yes | 6 | 10.2 | <5 | - | <5 | - |
Presence of alcohol or drugs (deceased) | Yes | 29 | 49.2 | 13 | 56.5 | 16 | 44.4 |
Community level | |||||||
Residence ARIA | Inner regional - outer regional | 8 | 13.6 | <5 | - | 6 | 16.7 |
Major city - inner regional | 50 | 84.7 | 20 | 87 | 30 | 83.3 | |
Residence IRSD | 1 | 6 | 10.3 | <5 | - | <5 | - |
2 | 10 | 17.2 | <5 | - | 8 | 22.2 | |
3 | 9 | 15.5 | 5 | 22.7 | <5 | - | |
4 | 14 | 24.2 | <5 | - | 10 | 27.8 | |
5 | 19 | 32.8 | 8 | 36.4 | 11 | 30.6 |
Variable | Categories | Offender (n=57) | % | Female (n=16) | % | Male (n=41) | % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Individual level | |||||||
Accommodation type | Private residence—owned/private rental | 27 | 47.4 | 6 | 37.5 | 21 | 51.2 |
Age group | ≤24 | 27 | 47.3 | <5 | - | 6 | 14.6 |
25–44 | 22 | 38.6 | 7 | 43.8 | 15 | 36.6 | |
45–64 | 17 | 29.9 | <5 | - | 13 | 31.7 | |
65–84 | 6 | 10.6 | <5 | - | 5 | 12.2 | |
Any physical illness | Yes | 12 | 21.1 | 5 | 31.3 | 7 | 17.1 |
Country of birth | Australia | 24 | 42.1 | 6 | 37.5 | 18 | 43.9 |
Outside Australia | 14 | 24.6 | <5 | - | 11 | 26.8 | |
Diagnosed mental illness | Yes | 36 | 63.2 | 12 | 75 | 24 | 58.5 |
Employment status | Employed | 19 | 33.3 | <5 | - | 16 | 39 |
Unable to work | 6 | 10.5 | <5 | - | <5 | - | |
Unemployed | 15 | 26.3 | <5 | - | 12 | 29.3 | |
Ethnic or cultural affiliation | Yes | 16 | 28.1 | <5 | - | 13 | 31.7 |
History of substance use | Yes | 36 | 63.2 | 11 | 68.8 | 25 | 61 |
History violence exposure | Yes | 35 | 61.4 | 11 | 68.8 | 24 | 58.5 |
LGBTI identity | Yes | <5 | - | <5 | <5 | <5 | - |
Main language | English | 26 | 45.6 | 5 | 31.3 | 21 | 51.2 |
LOTE - known | 6 | 10.5 | <5 | - | 5 | 12.2 | |
Physical injury | Yes | 6 | 10.5 | <5 | - | <5 | - |
Previous suicide attempt | Yes | 11 | 19.3 | 5 | 31.3 | 6 | 14.6 |
Prior offending | Yes | 27 | 47.4 | 7 | 43.8 | 20 | 48.8 |
Psychiatric treatment (non-proximal) | Yes | 31 | 54.4 | 10 | 62.5 | 21 | 51.2 |
Recent psychiatric treatment | Yes | 24 | 42.1 | 10 | 62.5 | 14 | 34.1 |
Service contact (any) | Yes | 43 | 75.4 | 13 | 81.3 | 30 | 73.2 |
Service contact proximal | Yes | 26 | 45.6 | 8 | 50 | 18 | 43.9 |
Suicidal ideation | Yes | 12 | 21.1 | 6 | 37.5 | 6 | 14.6 |
Suspected mental illness | Yes | 22 | 38.6 | 5 | 31.3 | 17 | 41.5 |
Treatment for physical illness | Yes | 7 | 12.3 | <5 | - | <5 | - |
Incident level | |||||||
Offender charged | Yes | 49 | 86 | 14 | 87.5 | 35 | 85.4 |
Offender sentenced | Yes | 37 | 64.9 | 11 | 68.8 | 26 | 63.4 |
Presence of alcohol and/ or illicit drugs | Yes | 24 | 42.1 | 8 | 50 | 16 | 39 |
Community level | |||||||
Residence ARIA | Inner regional - outer regional | 5 | 8.8 | <5 | - | <5 | - |
Major city - inner regional | 47 | 82.5 | 12 | 75 | 35 | 85.4 | |
Residence IRSD | 1 | 6 | 11.5 | <5 | - | 5 | 13.5 |
2 | 9 | 17.3 | <5 | - | 5 | 13.5 | |
3 | 11 | 21.1 | <5 | - | 8 | 21.6 | |
4 | 9 | 17.3 | <5 | - | 6 | 16.2 | |
5 | 17 | 32.7 | <5 | - | 13 | 35.1 |