title: Victim's profile analysis reveals homicide affinity for minorities and the youth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this study we have examined the risk of death by homicide in Miami-Dade County and Broward County (BC); and examined the association between socioeconomic status and homicide while describing victim's typical characteristics such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, and type of injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was collected from the County's Medical Examiner's Offices, Census Bureau, and Federal Bureau of Investigation between 2004 and 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There has been an increase in the risk of dying by homicide in the studied area; the homicide rate for the selected period was two times higher than the national average. Although Black Non-Hispanics count for 19% of the population of Miami-Dade County and 23% in Broward County, 56% and 53% of homicide victims are among this ethnic group in Miami-Dade County and Broward County respectively. Hispanics were more at risk of being a victim of homicide in 2007 than they were in 2004.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A substantial proportion of the homicide victims were 22 years of age or younger. . In fact, the homicide victims' average age has been steadily decreasing in recent years. The drastic increase in the risk of death by gunshot among young Black non-Hispanic and Hispanic residents warrants cause for concern. ‎
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, Barry University, USA. evelis@mail.barry.edu
authors.forename: Evelio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Velis
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Alan S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Whiteman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002423:Cause of Death; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult