title: The Situational Context of Adolescent Homicide Victimization in Johannesburg, South Africa.
abstract: Although studies have described the incidence and epidemiology of adolescent homicide victimization in South Africa, little is known about the situational contexts in which they occur. This study aimed to describe the victim, offender, and event characteristics of adolescent homicide and to generate a typology based on the particular types of situational contexts associated with adolescent homicide in South Africa. Data on homicides among adolescents (15-19 years) that occurred in Johannesburg (South Africa) during the period 2001-2007 were obtained from the National Injury Mortality Surveillance System (NIMSS) and police case records. Of the 195 cases available for analysis, 81% of the victims were male. Most of the offenders were male (90%), comprising of strangers (42%) and friends/acquaintances (37%). Arguments (33%) were the most common precipitating circumstances, followed by revenge (11%), robbery (11%), and acts of vigilantism/retribution for a crime (8%). Through the use of cluster analysis, the study identified three categories of adolescent homicide: (a) male victims killed by strangers during a crime-related event, (b) male victims killed by a friend/acquaintance during an argument, and (c) female victims killed by male offenders. The results can serve to inform the development of tailored and focused strategies for the prevention of adolescent homicide.
authors.affiliation: 1 Institute for Social and Health Sciences, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa.|2 Violence, Injury and Peace Research Unit (VIPRU), South African Medical Research Council - University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Lu-Anne
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Swart
authors.affiliation: 1 Institute for Social and Health Sciences, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa.|2 Violence, Injury and Peace Research Unit (VIPRU), South African Medical Research Council - University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seedat
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Psychology, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D013019:South Africa; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: South Africa; adolescents; cluster analysis; homicide; offender characteristics; situational context; victim characteristics