Shooting for Accuracy: Comparing Data Sources on Mass Murder

    Authors

    L. Huff-Corzine; J. C. McCutcheon; J. Corzine; J. P. Jarvis; M. J. Tetzlaff-Bemiller; M. Weller;M. Landon

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Homicide Stud.

    Keywords

    mass murder; murder; homicide; Supplementary Homicide Report; National; Incident-Based Reporting System; HOMICIDE; ADOLESCENT; SERIAL; Criminology & Penology

    Abstract

    Although researchers have questioned their coverage and accuracy, the media routinely are used as sources of data on mass murder in the United States. Databases compiled from media sources such as newspaper and network news programs include the New York Police Department's Active Shooters file, the Brady Campaign Mass Casualty Shootings data set, and the Mother Jones database. Conversely, official crime data have been underutilized by researchers who study mass murder (for exceptions, see Duwe, 2007; Fox & Levin, 1998). In this study, we compare similarities and differences for mass murder cases in the United States as portrayed by selected mass media sources. Then, we turn our focus to a comparison of the Uniform Crime Reports' (UCR) Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) and the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Our primary focus is on mass murders involving four or more fatalitiesnot including the perpetratorthat have occurred between 2001 and 2010. Implications for enhancing the comprehensiveness and quality of mass murder data with the goal of increasing their usefulness for guiding prevention and risk mitigation efforts also are discussed.

    Journal Title

    Homicide Studies

    Volume

    18

    Issue/Number

    1

    Publication Date

    1-1-2014

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    105

    Last Page

    124

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000330775600007

    ISSN

    1088-7679

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