According to statistics taken by the Bureau of Justice Statistics:
- Since 2000, the rate of homicides declined to the levels seen in the 1960s.
- From 1980 to 2008, males accounted for 77% of all homicide victims and a whopping 90% of the offenders.
- Homicide victimization for young adults and teenagers has fallen dramatically since 1993. The same dramatic fall for older aged victim rates occurred around the same time.
- Gun homicides by teenagers and young adults have fallen after a sharp raise since 1993. In the early to mid 1990's, the number of homicide offenders ages 14 to 17 with the use of a gun was around 4,000, however this number significantly dropped into the one thousand range during the year 2000.
- The number of offenders ages 18-24 using guns rose slightly above 7,500 in the mid 1990's and then dropped into the 5,000s by the year 2000.
- 25 years and older offenders using guns peaked at around 10,000 in 1980 and then gradually fell to 5,000 by the year 2000.
- The racial factor also played a part in the amount of homicides. Blacks were 6 times more likely to be victims and 7 times more likely to commit the homicides than the white race.
- 86% of victims in the white race were killed by a white and 94% of victims in the black race were killed by blacks.