Homicide of children and youth - ARCHIVED

Children and youth are most likely to be killed by family members. Of the 1,990 solved homicides of children and youth recorded by police in Canada between 1974 and 1999, family members were responsible for 63% of the deaths. The remaining solved homicides committed against children and youth were carried out by acquaintances and strangers (27% and 10%, respectively). In contrast, 50% of adults were killed by acquaintances, followed by family members (34%) and strangers (16%). Between 1974 and 1999, the annual rate of homicides of children and youth fluctuated from year to year, ranging from a high of 14 per million in 1981 to the previous low of 8 per million in 1993.