Child Homicides in Hong Kong: A Retrospective Review of a Ten-Year Period From 1989-1998

Abstract

After attending this presentation, attendees will understand the characteristics of child homicide in a predominantly Chinese population and thus be able to compare and contrast with characteristics in their own population. This presentation will impact the forensic community and/or humanity by providing rare data on child homicide in a predominantly Chinese culture. It also represents a systematic review of all child homicides for all of Hong Kong in a ten year period. It shows similarities with other published material but will also highlight differences which may be cultural in nature. This paper presents the findings of a retrospective review of all child homicide cases seen in Hong Kong in a ten-year period between 1989 and 1998. In this period there were a total of 799 homicide incidents, with 948 victims and 1666 offenders. Children younger than 4 accounted for 7.3% of victims (n = 69) and between ages 10-15, 8.8% of victims (n = 83). However, there was a much lower homicide rate between ages 5 and 10, accounting for only 2% (n = 19) of all homicide victims. These results are consistent with previous statistics that child homicide had a bimodal pattern, peaking in ‘very early childhood’ and ‘late adolescence’ (Christoffel)1 Victim-offender relationships, causes of death and manner of death will also be discussed. i Christoffel, K.K. (1984). Homicide in childhood: A public health problem in need of attention. American Journal of Public Health, 74(1), 68-70.