Educational Attainment of Male Homicide Victims Aged 18-24 in Chicago

Background: This is a time-trend analysis of educational attainment levels for male victims of homicide aged 18 to 24 years in the City of Chicago, 2005 to 2015. Methods: We used data from the Illinois Violent Death Reporting System and the United States Census Bureau from 2005 to 2015. Cases included: male victims of homicide; 18 to 24 years; the injury leading to death occurred in the City of Chicago; injury leading to death occurred between 2005 and 2015; and whether or not a high school degree or equivalent had been obtained. Data were described over time using percentages and rates per 100, 000 with 95% confidence intervals. Results: The proportion of men aged 18-24 with at least a high school degree was lower in the City of Chicago than in the United States in all included years except 2015. Homicide victims in this group were less likely than Chicagoans overall in the same group to have at least a high school degree at every time point. The rates of homicide victims in this group with less than a high school degree were significantly higher than those with at least a high school degree at every time point except 2007. Conclusions: Male youth aged 18-24 years without a high school degree or equivalent are consistently at higher risk for homicide than males of the same age with at least a high school degree.