This study, framed in the criminal events perspective, investigates situational and contextual factors of violent interpersonal encounters that impact the likelihood of offender weapon usage and, when a weapon is used, the likelihood that it will be a firearm. Furthermore, this study examines the effects that weapons have on levels of victim injury along with other factors that may impact injury independent of weapon use. Three specific topics of interest are addressed: whether or not black offenders were more likely to make use of a firearm, what factors impact firearm use amongst female offenders, and if the findings of Kleck and McElrath (1991), which stated that firearm use largely prevents injury, but when victim injury does occur, it is more likely to be lethal, could be replicated using a more recent and comprehensive source of information. Data were collected from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Findings were that black offenders were more likely to use firearms, but this pattern is essentially limited to black male offenders. Female offenders were more likely to use a firearm against a stranger and during the course of a robbery. Finally, firearm use was associated with a decrease in the likelihood of a victim suffering nonlethal injury, but when injury did occur, firearms significantly increased the chances of victim death. Theoretical and policy implications and suggestions for future research are also discussed.

This study investigates the impact of automatic firearm usage on the presence of multiple victims within a violent encounter. In addition, key situational and contextual variables from the criminal events perspective are controlled. Data were collected from the National Incident-Based Reporting System of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine if automatic firearms, compared to semiautomatic firearms, increased the chance of multiple victims appearing within incidents of serious violence. Results indicate that automatic weapons increase the likelihood of multiple victimization, although various situational and contextual factors such as incident circumstance and victim—offender relationship increase these odds as well.

This study investigates the impact of weapon usage on the lethality of violent interpersonal encounters. Additionally, key situational and contextual factors from the criminal events perspective are controlled. Data were collected from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the effects of firearm subtypes, as well as effects of automatic vs. semiautomatic firearms on lethality. All basic weapon types significantly increased lethality. Various situational and contextual variables such as incident circumstance and victim-offender relationship affected chances of death as well. Automatic weapons were not found to significantly increase lethality when compared to their semiautomatic counterparts.