Who is most likely to be a victim of violence?
Statistics on victims of violent crime show that juveniles between the ages of 12 and 17 are more likely to encounter violence than any other age group except young adults age 18-24. (Senior citizens, by contrast, are the least likely group to be victims of violent crime.)
Youth victimization is not only threatening to the victim but also to U.S. society for another reason: The experience of being victimized by crime has been found to increase certain people’s inclination for perpetrating violence, juvenile crime, adult criminality, and adult violence toward family members. Reducing victimization of youth can therefore also reduce youth violence.
Black youth, along with recent Asian immigrants and gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth also run a greater risk for being victims of violence stemming from 'hate crimes.'
Rates of victimization for young Hispanics are slightly lower than those for black and higher than those for white youth.
http://www.apa.org/pi/pii/isyouthviolence.html#The
Older teens and young adults have the highest homicide victimization and offending rates
Homicide victimization rates for teenagers and young adults increased dramatically in the late 1980's while rates for older age groups declined; since the early 1990's rates have declined for all age groups
Homicide victimization rates for children under age 14 have remained stable and low relative to older groups
The homicide victimization rate for 14-17 year-olds increased almost 150% from 1985 to 1993
18-24 year-olds experienced the highest homicide victimization rates, a change from the late 1970's when 25-34 year-olds had the highest rates
The victimization rates have generally declined for adults ages 25-34, 35-49, and 50 and over
Since 1993, victimization rates for older teens and young adults have declined but still remain higher than the levels of the mid-1980's
Since 1993, the victimization rates for young teens have declined to levels similar to those experienced from 1976-85.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/teens.htm