The Victim and offender characteristics affecting homicide clearance in Phnom Penh

Abstract

This study presents the first decade-long analysis (2014–2023) of homicide patterns in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, addressing critical gaps in post-conflict crime research. Analyzing 334 police-recorded cases through descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations, we identified an annual homicide rate of 1.8 per 100,000 population and a 63.8% clearance rate—aligning with global declines but falling below high-income country benchmarks, indicating institutional challenges in Cambodia’s justice sector. Victims and offenders demographically converged as predominantly young Khmer males (15–44 years: victims 81.1%, offenders 64%), with peak vulnerability among garment/construction workers (29.9%), unemployed individuals (23.4%), and employed groups (33.2%). Distinct temporal patterns emerged, with 41% of homicides occurring during evening hours (18:00–23:59) and 18.9% on Mondays, alongside seasonal spikes in November and August. Clearance rates significantly correlated with female victims (r = 0.136), specific victim occupations (r = 0.144), male offenders (r = 0.410), and known victim-offender relationships (r = 0.298), highlighting Cambodia’s reliance on relational solvability factors over demographic variables. We recommend investments in forensic capacity to address data gaps (e.g., 21.3% unknown offender nationality), targeted patrols during high-risk periods, and standardized investigative protocols to mitigate biases. Future research should expand to provincial settings and socioeconomic drivers to strengthen violence-reduction strategies in Cambodia’s justice sector.