During 2005-06, there were 283 incidents of homicide, resulting in 301 victims, committed by 336 offenders. This is 34 more incidents than in 2004-05, an increase of 14 percent. There has been an increase in homicides committed by young males, but yearly fluctuations in homicide patterns are quite common, and the increase in the number of incidents in 05-06 from the previous year is not statistically significant over the 17 years that the AIC has been conducting the NHMP.