Journal of Applied Economic Research
ISSN 2712-7435
Economic Factors Influencing Homicide Rates: A European Perspective
Emmanouil Taxiarchis Gazilas
University of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece
Abstract
Intentional homicide rates represent a critical societal issue, impacting public safety and social stability across <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>. Understanding the socio-economic factors underlying these crimes is paramount for effective policy intervention. This research aims to investigate the socio-economic determinants of intentional homicides in 15 European countries over the period 2010-2021, providing insights into the complex relationship between economic indicators and violent crime rates. The study hypothesizes that economic prosperity, government debt, and access to financial services significantly influence intentional homicide rates, with countries exhibiting higher levels of economic development and financial inclusion experiencing lower homicide rates. Utilizing robust statistical and econometric techniques, including regression analysis and correlation matrices, the research examines the relationships between various socio-economic indicators and intentional homicide rates. Data spanning from national tax authorities, statistical agencies, and international organizations are meticulously analyzed to uncover meaningful patterns and associations. The findings reveal compelling associations between economic indicators and intentional homicide rates. Higher GDP per capita and greater financial inclusion are correlated with lower homicide rates, while elevated levels of government debt exhibit a negative association with homicide rates. These results underscore the multifaceted nature of crime dynamics and highlight the importance of considering broader socio-economic factors in understanding violent crime patterns. The study contributes to both theoretical knowledge and practical policymaking by offering insights into the socio-economic determinants of intentional homicides. These findings can inform evidence-based policy interventions aimed at promoting social stability and enhancing public safety across <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>, emphasizing the importance of addressing underlying economic factors in crime prevention strategies.
Keywords
intentional homicides; socio-economic factors; public safety; economic prosperity; financial inclusion; policy interventions.
JEL classification
D74, K14, O15, I12, H56References
1. Sampson, R., Raudenbush, S.W., Earls, F. (1997). Neighborhoods and Violent Crime: A Multilevel Study of Collective Efficacy. Science, Vol. 277, No. 5328, 918–924. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.277.5328.918
2. Sen, A. (2008). Violence, identity and poverty. Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 45, Issue 1, 5–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343307084920
3. Wu, B. (2003). Testing the stream analogy for lethal violence: A macro study of suicide and homicide. Western Criminology Review, Vol. 4, Issue 3, 215–225. Available at: https://www.westerncriminology.org/documents/WCR/v04n3/article_pdfs/wu.pdf
4. DeSoto, H. (1989). The Other Path: The Invisible Revolution in the Third World. New York, NY, Harper & Row, 271 p. Available at: https://archive.org/details/otherpathinvisib00soto/page/n335/mode/1up
5. Justino, P. (2009). Poverty and violent conflict: A micro-level perspective on the causes and duration of warfare. Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 46, Issue 3, 315–333. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343309102655
6. Stretesky, P.B., Schuck, A.M., Hogan, M.J. (2006). Space matters: An analysis of poverty, poverty clustering, and violent crime. Justice Quarterly, Vol. 21, Issue 4, 817–841. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418820400096001
7. Brown, E., Males, M. (2011). Does age or poverty level best predict criminal arrest and homicide rates? A preliminary study. Justice Policy Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1, 1–30. Available at: https://www.cjcj.org/media/import/documents/does_age.pdf
8. Hannon, L., DeFina, R. (2005). Violent crime in African American and White neighborhoods: Is poverty’s detrimental effect race-specific? Journal of Poverty, Vol. 9, Issue 3, 49–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J134v09n03_03
9. Coccia, M. (2017). A theory of general causes of violent crime: Homicides, income inequality and deficiencies of the heat hypothesis and of the model of CLASH. Aggression and Violent Behavior, Vol. 37, 190–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb .2017.10.005
10. Rossegger, A., Wetli, N., Urbaniok, F., Elbert, T., Cortoni, F., Endrass, J. (2009). Women convicted for violent offenses: Adverse childhood experiences, low level of education and poor mental health. BMC Psychiatry, Vol. 9, 81. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-9-81
11. Andresen, M.A. (2013). Unemployment, business cycles, crime, and the Canadian provinces. Journal of Criminal Justice, Vol. 41, Issue 4, 220–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2013.05.006
12. Pridemore, W.A. (2002). What we know about social structure and homicide: a review of the theoretical and empirical literature. Violence and Victims, Vol. 17, Issue 2, 127–156. https://doi.org/10.1891/vivi.17.2.127.33651
13. Sampson, R.J., Groves, W.B. (1989). Community structure and crime: testing social disorganization theory. American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 94, No. 4, 774–802. https://doi.org/10.1086/229068
14. Shaw, C.R., McKay, H.D. (1942). Juvenile Delinquency: A Study of Delinquency in Relation to Differential Characteristics of Local Communities in American Cities. Illinois, The University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.1086/219339
15. Sampson, R.J., Wilson, W.J. (1995). Toward a theory of race, crime, and urban inequality. In: Crime and Inequality. Edited by J. Hagan, R. Peterson. Stanford University Press, 37–54. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781503615557-004
16. Peterson, R.D., Krivo, L.J., Harris, M.A. (2000). Disadvantage and neighborhood violent crime: do local institutions matter? Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 37, Issue 1, 31–63. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427800037001002
17. Bursik, R.J., Grasmick, H.G. (1993). Economic Deprivation and Neighborhood Crime Rates, 1960-1980. Law & Society Review, Vol. 27, Issue 2, 263–284. https://doi.org/10.2307/3053937
18. Hunter, A.J. (1985). Private, Parochial and Public Social Orders: The Problem of Crime and Incivility in Urban Communities. In: The Challenge of Social Control: Institution Building and Systemic Constraint. Edited by G.D. Suttles, M.N. Zald. Norwood, NJ, Ablex Pub, 230–242. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-23708-1_14
19. Browning, C.R. (2002). The span of collective efficacy: extending social disorganization theory to partner violence. Journal of Marriage and the Family, Vol. 64, Issue 4, 833–850. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2002.00833.x
20. Wilson, W.J. (1996). When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor. New York, Vintage Books, Random House, 332 p. https://doi.org/10.2307/2152085
21. Almgren, G., Guest, A., Immerwahr, G., Spittel, M. (1998). Joblessness, family disruption, and violent death in Chicago, 1970–1990. Social Forces, Vol. 76, Issue 4, 1465–1493. https://doi.org/10.2307/3005842
22. Crutchfield, R.D. (1989). Labor stratification and violent crime. Social Forces, Vol. 68, Issue 2, 489–512. https://doi.org/10.2307/2579257
23. Land, K.C., McCall, P.L., Cohen, L.E. (1990). Structural covariates of homicide rates: are there any invariances across time and social space. American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 95, No. 4, 922–963. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/229381
24. Titterington, V.B., Vollum, S., Diamond, P.M. (2003). Neighborhoods and homicide: sex- and type-specific variations across three cities. Homicide Studies, Vol. 7, Issue 3, 263–288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088767903253622
25. Pratt, T.C., Cullen, F.T. (2005). Assessing macro-level predictors and theories of crime: a meta-analysis. Crime and Justice: A Review of Research, Vol. 32, 373–450. https://doi.org/10.1086/655357
26. Block, R. (1979). Community, environment, and violent crime. Criminology, Vol. 17, Issue 1, 46–57. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1979.tb01275.x
27. Fowles, R., Merva, M. (1996). Wage inequality and criminal activity: an extreme bounds analysis for the United States, 1975–1990. Criminology, Vol. 34, Issue 2, 163–182. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1996.tb01201.x
28. Flewelling, R.L., Williams, K.R. (1999). Categorizing homicides: The use of disaggregated data in homicide research. In: Homicide: A Sourcebook of Social Research. Edited by M.D. Smith, M.A. Zahn. Sage, 96–106. Available at: https://ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/categorizing-homicides-use-disaggregated-data-homicide-research
29. Avakame, E.F. (2006). How different is violence in the home? An examination of some correlates of stranger and intimate homicide. Criminology, Vol. 36, Issue 3, 601–632. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1998.tb01260.x
30. Wright, K.A., Pratt, T.C., Lowenkamp, C.T., Latessa, E.J. (2013). The Systemic Model of Crime and Institutional Efficacy: An Analysis of the Social Context of Offender Reintegration. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, Vol. 57, Issue 1, 92–111. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X11425218
31. Gastil, R.D. (1971). Homicide and a regional culture of violence. American Sociological Review, Vol. 36, No. 3, 412–427. https://doi.org/10.2307/2093082
32. Huff-Corzine, L., Corzine, J., Moore, D.C. (1991). Deadly connections: culture, poverty, and the direction of lethal violence. Social Forces, Vol. 69, Issue 3, 715–732. https://doi.org/10.2307/2579472
33. Skott, S. (2019). Disaggregating Homicide: Changing Trends in Subtypes over Time. Criminal Justice and Behavior, Vol. 46, Issue 11, 1650–1668. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854819858648
34. Fridel, E.E., Zimmerman, G.M. (2019). Examining homicide-suicide as a current in the stream analogy of lethal violence. Social Forces, Vol. 97, Issue 3, 1177–1204. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soy071
35. Males, M. (2015). Age, Poverty, Homicide, and Gun Homicide: Is Young Age or Poverty Level the Key Issue? Sage Open, Vol. 5, Issue 1. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244015573359
36. Shulman, E.P., Steinberg, L.D., Piquero, A.R. (2013). The Age-Crime Curve in Adolescence and Early Adulthood is Not Due to Age Differences in Economic Status. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Vol. 42, 848–860. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-013-9950-4
About Authors
Emmanouil Taxiarchis Gazilas
Academic Researcher, Economics Student, Department of Economics, School of Economics, Business & International Studies, University of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece (Karaoli & Dimitriou 80, Piraeus 185 34, Greece); ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0554-500X e-mail: mgazilas@unipi.gr
For citation
Gazilas, E.T. (2024). Economic Factors Influencing Homicide Rates: A European Perspective. Journal of Applied Economic Research, Vol. 23, No. 2, 258-278. https://doi.org/10.15826/vestnik.2024.23.2.011
Article info
Received March 16, 2024; Revised April 18, 2024; Accepted May 3, 2024.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/vestnik.2024.23.2.011
Download full text article:
~891 KB, *.pdf
(Uploaded
25.06.2024)
Created / Updated: 2 September 2015 / 20 September 2021
© Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education «Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N.Yeltsin»
Remarks?
select the text and press:
Ctrl + Enter
Portal design: Artsofte
Contact us
Rector's Office
Rector, Dr. Victor Koksharov
Tel. +7 (343) 375-45-03, e-mail: rector@urfu.ru
Vice-Rector for International Relations, Dr. Maxim Khomyakov
Tel. +7 (343) 375-46-27, e-mail: Maksim.Khomyakov@urfu.ru