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The Model International Criminal Court (MICC) was launched in 2005 and has been pushing boundaries of non-formal education. Topics such as crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide were adapted to a methodology and pedagogy suitable for high school students. This non-formal education project has also sparked successful spin-off educational programs such as the Model International Criminal Court Western Balkans (MICC WeB). This paper engages with the subject of teaching about sexual violence within the context of educating youth about crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide through exploring teachers' and students' reaction to these topics within the MICC educational program context. It also explores history teachers' readiness and critical pedagogy ability to use the MICC educational materials related to sexual violence in their history education curricula within the official educational systems in various countries throughout Europe.

Objective: Education abroad can be perceived as riskier for student health/safety than domestic study, but little data exists to test this assumption. We investigated one facet of student safety by comparing college student mortality rates occurring during educational programs abroad with rates occurring on U.S. campuses. Methods: Two insurers provided information about the duration of education abroad experiences for 1,342,405 individuals insured over seven calendar years and details of repatriation of remains claims during that period. Mortality rates for students abroad were calculated and compared with existing data from students on U.S. campuses. Results: Students are less likely to die during study abroad experiences than on U.S. campuses. This is driven by reduced likelihood of death among male students studying abroad. Conclusions: Results can guide staff and student training and policies by providing professionals involved in study abroad with objective information about the relative risk of overseas study and causes of death.

This article examines whether correlates of cross-national homicide variation tested with data from highly developed, predominantly Western nations could also explain homicide rates in East-Central Europe. Using pooled time-series analyses of data from nine countries from 1990 through 2003, this study found that homicide rates were negatively related to GDP/capita and positively related to ethnic diversity and population density. They were also negatively related to the percentage of young people and not significantly related to income inequality or divorce rates. This article also investigates whether conditions specific to the post-communist transformations contributed to homicide variation. Findings indicate that progressive reforms toward democratization and marketization decreased homicide rates. The discussion uses the socio-historical context of the nations to explain these results. (Contains 5 tables and 1 note.)

Research examining the immigration and crime connection has proliferated, stimulating a vigorous debate among academics and politicians alike. Researchers are examining this relationship at both individual and aggregate levels. However, studies continue to provide often contradictory results. Using Eurostat data over 2017–2020 on crime rates, GDP per capita, income inequality, unemployment rates, and immigration in 38 European countries, this study examines the link between crime and immigration in the context of socioeconomic variables. The main goal is to identify and analyze possible relationships between immigration, unemployment, and crime in Europe. The statistical evidence appears in general to support the hypothesis that the level of crime in Europe during the time period under study can be explained by the level of immigration in the context of country-wide sociodemographic factors. Results show that the homicide rate is significantly associated negatively with immigration (r = − 0.15), GDP per capita (r = − 0.41), and positively associated with both unemployment (r=0.22) and income inequality (r=0.34). Sexual violence rate is significantly and positively associated with immigation (r=0.20) and GDP per capita (r=0.71), and negatively associated with unemployment (r=-0.36) and income inequality (r=-0.41). Finally theft has the same associations and directions as that of sexual violence for all variables, except GDP per capita. The results are discussed in the context of some criminological theories of strain and relative deprivation to suggest policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Firearms are used in around 25% of homicides in Europe. More so than other weapons commonly used in violent encounters, firearms have the ability to inflict lethal injuries. Yet, theoretical approaches to understanding the impact of firearms on the prevalence, lethality, and nature of violent encounters are scarce and have been developed almost exclusively within and for the context of the United States, where the levels of firearm violence and firearm availability are much higher than in Europe, limiting their applicability to the European context. To address this issue, European empirical data are reviewed in this paper to critically assess the few existing theoretical approaches focusing on the use of firearms in lethal and non-lethal violence. Based on the obtained findings, future directions for empirical research, as well as suggestions for new conceptualizations of firearm violence in Europe are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When it comes to the relationship between social policy and penal policy, existing scholarship often focuses on the penal–welfare tradeoff, according to which countries with large and generous welfare states tend to have lower incarceration rates and less harsh treatment of offenders. We know much less about the relationship between the punitive turn in criminal justice and the use of discipline within social policy. Has there been a parallel trend of law-and-order policies and stricter benefit conditionality, a kind of 'criminalization' of welfare beneficiaries, as critical scholarship suggests? We test this idea for the first time with quantitative data, using public spending on public order and safety and unemployment benefit conditionality data for 18 rich democracies between 1990 and 2012, that is, the period when a punitive turn as well as the rise of activation and workfare is said to have taken place. Contrary to the critical literature, we do not find evidence of parallel trends toward more discipline in both areas, but rather a negative relationship of 'communicating vessels', where a greater use of disciplinary tools in social policy is associated with stagnating or even shrinking spending on police and prisons. Moreover, this pattern tends to emerge under conditions of higher welfare state generosity. These findings have important implications about the role of state 'discipline' in contemporary policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial discusses forensic child and adolescent psychiatry, highlighting its recent emergence as a specialized field within psychiatry. It outlines challenges, such as high cooperation with the legal system, and mentions collaborative efforts, including the European Association for Forensic Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (EFCAP), to advance research and education in this area.

Background: Serial killing by doctors or nurses is rare. When it occurs, it is generally only detected after multiple homicides by the same perpetrator have escaped detection in the past. The persons at greatest risk are multimorbid elderly patients whose sudden death for natural reasons would not come as a surprise. However, patients' risk of falling victim to homicide is increased only if such vulnerable patients are exposed to perpetrators with certain personality traits. In this situation, homicides can be committed in which little or no evidence of the crime is left behind. In this review, we address the frequency, nature, and circumstances of serial killings and attempted serial killings in hospitals, nursing homes, and nursing care. Methods: This review is based on publications retrieved by a selective review of the literature in monographs, medical databases, specialty journals, general-interest media, and the Internet. Results: An evaluation of searchable, published case descriptions of serial killings and attempted serial killings in hospitals, nursing homes, and nursing care, mainly from Europe and the English-speaking countries, enables identification of the type of patients at risk, the modes of homicide, and the personality traits of the perpetrators. Multimorbid, care-dependent and nursing-dependent persons are the main victims. The perpetrators (men and women) generally act alone and have often been working in patient care for many years. The most common method of homicide is by drug injection; violent physical homicide is rarer. In many cases, irregularities in drug stocks, erratic behavior of a staff member, and/or a cluster of sudden deaths are indeed noticed, but are too slowly acted upon. Conclusion: Irregularities in drug stocks, inexplicably empty drug packages and used syringes, erratic behavior of a staff member before and after a patient's death, or a cluster of unexpected deaths mainly involving elderly, multimorbid patients (detectable from internal mortality statistics) should always lead to further questioning and investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence against women (VaW) is a widespread crime and violation of the rights of women. It is present in every country without exception and crosses boundaries of culture, class, education, income, and race. Despite the magnitude of the literature and the abundance of publications on this problem, the field lacks a comprehensive and homogeneous way to measure and compare the extent of VaW across countries. Proper quantification of this problem is needed to develop preventive policies and strategies to reduce it. This article develops an index of VaW (VAWI) with global scope and multidimensional approach for 102 countries. It is an original index that calculates the total level of VaW by capturing information from the main VaW types (physical, sexual, psychological, and economic violence) in a single value between 0 and 1, where 0 denotes complete absence of violence and 1 the highest level of violence in a country. The proposed index is easy to compute and is comparable across countries. Our main results show that the nations with the highest levels of global VaW are Yemen, Senegal, Oman, Cameroon, and Uganda. The countries with the lowest levels are the Northern European Countries, Canada, and Malta. This VAWI makes a novel and important contribution to the study of gender issues. It can be used not only to monitor the statistics on VaW data within countries over time but also to make comparisons among countries. Further, it could be useful in designing new policy initiatives to reduce VaW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is based on the inequality that women suffer in public spaces, with fear being a constant in their lives. Women must learn to live to accept a limited and constrained existence. Based on this approach, this research establishes a European description and comparison of the insecurities, fears, or concerns expressed by women facing the risk of aggression/harassment, and the prevalence of sexual harassment in public spaces. For this, we used the Survey on Violence Against Women in the European Union (EU; 2012). In the fieldwork, we performed a factorial analysis, as well as a logistic regression analysis between the sociodemographic variables (age, educational level, income, and habitat) and prevalence of physical or virtual sexual harassment. In general, while European women report that they have suffered harassment to a considerable extent, there are even greater concerns or fear of abuse or aggression in public spaces. A fundamental fact is that there is a significant correlation between the prevalence of harassment and per capita income, such that those countries with the highest economic development show a higher incidence of harassment towards women. Similarly, European countries with higher standards of equality show a greater incidence and prevention against the risk of harassment or aggression, particularly among young women. Some results suggest that more than half of Europeans avoid certain spaces or places for fear of being attacked. The main European powers, which have higher standards of equality, report the most harmful instances of behavior against women in public spaces in relation to harassment or fear. The results obtained prompt the conclusion that socialization towards European women is both victimizing and discriminatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cities are under-studied for understanding immigration and perceptions of safety. • Urban Europeans feel safer in their neighborhoods than their cities. • Higher perceived safety in highly populous cities with more non-EU immigrants. • Lower perceived safety in less populous cities with more non-EU immigrants. With increasing immigration in European cities, questions surrounding social inclusion and exclusion rise. Although research has often analyzed how the size of the immigrant population in a country or a neighborhood relates to perceptions of safety (even though there is no demonstrated link between immigration and crime), research has not analyzed the presence of immigrants in the wider city, despite the fact that cities are highly diverse places that comprise the daily rounds of most residents. In our study, we analyze how the size of the non-EU immigrant population in a city is linked with how Europeans perceive safety in their neighborhood and their city. Using a survey of approximately 28,000 Europeans from 63 cities in 25 countries, our multilevel binary logistic regression analyses show three primary findings. First, urban Europeans on average feel more unsafe in their cities than their neighborhoods. Second, city-level percentage non-EU born is important only in conjunction with a moderator: city population size. We find that respondents feel more unsafe in cities with more non-EU immigrants in less populous cities, but in more populous cities respondents feel safer in cities with more non-EU immigrants. Third, in an analysis of subset of cities for which crime data were available, the second finding holds when controlling for homicide rates. Our conclusions connect how cities can be an important scale to understand links between immigration and fear of crime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper focuses on the issue of intimate partner violence and, specifically, on the distribution of femicides over time and the existence of copycat effects. This is the subject of an ongoing debate often triggered by the social alarm following multiple intimate partner homicides (IPHs) occurring in a short span of time. The aim of this research is to study the evolution of IPHs and provide a far-reaching answer by rigorously analyzing and searching for patterns in data on femicides. Methods: The study analyzes an official dataset, provided by the system VioGén of the Secretaría de Estado de Seguridad (Spanish State Secretariat for Security), including all the femicides occurred in Spain in 2007-2017. A statistical methodology to identify temporal interdependencies in count time series is proposed and applied to the dataset. The same methodology can be applied to other contexts. Results: There has been a decreasing trend in the number of femicides per year. No interdependencies among the temporal distribution of femicides are observed. Therefore, according to data, the existence of copycat effect in femicides cannot be claimed. Conclusions: Around 2011 there was a clear change in the average number of femicides which has not picked up. Results allow for an informed answer to the debate on copycat effect in Spanish femicides. The planning of femicides prevention activities should not be a reaction to a perceived increase in their occurrence. As a copycat effect is not detected in the studied time period, there is no evidence supporting the need to censor media reports on femicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of outlaw bikers is growing globally. Despite this, little research exists on these groups and their alleged violent tendencies. To address this, the current paper uses unique data to examine whether gang violence causes outlaw biker violence. The period examined runs from mid-2008 until early 2012 during which violent clashes occurred between outlaw bikers and street gang members involved in an alleged conflict in Copenhagen, Denmark. A precise description of each individual act of violence would make it possible to identify whether specific acts were carried out in furtherance of the alleged conflict. This would allow one to determine whether outlaw bikers commit violence on behalf of their club. However, such knowledge is unavailable. The paper therefore takes a different approach by examining whether acts of violence committed by the two groups are statistically associated. In other words, it considers whether one or more acts can be described as retaliatory during the observation periods. The sample consists of 640 individuals involved with the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club or with non-biker street gangs–both of which are present in Copenhagen. Statistical models are used to predict 143 violent events committed by 196 outlaw bikers. The results suggest that violence committed by gang members predicts violence committed by outlaw bikers. This indicates that violent acts committed by outlaw bikers are at least partly a form of retaliation carried out on behalf of their club. The paper expands the literature on the kinds of inter-group, micro-level processes that can lead to reciprocal violence by including outlaw bikers in a literature that has previously focused on non-biker street gangs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article takes a close look at attrition processes in criminal justice systems across Europe. Reasons for attrition and indicators for attrition measurement are identified. Data used for comparison mainly stems from the European Sourcebook of Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics. The article focuses on offender (suspects per recorded offenses) and conviction (convicted persons per suspects) ratios. These ratios are compared between three European regions: northern and western Europe, southern Europe and central and eastern Europe. The analysis refers to the total of criminal offenses processed in a system and to three selected offenses with a relatively good international comparability (theft, robbery and homicide). It also examines the relationship between attrition and quantitative and qualitative system performance. The article shows that there are significant differences in offender ratios across offense types, whereas conviction ratios differ significantly across regions. While indicators of quantitative system performance are positively correlated with offender and conviction ratios, the quality of police work in a criminal justice system is unrelated to offender ratios and negatively correlated with conviction ratios. Several explanations for these results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Persons engaged in the sex industry are at greater risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections than the general population. One major factor is exposure to higher levels of risky sexual activity. Expanding condom use is a critical prevention strategy, but this requires negotiation with those buying sex, which takes place in the context of cultural and economic constraints. Impoverished individuals who fear violence are more likely to forego condoms. Methods Here we tested the hypotheses that poverty and fear of violence are two structural drivers of HIV infection risk in the sex industry. Using data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Bank for 30 countries, we evaluated poverty, measured using the average income per day per person in the bottom 40% of the income distribution, and gender violence, measured using homicide rates in women and the proportion of women exposed to violence in the last 12 months and/or since age 16 years. Results We found that HIV prevalence among those in the sex industry was higher in countries where there were greater female homicide rates ( β = 0.86; P = 0.018) and there was some evidence that self-reported exposure to violence was also associated with higher HIV prevalence ( β = 1.37; P = 0.043). Conversely, HIV prevalence was lower in countries where average incomes among the poorest were greater ( β = −1.05; P = 0.046). Conclusions Our results are consistent with the theory that reducing poverty and exposure to violence may help reduce HIV infection risk among persons engaged in the sex industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the extent to which drinking patterns and drug use can explain cross-national variations in female homicide victimization across Europe. Given the limitations in measuring femicide consistently across a large number of countries, this study uses mortality data on recorded female deaths as a proxy to explain differences in levels of this kind of violence against women across Europe. In particular, it focuses on national-level patterns of alcohol and drug use as predictors, controlling for other known structural correlates. Contrary to findings of previous studies, cultural drinking patterns were not significantly related to female homicide victimization in this sample of countries, but detrimental drug use was. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Terrorists have used the explosive device successfully globally, with their effects extending beyond the resulting injuries. Suicide bombings, in particular, are being increasingly deployed due to the devastating effect of a combination of high lethality and target accuracy. The aim of this study was to identify trends and analyse the demographics and casualty figures of terrorist bombings worldwide.Methods: Analysis of the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) and a PubMed/Embase literature search (keywords "terrorist", and/or "suicide", and/or "bombing") from 1970 to 2014 was performed.Results: 58,095 terrorist explosions worldwide were identified in the GTD. 5.08% were suicide bombings. Incidents per year are increasing (P<0.01). Mean casualty statistics per incidents was 1.14 deaths and 3.45 wounded from non-suicide incidents, and 10.16 and 24.16 from suicide bombings (p<0.05). The kill:wounded ratio was statistically higher in suicide attacks than non-suicide attacks, 1:1.3 and 1:1.24 respectively (p<0.05). The Middle East witnessed the most incidents (26.9%), with Europe (13.2%) ranked 4th. The literature search identified 41 publications reporting 167 incidents of which 3.9% detailed building collapse (BC), 60.8% confined space (CS), 23.5% open space (OS) and 11.8% semi-confined space (SC) attacks. 60.4% reported on suicide terrorist attacks. Overall 32 deaths and 180 injuries per incident were seen, however significantly more deaths occurred in explosions associated with a BC. Comparing OS and CS no difference in the deaths per incident was seen, 14.2(SD±17.828) and 15.63 (SD±10.071) respectively. However OS explosions resulted in significantly more injuries, 192.7 (SD±141.147), compared to CS, 79.20 (SD±59.8). Extremity related wounds were the commonest injuries seen (32%).Discussion/conclusion: Terrorist bombings continue to be a threat and are increasing particularly in the Middle East. Initial reports, generated immediately at the scene by experienced coordination, on the type of detonation (suicide versus non-suicide), the environment of detonation (confined, open, building collapse) and the number of fatalities, and utilising the Kill:Wounded ratios found in this meta-analysis, can be used to predict the number of casualties and their likely injury profile of survivors to guide the immediate response by the medical services and the workload in the coming days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Femicide, defined as the killings of females by males because they are females, is becoming recognized worldwide as an important ongoing manifestation of gender inequality. Despite its high prevalence or widespread prevalence, only a few countries have specific registries about this issue. This study aims to assemble expert opinion regarding the strategies which might feasibly be employed to promote, develop and implement an integrated and differentiated femicide data collection system in Europe at both the national and international levels. Concept mapping methodology was followed, involving 28 experts from 16 countries in generating strategies, sorting and rating them with respect to relevance and feasibility. The experts involved were all members of the EU-Cost-Action on femicide, which is a scientific network of experts on femicide and violence against women across Europe. As a result, a conceptual map emerged, consisting of 69 strategies organized in 10 clusters, which fit into two domains: “Political action” and “Technical steps”. There was consensus among participants regarding the high relevance of strategies to institutionalize national databases and raise public awareness through different stakeholders, while strategies to promote media involvement were identified as the most feasible. Differences in perceived priorities according to the level of human development index of the experts’ countries were also observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined whether geographic differences in intentional homicide rates in Europe were a function of societies that exhibit Anomic cultural tendencies and an institutional imbalance, as guided by Institutional Anomie Theory. This research is temporally sensitive, taking into account these differences over a 15-year time period. Additionally, separate operations of the theory within developed and transitioning countries were tested, and various cultured-institutional configurations were uncovered that led to increases or decreases in homicide rates. While still restricted by a lack of guidance from Messner and Rosenfeld and inconsistency in past research on how to operationalize key concepts of Institutional Anomie Theory, this study significantly contributes to the literature by assessing core theoretical questions of the theory while employing appropriate measurement strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the author's contention that American lawyer and author Glenn Greenwald's report for the Cato Institute does not present an accurate picture of the situation in Portugal which does not stand as a beacon of the claimed benefits of drugs decriminalization. It notes that the report focuses on the drug prevalence data for the 15 to 19 year old age range and made only passing reference to the older 20 to 24 age range. It cites an obligation to protect young people from drugs.

The purpose of this research is to explore the extent to which retrenchment in welfare support is related to homicide trends across European countries between 1994 and 2010. Using a longitudinal decomposition design that allows for stronger causal inferences compared to typical cross-sectional designs, we examine these potential linkages between social support spending and homicide with data collected from a heterogeneous sample of European nations, including twenty Western nations and nine less frequently analyzed East-Central nations, during recent years in which European nations generally witnessed substantial changes in homicide rates as well as both economic prosperity and fiscal crisis. Results suggest that even incremental, short-term changes in welfare support spending are associated with short-term reductions in homicide--specifically, impacting homicide rates within two to three years for this sample of European nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fairly good data enable us to estimate mid-16th-century homicide rates (to between 10 and 15 per 100,000). Data from the earlier centuries, documents from the standardized process for homicides, and occasional other mentions are at first sight not promising, but can be treated with advanced statistical methods. With these, the homicide rates for the region and period in question can be estimated to between 8 and 13 per 100,000 for the part of Norway that they cover: southern rural Norway. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents a quantitative look at the European homicide research published in selected main international journals in the field of social science criminology (SSC) since 2000. Building on our previous, mainly narrative work (Kivivuori et al., 2012), we use search string targeting article titles in selected SSC journals. The aim is to capture the basic features and patterns of homicide research conducted by scholars affiliated with European institutions and departments. Research activity is then examined in terms of its quantity, patterns and trends, with attention to theoretical approaches and emphases. Our analyses suggest that European homicide research is increasing, is relatively concentrated to specific countries with strong homicide research traditions, and shows a rising percentage of female scholars. In terms of method and substance, qualitative and mixed methods appear to be ascendant, and research increasingly focuses on sub-types of homicide rather than on homicide in general. The most frequent topic of special homicide research is intimate partner homicide, with genocide and homicide-suicide studies also drawing European attention. The theoretical traditions of SSC-based homicide research are nearly always acknowledged and often explicitly developed. Social control theory emerges as the most discussed and ascendant theory. In addition to narrative commentary of emerging themes, we describe the ‘uses of theory’ in European homicide research, and detect a fruitful tension between nomothetic and idiographic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study seeks to describe and explain female homicide victimization rates across Europe from 1985 to 2010. It examines whether cross-national differences in the levels of female homicides are due to the same factors that explain cross-national homicide variation more generally, whether they are the product of differences in gender dynamics across these countries, or whether they are reflections of regional differences capturing varying historical and cultural trajectories. Pooled time-series analysis of 33 countries over four time periods revealed that all three explanations are salient, although particular measures of each set of theories did not always perform as expected. The paper concludes that understanding macro-level variations in female homicide victimization requires multifaceted explanations that bridge criminological theories and that are also sensitive to socio-historical context. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Little work has sought to establish whether the homicide decline is affecting both male and female victims, and in the same or different ways, and whether patterns vary between countries. Little cross-national work has been done to establish whether rape rates are generally rising or falling and to explain similarities and differences between countries. The picture for homicide is straightforward. Rates are falling almost everywhere but usually more rapidly for men. The rape picture is complex, varies between countries, and often looks different depending on whether official or victimization data are consulted. In the United States, both show declines. Victimization data in Canada and Sweden show stable rates, though official data show declines in Canada and steep rises in Sweden. No generalizations can be offered about common, cross-national trends in rape. Much more can be learned. Focusing on gender differences in crime victimization demonstrates that they exist and need explanation. Both general and gender-specific theories must be considered if long-term trends are to be understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crime rates have moved in parallel in Western societies since the late Middle Ages. Homicide rates declined from 20 to 100 per 100,000 population in western Europe to one per 100,000 in most Western countries by the beginning of the twentieth century. Crime rates in major cities and in countries fell from the early nineteenth century until the middle of the twentieth. From the 1960s to the 1990s, rates for violent and property crimes rose in all wealthy Western countries. Since then, rates in all have fallen precipitately for homicide, burglary, auto theft, and other property crimes. The patterns appear in both police and victimization data. Rates for nonlethal violence have fallen sharply in the English-speaking countries and parts of continental Europe. In other parts of Europe, nonlethal violence has been stable or increasing, but the data are probably wrong. Interacting changes in rates of reporting and recording and in cultural thresholds of tolerance of violence that occurred earlier in the English-speaking countries are the likeliest explanation for the appearance of crime rate increases. Diverse explanations have been offered for both the long- and short-term declines. Most agree that, whatever the explanations may be, they do not include direct effects of changes in policing or sanctioning policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article discusses a study which describes the pattern of violent deaths among male elderly population in the European region comparing European Union (EU) and the Russian Federation. The comparison explored temporal trends since 1985 in age-adjusted suicide and homicide rates for men over the age of 65 and 75 residing in EU and the Russian Federation. It notes that older men residing in the European region are highly vulnerable to violent death particularly those in the Russian Federation.

Introduction: Italy has one of the lowest homicide rates in Europe. However, while it is decreasing overall, the proportion of murdered women is increasing. This study aimed to analyze the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics associated with homicide mortality in Italy, focusing specifically on male and female differences., Methods: Using a longitudinal design, the Italian 2011 General Census population was followed up to 2018. Deaths from homicide were retrieved by a record linkage with the Causes of Death Register. Age-standardized mortality rates, stratified by sex, citizenship, education, and geographic area of residence were calculated. The association between sociodemographic characteristics and homicide mortality was evaluated using quasi-Poisson regression models., Results: Between 2012 and 2018, 1,940 homicides were recorded in Italy: 53% were females over age 55, 10% were immigrant females, 34% were males aged 40-54 years, 76% had a medium-low education level, and 57% lived in the South and Islands. Foreign citizenship increased a female's risk of dying from homicide (adjusted rate ratio (RRadj): 1.85; 95% CI: 1.54-2.23), while no differences between Italian and immigrant males were found. An inverse association between education and mortality was observed for both sexes, stronger for males (RRadj: 3.68; 95% CI: 3.10-4.36, low vs. high) than for females (RRadj: 1.38; 95%CI: 1.17-1.62, low vs. high). Moreover, a male residing in the South or the Islands had almost 2.5 times the risk of dying from homicide than a resident in the North-West. Finally, old age (over 75) increased a female's risk of being murdered, whereas the highest risk for males was observed for those aged 25-54 years., Conclusions: Male and female differences in homicide mortality profiles by age were expected, but the results by residence, citizenship, and education highlight that living in disadvantaged socioeconomic contexts increases the risk of dying from homicide, suggesting the need to implement specific prevention and intervention strategies., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ventura, Di Napoli, Petrelli, Pappagallo, Mirisola and Frova.)

Recent research has suggested that violent mortality may be socially patterned and a potentially important source of health inequalities within and between countries. Against this background the current study assessed socioeconomic inequalities in homicide mortality across Europe. To do this, longitudinal and cross-sectional data were obtained from mortality registers and population censuses in 12 European countries. Educational level was used to indicate socioeconomic position. Age-standardized mortality rates were calculated for post, upper and lower secondary or less educational groups. The magnitude of inequalities was assessed using the relative and slope index of inequality. The analysis focused on the 35-64 age group. Educational inequalities in homicide mortality were present in all countries. Absolute inequalities in homicide mortality were larger in the eastern part of Europe and in Finland, consistent with their higher overall homicide rates. They contributed 2.5 % at most (in Estonia) to the inequalities in total mortality. Relative inequalities were high in the northern and eastern part of Europe, but were low in Belgium, Switzerland and Slovenia. Patterns were less consistent among women. Socioeconomic inequalities in homicide are thus a universal phenomenon in Europe. Wide-ranging social and inter-sectoral health policies are now needed to address the risk of violent victimization that target both potential offenders and victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents 10-year trends (1998-2007) on some common crimes: homicide, assault, rape, robbery, car theft, domestic burglary and drug offences. In addition, a few less common offences in police statistics, such as money laundering, corruption, offences against computer data and systems are discussed, even though trends of these crimes are not available. Trends are shown from Western, Central and Eastern Europe, where significant sociopolitical changes have occurred. Although police data actually describes more the recording practices of the officials than the amount of crime, police data is highly valuable for research purposes. Most countries continuously collect information about police activity, and the police is mostly the starting point for proceeding with a case in the criminal justice system. In the USA, all common offences recorded by the police have decreased during the recent years. In Europe, property crimes, homicide and robbery have decreased in most countries, but violence and drug crimes have increased. According to the crime victim surveys, the increase in assault cannot be explained by the increasing reporting activity of victims; the increase seems real. The level of crime differs considerably in different areas: for instance, homicide is most common in Eastern Europe, but assault is much higher in Western Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aggregate relationship between homicide and alcohol availability is well established across a number of national and sub-national settings in North America, Europe and some parts of Asia. However, results linking youth homicide and alcohol availability at the retail level are largely absent from the literature, especially at the city level and across longer time periods. In a multivariate, pooled time series and cross-section study, youth homicide offending rates for two age groups, 13-17 and 18-24, were analysed for the 91 largest cities in the USA between 1984 and 2006. Data for social and economic characteristics, drug use, street gang activity and gun availability were also used as time series measures. Data on the availability of alcohol for each city were gathered from the US Census of Economic Activity, which is conducted every 5 years. These data were used to construct an annual time series for the density of retail alcohol outlets in each city. Results indicated that net of other variables, several of which had significant impacts on youth homicide, the density of alcohol outlets had a significant positive effect on youth homicide for those aged 13-17 and 18-24. Such positive effects have been found for adults in national and neighbourhood level studies, but this is the first study to report such evidence for teenagers and young adults. An important policy implication of these findings is that the reduction of the density of retail alcohol outlets in a city may be an effective tool for violent crime reduction among such youth.[Parker RN, Williams KR, McCaffree KJ, Acensio EK, Browne A, Strom KJ, Barrick K. Alcohol availability and youth homicide in the 91 largest US cities, 1984-2006. Drug Alcohol Rev 2011;30:505-514] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Child injury mortality and morbidity are a public health concern in European countries and data are scarce. Cross-national efforts are needed to identify high-risk groups, follow trends and assist in establishing European-wide safety legislation. This study investigates fatal child injuries in the home, as compared to those in transport in European countries. Methods: Injury mortality was extracted from the World Health Organization Mortality Database for the years 2002–04. The mortality rate per 100 000 population was calculated by age group for 16 contributing countries, grouped by their economic level of development. Results: Fatal home injuries were highest in children under 5 years of age and then sharply decreased, as opposed to road traffic injuries, which increased with age. The majority of the upper-middle-economy countries tended to have higher home injury incidence rates compared to the high-income countries. The top five injury causes all countries aggregated were drowning/submersion, thermal injuries, poisoning, falls and homicide, all of which account for almost 90% of home injury deaths. Conclusion: Home injuries were the leading cause of injury death in children under 5 years of age in the countries under study and the inequalities found among the countries indicate potential for improvement. Evidence-based interventions exist to prevent these injuries and the barriers to their implementation ought to be determined and addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a framework of human rights to explore the high levels of bullying and abuse experienced by adults with learning disabilities. It will identify the different needs of people with different degrees of learning disability before moving on to focus on the particular needs of those with mild learning disabilities who are targeted within local communities. It goes on to suggest a need for a change in assessment practice, away from task-oriented functional assessments and towards assessments which pay greater attention to social abilities and community dynamics. In concluding, the authors argue that present policies and their underpinning principles are at times too dogmatic and call for a greater recognition of the diversity of needs and vulnerabilities which exist across the learning disability spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article argues the interpretation on criminological explanations of the increase of criminal violence in three decades between the early 1960s and the early 1990s. It introduces the "History of Violence Database" and presents the data that will be based by empirical analysis. In addition, it provides an overview of the main trends in homicide rates across western and central Europe between 1840 and 2005. Information on the conduct of life and interpersonal violence is further presented.

IQs were correlated with the z score of suicide rate minus z score of homicide rate using nine regions of the world-established market economies, formerly socialized Europe, India, China, other Asian nations, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, Middle East Crescent, and the USA. Correlations were .85 and .83 with crude rates and age-adjusted rates, respectively. The homicide findings arc consistent with previous research in individual countries showing that less intelligent persons commit homicide more often. However, the present findings of a positive correlation between IQ and suicide rates are the opposite of what has been found in the more definitive studies within countries. Explanations for the apparent paradox and for the findings more generally were offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using official socio-economic and vital statistics data from the end of the tsarist period, this study builds on and extends previous investigations of homicide in early twentieth-century Europe by examining which social-structural factors were associated with the variation in homicide rates among the 50 provinces of European Russia in 1910. The results of negative binomial regression show heavy drinking to be positively associated, and population density and literacy inversely associated, with provincial homicide rates. These findings suggest that the tension between modernity and tradition, which was more generally evident in Russian society during this period, may also have underpinned the regional variation observed in aggregate-level homicide rates. Moreover, the high rural homicide rates seen in both tsarist Russia and at the end of the Soviet period might indicate that the `criminological transition' that may have occurred in other Western countries during the course of the twentieth century could have taken a different form or have been delayed in Russia, due at least in part to the actions and policies of the Soviet state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the lawfulness of psychiatric detention and the convention on human rights in Europe. It mentions the homicide suspect, who was suffering from mental deficiency. It also mentions that the convict under restriction order were provided with the opportunity of applying annually to the Sheriff to obtain discharge.

The present paper examines secular trends of homicide rates by means of a systematic re-analysis of all available quantitative studies on pre-modern homicide. The results confirm, first, that homicide rates have declined in Europe over several centuries. Second, the empirical evidence shows, that unequivocal decline began in the early seventeenth century. Third, the data indicate that the secular decline begins with the pioneers of the modernization process, England and Holland, and slowly encompasses further regions. These findings corroborate much of the civilizing process framework proposed by Norbert Elias. Yet, the diffusion of self-control was sustained not only by compliance to the state monopoly of power but by a variety of disciplining institutional arrangements. This includes, for example, the early expansion of schools, particularly in Northern Europe, the rise of religious reform movements, and the organization of work in manufacturing. Second, while social disciplining certainly is the central feature of the early modern period, it also served to push forward the rise of the specifically modern individualism that Durkheim sees as the cause of the decline of individual-level violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. To assess an empirical basis for cross-national and cross-cultural comparisons of four aspects of the association between alcohol consumption and homicide: the relative strength of the association, the fraction of homicide rates attributable to alcohol consumption, possible gender differences in the association between consumption and victim rates and possible variations in beverage-specific effects on homicide rates. Design, setting and participants. Time series analyses on differenced series of annual aggregate-level data on alcohol sales and homicide rates for the period 1950-95 were performed for each individual country. Estimates were pooled across countries within three regions of alleged differences in drinking pattern: southern Europe, central Europe and northern Europe. Findings. Total alcohol sales were positively and statistically significantly associated with homicide rates in five countries. Beer sales were positively and statistically significantly associated with homicide rates in four countries, wine sales in another two countries, and spirits sales in two countries. The effect of alcohol sales was stronger for male homicide rates than for female homicide rates, and the estimated fraction of homicides that could be attributed to alcohol consumption appeared to be of the same magnitude in the three regions. When estimates were pooled across countries, the strongest association between total sales and homicides was found in the northern European countries and the weakest, but still statistically significant, in the southern European countries. Pooled estimates showed that beer sales were positively and significantly associated with homicide rates in all three European regions, whereas wine sales were positively and moderately associated with homicide rates only in the traditional wine drinking cultures in southern Europe. Conclusion. The findings support the hypothesis that homicide rates are influenced by alcohol sales and more so in the northern European countries where the drinking culture is, to a larger extent, characterized by heavy drinking episodes. Moreover, the findings are suggestive of beverage-specific effects on violent behaviour being contingent upon characteristics of the drinking culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While in western Europe and Scandinavia homicide rates reached their all time low during the period of industrialization, in Finland and Estonia they increased considerably. The rapid growth of criminal violence during the late 1800s and first half of the 1900s in these two countries seems to have been the result of interaction of several factors, partly non-simultaneous and unrelated. They do not seem to have been identical either, although the underlying equation was the same: the quick social and economic change following industrialization, and the modernisation of agriculture, the pressures it put especially on the youth in the form of uncertain prospects for the future and a new competition-oriented set of values, connected with the authoritarian political system of Russian Empire, which prevented necessary political reforms and left behind a legacy of social thinking idealizing violence as a political and social instrument. A legacy, which affected large parts of Finnish and Estonian population still for years after the czarist system itself already passed into history. The criminal violence arisen from the equation, however, had quite a different face on the northern coast of the Gulf of Finland from that on the southern one. In Finland the violence was centered in the new forest industrial communities, in Estonia again among the landless population of the countryside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Amok is reviewed from a historical standpoint, tracing how it has changed from the Hindu states of India where it was a war tactic to the sudden incomprehensible violence and mass murder by a single individual associated with the syndrome today.Method: A typical amok attack is described and the criteria for amok discussed. Amok in Malaysia, New Guinea, Laos, North America and other countries are presented. The possible motives for such violent killings and a possible psychiatric diagnosis in relation to contemporary diagnostic criteria is discussed.Conclusion: Classification of amok remains unresolved. The reason for its frequency in and around Malaysia remains unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the relationships of inequality and economic development to suicide in a sample of 31 nations using both this perspective and the more tradition £d approach, which treats suicide and homicide separately. Homicide is more common in southern Europe and in the southern parts of the nations they studied, while suicide predominates in northern latitudes. Over time, they argued, homicide rates have fallen and suicide rates increased with the progress of civilization. This article uses the perspective outlined above to examine the currents of violence in a sample of nations as a function of social inequality and level of economic development. Both inequality and economic development have long been known to be associated with either suicide or homicide rates, but their impact has not been examined in the context of the stream analogy. Although the relationship of homicide rates to various forms of social inequality has been well established through a number of cross-national analyses, the impact of inequality on suicide has been less often studied.

The author presents the objections against the international comparisons of levels of punishment and imprisonment in Europe. According to the author, prosecution and conviction statistics are less compatible than imprisonment statistics because of problems of definition. He added that more than 80 percent of the homicide cases in Europe end with immediate custody with the exception of Germany. A distinction is implemented in the Netherlands between trafficking, dealing, and possession of drugs and between so-called hard drugs and soft drugs.

Previous studies of parricide have been carried out predominantly in a Western context, in North America, Australia, and Western Europe. To date, only a handful of studies in parricide have been conducted in continental Africa. Previous studies in Ghana and Zimbabwe note that there may be culture-specific ways in which parricides may be shaped by the norms and cultural beliefs systems within those respective countries. Missing from the literature is an examination of parricides in South Africa. Using newspapers and court records, this article examines the offense and offender characteristics of parricides in South Africa. Our findings suggest that residential patterns of families may shape the offense characteristics found in South African parricides.

Objective: Introduction: There are currently a number of energy infrastructure objects in Ukraine, including nuclear power plants whose failure or destruction due to various factors, including criminogenic ones, can have serious and even irreversible negative consequences not only for the state's national security but also for public health and environment as a whole at local, regional, national and even interstate levels. In the context of the recent criminal violence's escalation that has been observed in Ukraine, such objects can be deliberately harmed, which will inevitably lead to an environmental disaster. Therefore, it is obviously necessary to conduct criminological monitoring of threats for public health related to possible disruptions in operation of critical infrastructure in the energy sector. The aim:of this research is to assess the risks for public health resulting from the critical infrastructure's operation in the energetical field of Ukraine by criminological analysis of certain crime types and propose measures to minimize their negative impact on public health., Patients and Methods: Materials and Methods: The study is grounded on dialectical, hictorical, comparative, logical, analytical, synthetic, statistical comprehensive and cartographic research methods. The calculations and mapping were done using Adobe Photoshop CS6, Microsoft Excel 2016, Microsoft Word 2016 and QuickMap 2.2. The sources of the study are the statistical reports of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, analytical materials of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, specialized literature on medicine and law., Results: Results: The country's energy system, including its nuclear, gas and oil pipelines, belongs to the country's critical infrastructure, since any disruption to their operations or their destruction will inevitably lead to a number of negative consequences, including damage for public health in a large area as a result of environmental pollution. The analysis of criminological statistics shows that the real threat to the functioning of such objects in Ukraine is currently represented by criminal acts, which can lead to disruption of the analyzed objects (terrorism, cases of illegal handling of weapons, ammunition, or explosives, creation of non-statutory paramilitary or armed formations, etc.). At the same time, it has been established and clearly demonstrated by the mapping method that there is an increased level of violence and auto-aggression (suicide) in the areas of nuclear energy facilities deployment. This fact does not exclude the negative impact of energy infrastructure functioning on public health., Conclusion: Conclusion: By the time that critical energy infrastructure facilities operate fully and in a normal mode, it is extremely dangerous to conduct any large-scale military operations in Ukraine. Even a minor disturbance in the normal operation of such facilities is a potential danger for public health over a large area. The danger of such objects being violated is also emphasized by the fact that under normal rating their impact on public health is evident, which is confirmed by statistics, in particular, on suicides among local community, level of pre-meditated murders on the territories of relevant regions, etc. In addition, such objects are a potential target for acts of terrorism, the results of which can also be catastrophic. In this regard, the development of measures' system of minimizing the negative impact on mental and physical health of people living in the territory of critical infrastructure's location is particularly relevant.