SLIDE 1
What makes some societies more violent than others?
Manuel Eisner Wolfson Professor of Criminology Director, Violence Research Centre Deputy Director, Institute of Criminology
INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY
violent than others? Manuel Eisner Wolfson Professor of Criminology - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
violent than others? Manuel Eisner Wolfson Professor of Criminology - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
I NSTITUTE OF C RIMINOLOGY What makes some societies more violent than others? Manuel Eisner Wolfson Professor of Criminology Director, Violence Research Centre Deputy Director, Institute of Criminology How much do societies differ in how
SLIDE 2
SLIDE 3
0.1 1 10 100 1400 1600 1800 2000 > 100 Civil War 10-100 Violent Societies 1-10 Semi-Pacified Societies < 1 Pacified Societies
Homicide Rate per 100,000
Homicide Rate: The number
- f murders
per 100,000
- f the
population.
The Human Societies Homicide Scale
SLIDE 4
0.1 1 10 100 1400 1600 1800 2000 > 100 Civil War 10-100 Violent Societies 1-10 Semi-Pacified Societies < 1 Pacified Societies
10x 10x 10x Homicide Rate per 100,000 10x
The Human Societies Homicide Scale
Homicide Rate: The number
- f murders
per 100,000
- f the
population.
SLIDE 5
0.1 1 10 100 1400 1600 1800 2000 > 100 Civil War 10-100 Violent Societies 1-10 Semi-Pacified Societies < 1 Pacified Societies
The Human Societies Homicide Scale
Homicide Rate per 100,000
Current Global Homicide Rate = 6.4
(430,000 deaths per year, 7.7 Million since 2000)
The homicide rate of 198 countries.
WHO figures and estimates, around 2005
SLIDE 6
0.1 1 10 100 1400 1600 1800 2000 > 100 Civil War 10-100 Violent Societies 1-10 Semi-Pacified Societies < 1 Pacified Societies
Singapore Uganda USA Switzerland Mexico United Kingdom Jamaica Sri Lanka Honduras
The Human Societies Homicide Scale
Homicide Rate per 100,000
The most violent societies have about 500 times more homicides than the most peaceful societies The homicide rate of 198 countries.
WHO figures and estimates, around 2005
SLIDE 7
0.1 1 10 100 1400 1600 1800 2000 > 100 Civil War 10-100 Violent Societies 1-10 Semi-Pacified Societies < 1 Pacified Societies
Singapore Uganda USA Switzerland Mexico United Kingdom Jamaica Sri Lanka Honduras
The Human Societies Homicide Scale
Homicide Rate per 100,000
10 % world population 45% homicides
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0.1 1 10 100 1400 1600 1800 2000 > 100 Civil War 10-100 Violent Societies 1-10 Semi-Pacified Societies < 1 Pacified Societies
Singapore Uganda USA Switzerland Mexico United Kingdom Jamaica Sri Lanka Honduras
The Human Societies Homicide Scale
Homicide Rate per 100,000
10 % world population 45% homicides 45 % world population 9% homicides
Violence is very unequally distributed across the world.
SLIDE 9
Map of the World by Homicides
(WHO recorded homicides 2002, www.worldmapper.org)
SLIDE 10
Map of the World by Research Output
(Published papers in 2001 www.worldmapper.org)
SLIDE 11
How do violent and peaceful societies differ?
SLIDE 12
0.1 1 10 100 1400 1600 1800 2000 > 100 Civil War 10-100 Violent Societies 1-10 Semi-Pacified Societies < 1 Pacified Societies
Singapore Uganda USA Switzerland Mexico United Kingdom Jamaica Sri Lanka Honduras
The Human Societies Homicide Scale
Homicide Rate per 100,000
In the most violent societies homicide serves political goals. It is related to male control, power, profit, and reputation. Homicide as Politics Homicide as Pathology
Corruption State violence Organised crime Poverty/Inequality Rule of Law Social Integration Education and Self-Control Trust in Authorities
SLIDE 13
How do societies become more violent and more peaceful?
A Tale of Two Islands: What can we Learn from Historical Homicide Trends in Jamaica and Singapore?
Manuel Eisner, contribution to 2019 UNODC Global Homicide Report.
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1 10 100
1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 2040
> 100 Civil War 10-100 Violent Societies 1-10 Semi-Pacified Societies < 1 Pacified Societies
Homicide Rate per 100,000
The Human Societies Homicide Scale
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1 10 100
1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 2040
> 100 Civil War 10-100 Violent Societies 1-10 Semi-Pacified Societies < 1 Pacified Societies
Homicide Rate per 100,000
The Human Societies Homicide Scale
Why did Singapore and Jamaica move in different directions since about 1960?
Control of corruption Investment in education/health Professional police Low segregation Violent clientelistic politics Politicised civil service Distrusted violent police Persistent poverty
SLIDE 16
To wrap up
The most violent societies have about 500-1000 times more homicides than the least violent societies. In extremely violent societies the rule of law breaks down and the state no longer provides protection. Societies become violent or peaceful over time. Poor policy decisions matter.
Ambroglio Lorenzetti Allegoria del Buon Governo, 1338-1339, Sala della Pace, Palazzo Pubblico, Siena Cattivo Governo