Lethal Violence in Decline?
The broadly accepted assumption that England witnessed a long-term overall decline in lethal violence since the late medieval period is based on an apparent downward trend of homicide rates. This article revisits the problems inherent in the underlying statistical data. It critically examines the so...
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| Опубликовано в: : | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/chs, |
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| Главный автор: | |
| Формат: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Язык: | Anglais |
| Опубликовано: |
Crime, Histoire & Sociétés
2022
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| Online-ссылка: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Итог: | The broadly accepted assumption that England witnessed a long-term overall decline in lethal violence since the late medieval period is based on an apparent downward trend of homicide rates. This article revisits the problems inherent in the underlying statistical data. It critically examines the source material, the different methods scholars used to analyse it and the reliability of population estimates. Additionally, it presents new evidence from Lancashire, where rates rose sharply from 1728 to 1821. All findings lead to the conclusion that we may have to reconsider the thesis of a long-term overall decline of homicide rates. Furthermore, instead of adhering to the thesis of a long-term decline, research should focus more on local evidence and key periods of transition in order to gain new insights into the history of serious violence. |
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