NCJ Number
181441
Journal
European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research Volume: 7 Issue: 4 Dated: 1999 Pages: 427-442
Date Published
1999
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This article contains preliminary findings from a comparative study of police-recorded violent crimes in Stockholm and Basel.
Abstract
There were basic similarities in the situational context of violent crime and the residential distribution of violent offenders in the two cities. Yet there were also significant differences, some of which may have implications for crime prevention. Violent crime seemed to be more highly concentrated during weekend nights in Stockholm than in Basel. The article suggests that culturally transmitted behavioral expectations among young men during weekend nights might account for the difference. The presence of weapons in a community increased the risk of more serious outcomes of violent events. Efforts to reduce the availability of weapons may thus have significant effects on the outcomes of violence but not necessarily on its frequency. Offenders in both cities were highly concentrated in socially disorganized communities with few economic and social resources. Tables, figure, references