Assessing the Effects of COVID-19-Related Stay-at-Home Orders on Homicide Rates in Selected U.S. Cities

Most U.S. states issued stay-at-home orders (SAHOs) to limit the spread of COVID-19 in 2020. These orders required people to remain in their residences except when undertaking essential activities. While SAHOs are a powerful public health tool against infectious diseases, they can have significant s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHomicide studies Vol. 26; no. 4; pp. 419 - 444
Main Authors Murray, Gregg R., Davies, Kim
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.11.2022
SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
Subjects
COVID-19
Murders & murder attempts
COVID-19
general strain theory
lockdowns
stay-at-home orders
routine activities
pandemic
homicide
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Summary:Most U.S. states issued stay-at-home orders (SAHOs) to limit the spread of COVID-19 in 2020. These orders required people to remain in their residences except when undertaking essential activities. While SAHOs are a powerful public health tool against infectious diseases, they can have significant social and economic consequences. Grounded in general strain and routine activities theories and using interrupted time series analyses, this study assesses the effects of SAHOs on homicide rates in 10 U.S. cities. Substantive results suggest SAHOs were associated with changes in homicide rates in theoretically identifiable ways.
ISSN:1088-7679
1552-6720
DOI:10.1177/10887679221108875