Cross-national homicide: a review of the current literature

• Published in: International journal of comparative and applied criminal justice Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 47 - 85
• Main Authors: Koeppel, Maria D.H., Rhineberger-Dunn, Gayle M., Mack, Kristin Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 02.01.2015; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: cross-national homicide; homicide; inequality; meta-analysis; modernization theory
• ISSN: 0192-4036; 2157-6475
• DOI: 10.1080/01924036.2013.836676

Since LaFree's review of 34 cross-national homicide studies in 1999, an additional 50 studies have been published on this topic. There have been a few reviews of the extant literature, and a meta-analysis of cross-national predictors of homicide. However, none of these have directly assessed the degree to which the subsequent research has heeded the recommendations provided by LaFree, nor considered the long-term implications of his analysis for ongoing cross-national homicide research. We extend the literature by updating the review conducted by LaFree and detailing the major changes that have occurred in this body of research since the late 1990s. Our review reveals that recent studies appear to have taken into account LaFree's recommendations, particularly in regard to data sources, theoretical perspectives, and variable choices. We conclude that while advances in this field have been made, there are issues that have remained problematic over time and should be considered by researchers engaged in cross-national homicide research.