The outbreak of lethal violence in the absence of up-to-date social control

• In Event: Policing, social control and crime prevention

Abstract

Murder as an extreme expression of violence is a phenomenon extensively studied worldwide. In Israel, there has been a concerning increase in the dimensions of murder cases in general, particularly within the Israeli Arab society. Public protests demanding the state to act in reducing lethal violence have not yielded comprehensive solutions, and despite a sharp increase in murder cases (three times more) in the past five years, the issue has not been deeply investigated. Qualitative research, aimed at mapping changes and key factors in the surge of criminal murders, could contribute to the development of targeted policies that would address the underlying issues. In the current qualitative study, 22 criminal murderers in Israel, sentenced to life imprisonment, were interviewed. The findings indicate the personal criminogenic factors that were highlighted alongside social pressures linked to the breakdown of traditional societal surveillance structures, as well as gaps in the emergence or reliance on alternative, formal, and informal societal surveillance structures. Additional findings will be presented at the conference.

Authors

• Limor Yehuda, Ashkelon Academic College

• Uri Timor, Ashkelon Academic College