Does Democracy Enhance or Reduce Lethal Violence? Examining the Role of the Rule of Law

Alexander Testa; Joseph K. Young; Christopher Mullins

doi:10.1177/1088767917698181

Does Democracy Enhance or Reduce Lethal Violence? Examining the Role of the Rule of Law

Alexander Testa, Joseph K. Young, Christopher Mullins

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study builds on prior cross-national criminological literature by using disaggregated measures of democracy, notably rule of law, to examine the influence key components of democracy have on homicide rates. To assess this relationship, the current study uses two measures of rule of law: (a) a measurement of an independent judiciary; (b) a measurement of “Law and Order Tradition” from the International Country Risk Guide (ICRG). Findings indicate that the measures of rule of law have a significant negative effect on homicide rates.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	219-239
Number of pages	21
Journal	Homicide Studies
Volume	21
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1088767917698181
State	Published - Aug 1 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, © 2017 SAGE Publications.

Keywords

comparative criminology
democracy
homicide
international homicide trends
rule of law
transitional democracy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Psychology (miscellaneous)
Law

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1177/1088767917698181

Cite this

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Does Democracy Enhance or Reduce Lethal Violence? Examining the Role of the Rule of Law

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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