Options
Homicide in Switzerland
ISBN
978-1-4614-0465-1
Type
book section
Date Issued
2012
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Liem, Marieke
Pridemore, William Alex
Abstract
The Swiss chapter on homicide is based on the Swiss Homicide Database (SHD), a nationwide database including premeditated homicidal events in Switzerland between 1980 and 2004. Data are based on autopsy registries from legal medicine institutes and completed by police and court files. The database constitutes a full sample of homicide events in Switzerland for the years 1991–2004, and a partial sample for the years 1980–1990. Information on offender and victim characteristics, circumstances of the homicide as well as legal consequences of the offence are included. Homicide in Switzerland mainly occurs within sentimental partnerships or the family, followed by disputes between friends or acquaintances. Although homicide rates in Switzerland are relatively low in comparison with other European countries, cases of homicide followed by suicide are unusually frequent. Firearms are the modal weapon used in homicide. Swiss rates of gun homicide are among the highest in Europe. The high prevalence of firearm-related casualties is largely due to wide-spread gun availability in Switzerland. As the Swiss military system requires every male Swiss citizen to serve in the militia and to keep his Army equipment at home, prevalence of gun ownership is higher in Switzerland than in other European countries.
Project(s)
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
No
Book title
Handbook of European Homicide Research : Patterns, Explanations, and Country Studies
Publisher
Springer New York
Publisher place
New York, NY
Volume
1., st Edition.
Start page
343
End page
354
Pages
12
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
243138