The Greek financial crisis and homicide rates: another reason to worry

Globally, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that the homicide rates in Africa and the Americas are relatively high, whereas the rates in Asia, Europe and Oceania are relatively low.1 Greece is geographically located in Southern Europe and is considered a low-incidence country for homicide. Economic factors play an important role in the evolution of crime trends.2 Data from 26 European Union countries show that rises in unemployment are associated with significant short-term increases in premature deaths from intentional violence. Specifically, a 1% rise in unemployment rate …