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Homicide numbers, rates, and victims’ characteristics in the Tri-City metropolitan area, Poland, between 2010 and 2019

Publication date: 27.03.2024

Archives of Forensic Medicine and Criminology, 2023, Vol. 73 (4), pp. 285 - 293

https://doi.org/10.4467/16891716AMSIK.23.023.19495

Authors

,
Karol Karnecki
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk
, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8386-4207 Orcid
All publications →
,
Adrian Wrocławski
Department of Substantive Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Gdańsk
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2184-9110 Orcid
All publications →
,
Dorota Pieśniak
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk
, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9096-9901 Orcid
All publications →
,
Wojciech Dalewski
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk
, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3831-6564 Orcid
All publications →
,
Tomasz Gos
Department of Substantive Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Gdańsk
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0161-9270 Orcid
All publications →
Michał Kaliszan
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk
, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8119-3494 Orcid
All publications →

Titles

Homicide numbers, rates, and victims’ characteristics in the Tri-City metropolitan area, Poland, between 2010 and 2019

Abstract

Despite a clear global downward trend, homicides still account for a relatively high proportion of all violent deaths, making them a serious problem both in Poland and worldwide. The discrepancy in available data prompted the authors of the study to analyse the numbers and rates of homicides and the characteristics of the homicide victims in the Tri-City area of northern Poland. The study was based on data from autopsy reports, supplemented by information from prosecutor's files on all homicides in the Tri-City area between 2010 and 2019. A total of 107 homicides were statistically analysed for age, sex, blood alcohol concentration at the time of death, time and place of death. The annual homicide rate was 1.24 per 100,000 inhabitants, with a clear downward trend over the period analysed. The average age of victims was about 48 years, and the majority of victims were male (70.1%). 92.5% of homicides were committed in the Tri-City, with a clear predominance of Gdansk (49.5%) over other, mostly rural, areas of the analysed agglomeration. The majority of victims (57.8%) whose blood alcohol concentration was measured were intoxicated, with a clear predominance of males in this group (70.9%). Victim characteristics and the homicide rates obtained from the analysed material were similar to other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, which may be related to historical, cultural, and demographic similarities. The study highlights the significant impact of alcohol abuse on the risk of homicide. 

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Information

Information: Archives of Forensic Medicine and Criminology, 2023, Vol. 73 (4), pp. 285 - 293

Article type: Original article

Titles:

English:

Homicide numbers, rates, and victims’ characteristics in the Tri-City metropolitan area, Poland, between 2010 and 2019

Polish:

Liczby i wskaźniki zabójstw oraz charakterystyka ofiar na terenie aglomeracji Trójmiasta w latach 2010-2019 

Authors

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8386-4207

Karol Karnecki
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk
, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8386-4207 Orcid
All publications →

Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk
Poland

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2184-9110

Adrian Wrocławski
Department of Substantive Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Gdańsk
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2184-9110 Orcid
All publications →

Department of Substantive Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Gdańsk

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9096-9901

Dorota Pieśniak
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk
, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9096-9901 Orcid
All publications →

Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk
Poland

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3831-6564

Wojciech Dalewski
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk
, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3831-6564 Orcid
All publications →

Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk
Poland

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0161-9270

Tomasz Gos
Department of Substantive Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Gdańsk
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0161-9270 Orcid
All publications →

Department of Substantive Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Gdańsk

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8119-3494

Michał Kaliszan
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk
, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8119-3494 Orcid
All publications →

Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk
Poland

Published at: 27.03.2024

Received at: 16.01.2024

Accepted at: 14.02.2024

Article status: Open

Licence: CC-BY-NC-SA  licence icon

Percentage share of authors:

Karol Karnecki (Author) - 16.67%
Adrian Wrocławski (Author) - 16.67%
Dorota Pieśniak (Author) - 16.67%
Wojciech Dalewski (Author) - 16.67%
Tomasz Gos (Author) - 16.67%
Michał Kaliszan (Author) - 16.67%

Article corrections:

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Publication languages:

English

Suggested citations: Nature

Karnecki, K, Wrocławski, A, Pieśniak, D, Dalewski, W, Gos, T, Kaliszan, M. Homicide numbers, rates, and victims’ characteristics in the Tri-City metropolitan area, Poland, between 2010 and 2019. Archives of Forensic Medicine and Criminology 2023, 285-293 (2024)