Short-term association between ambient temperature and homicide in South Africa: a case-crossover study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Criminology research has traditionally investigated sociodemographic predictors of crime, such as sex, race, age, and socioeconomic status. However, evidence suggests that short-term fluctuations in crime often vary more than long-term trends, which sociodemographic factors cannot explain. This has redirected researchers to explore how environmental factors, such as meteorological variables, influence criminal behavior. In this study we investigate the association between daily ambient temperature and homicide incidence in South Africa, a country with one of the highest homicide rates in the world.

Methods

Mortality data was from South Africa's civil registration system and includes all recorded deaths in the country from 1997 to 2013 (17 years). Daily temperature

SUBMITTER: Gates A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6915878 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature