NCJ Number
139567
Date Published
1992
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Based on data provided by the police and public prosecutors in standard statistical bulletins and research conducted by the author, this article analyzes the distribution of violent crime in Hungary by county, according to types of municipalities, and by distribution within certain regions and ethnic groups.
Abstract
The review of statistics on violent crimes in counties and municipalities from 1979 through 1990 indicates that violent crime and its various categories have a consistent geographic distribution. Data on the geographic distribution of violent crime confirm an earlier observation by Hungarian criminologists; that is, that there are settlements that are sources of violent crime, and there are others that attract violent crimes. Sources are isolated villages with historically determined customs and traditions that do not value human life, safety, and individual rights. In all cities and villages there are districts and neighborhoods where violence is more prevalent than other areas of the community. The distribution of violent crime is determined by macro- and micro-environmental factors. The distribution patterns of violent crime indicate that it is universally influenced by the same factors and circumstances in every region and in every stratum of the population. The author expects that under the current social and economic changes in Hungary there will be rising violent-crime rates in regions where social and economic development has not reached acceptable levels. In the areas where violence has been persistent due to social and economic influences, complex and multi-faceted actions will be required to counter it. 12 references