European Homicide Research Group

Homicide is one of the most dramatic and tragic offences. It has very high priority in research, public opinion, policy, and prevention in the European nations. Unfortunately, it is one of the most difficult crimes to be studied due to the low frequency and the high variability of events.

In order to stimulate homicide research in Europe and to promote contact between the various European researchers working on national homicide studies, we have established the European Homicide Research Group. Fortunately, homicide research projects are underway in various European countries and the number of European homicide researchers is substantial and growing. We would like to invite researchers involved in homicide studies to combine their expertise and join the working group.
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Aim

We aim to facilitate research on homicide in Europe and maximize international dissemination of homicide research results.

Membership

Researchers involved in homicide studies are invited to join. Please send your name, position, affiliation, and a description of the research project you are working on.

Click here for an overview of current members and their projects.

Activities

We organize thematic homicide sessions at the annual ESC and ASC meetings, where we promote international collaboration on homicide research. 

News

The upcoming European Society of Criminology conference in Sarajevo (Aug 29-Sep 1) will feature two panels on Homicide in Europe, including contributions by Sara Skott, Alexander Kamprad, Trevor Calafato, Ecatarina Balica, Pauline Aarten, Simone Walser, Nora Markwalder, Martin Killias, Janine Janssen, Karoliina Suonpää and Marieke Liem. 
Many of our group members are involved in the COST Action on Femicide. Femicide is a heinous crime, distinct from homicide and other forms of gender or domestic violence. While the subject had remained ‘invisible’ for too long, recently a variety of publications have appeared dealing with the subject, including a paper on visibility and a paper on theory formation. 
Recent work by Ecaterina Balica on homicide-suicide has been published in the European Journal of Criminology. 
In Poland, Aneta Wilkowska-Płóciennik has been conducting work on life imprisonment.
Finally, Sara Skott has published a concise overview of homicide in Scotland, discussing its recent sharp decline.