Original scientific paper
The Rhythm of Crime: Annual and Monthly Distribution of Criminal Offences in the Dubrovnik Republic in the Eighteenth Century
Ivana Mrđen
Ana Prohaska
Nenad Vekarić
orcid.org/0000-0003-3919-7704
Abstract
The movement of criminality in the Dubrovnik Republic of the eighteenth century exhibits a very strong correlation between crime and social situation. The period of crisis (first quarter of the eighteenth century) witnessed a rise in criminal offences (murders, thefts) whereas the period marked by positive expectation saw a drop. During crisis, however, minor cases of violence were not even brought to court, contrary to the practice witnessed after the crisis. Thus underlying these movements was a paradox: in the period of positive expectation the number of victims with fatal consequences dropped, but the overall crime rate increased. Climate conditions and economic orientation of the population, coupled with the system of customs and habits established down to the family as a nuclear social unit (‘way of life’), had their impact on the rhythm of crime. Seasonal distribution of some premeditated criminal offences may be accounted by the ‘favourable’ crime conditions (e.g. increase of thefts in winter season), while the bulk of the offences committed in emotionally charged situations (e.g. physical violence, verbal abuse) depended on the frequency of contacts as sources of conflict. Therefore the number of such crimes tended to drop in the season of intensive farming (September), and increased during idle season (July).
Keywords
Dubrovnik; 18th century; criminal proceeding; Criminal court; seasonal distribution of crime; homicide
Hrčak ID:
104676
URI
Publication date:
24.5.2013.
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