Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A regional analysis of suicide and homicide rates in the USA: Search for broad cultural patterns

  • Published:
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

A number of recent studies have explored correlates of suicide rates (and less often homicide rates) over the continental states of the USA. Each study typically selects one variable as the focus. The present study sought to explore the relationship between rates of personal violence and all of the socioeconomic variables utilized in previous research. Suicide rates and homicide rates were found to have very different correlates. Suicide rates varied most strongly with social instability, while homicide rates varied most strongly with a southern subculture.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andrus P (1982) The role of fluoride in the prevention of dental caries. Tex Med 78: 57–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Durkheim E (1966) Suicide. Free Press, NewYork

    Google Scholar 

  • Gastil R (1971) Homicide and a regional culture of violence. Am Sociol Rev 36: 412–427

    Google Scholar 

  • Lester D (1980) Variation of suicide and homicide by latitude and longitude. Percept Mot Skills 51: 1346

    Google Scholar 

  • Lester D (1986–1987) Southern subculture, personal violence (suicide and homicide), and firearms. Omega 17: 183–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Lester D (1987 a) Religion, suicide and homicide. Soc Psychiatry 22:99–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Lester D (1987b) Suicide and homicide: are they polar opposites? Behav Sci Law 5: 49–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Lester D (1988) An availability-acceptability theory of suicide. Activitas Nervosa Superior in press

  • National Center for Health Statistics (1985) Vital Statistics of the United States, 1980. US Government Printing Office, Washington

  • Quinn B, Anderson H, Bradley M, Goetting P, Shriver P (1982) Churches and church membership in the US, 1980. Glenmary Research Center, Atlanta

    Google Scholar 

  • Stack S (1980a) The effects of interstate migration on suicide. Int J Soc Psychiatry 26: 17–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Stack S (1980b) The effects of marital dissolution on suicide. J Marr Fam 42: 83–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Stack S (1980c) Religion and suicide. Soc Psychiatry 15: 65–70

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Program, Stockton State College, 08240, Pomona, NJ, USA

    David Lester Ph.D.

Authors
  1. David Lester Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lester, D. A regional analysis of suicide and homicide rates in the USA: Search for broad cultural patterns. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 23, 202–205 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01794789

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01794789

Keywords

Search

Navigation