Institute of Criminology Public Seminars: 'Can developmental criminology help prevent violence in high-violence societies?'

Speaker: Professor Joseph Murray (Human Development and Violence Research Centre & Postgraduate Programme in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil)

Discussant: Wolfson Professor Manuel Eisner (Director of the Institute of Criminology and Director of Violence Research Centre)

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Developmental criminology has made major progress in identifying important early determinants of crime and violence, and effective preventive interventions. However, nearly all major longitudinal studies have been conducted in high-income countries, with relative low levels of violence. Identifying the causes of violence and effective solutions in high-violence societies is critical to significantly reduce global levels of violence. In Latin America, homicide is the leading cause of death among young people. In Brazil, over 1 million people died by homicide in the last two decades. This seminar addresses whether developmental criminology can help understand and prevent criminal violence in this setting, using data from the four Pelotas Birth Cohort Studies, including over 20,000 children followed longitudinally from birth, in Southern Brazil. The older two Pelotas cohorts include self-report and official measures of crime and violence, with homicide records to age 30 years. The two younger cohorts include detailed data on child and family processes linked to the development of aggression and violence. Child, family, and socioeconomic risk factors identified in high-income countries do correlate with the development of behaviour problems in this setting. However, serious violence and murder appear most influenced by the social context in the transition to adulthood, suggesting the importance of Brazil’s structural inequalities, ineffective criminal justice system, weak democratic institutions, and links to international drug markets, for understanding and reducing its high rates of violence.

Lecture followed by refreshments for those in attendance.

If you wish to be added to the seminar mailing list, please contact: enquiries@crim.cam.ac.uk