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Although there was almost always a war going on somewhere on the planet, Europe has known relatively peaceful times, since the end of the World War II. All this period, in Europe, we have mainly seen crime (in its different shapes) as a main menace to societal prosperity. However, a war has the potential to produce considerably more profound effects. This is why it seems important to analyse the relation between crime and war, to see how these two factors interact, to see if they influence each other, and, if possible, to find out if there are common traits in addressing both issues. This paper analyses the relation between crime and war, starting from the observation that both crime and war have a deep impact on societies. In our quest, we will take into account different perspectives on crime and war. As regards crime and, at a larger scale, organised crime, often fighting against them has been deemed as a true war, and this adds a new dimension to the nexus between crime and war. We will analyse as well if there is a variation in the type and number of certain crimes in times of war. Overall, in this paper we will try to clarify some aspects regarding the nexus between crime and war, as a clear image on their relation is extremely important in order to identify some methods which can be used to prevent or, at least, to mitigate the effects of these two seriously impairing factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of outlaw bikers is growing globally. Despite this, little research exists on these groups and their alleged violent tendencies. To address this, the current paper uses unique data to examine whether gang violence causes outlaw biker violence. The period examined runs from mid-2008 until early 2012 during which violent clashes occurred between outlaw bikers and street gang members involved in an alleged conflict in Copenhagen, Denmark. A precise description of each individual act of violence would make it possible to identify whether specific acts were carried out in furtherance of the alleged conflict. This would allow one to determine whether outlaw bikers commit violence on behalf of their club. However, such knowledge is unavailable. The paper therefore takes a different approach by examining whether acts of violence committed by the two groups are statistically associated. In other words, it considers whether one or more acts can be described as retaliatory during the observation periods. The sample consists of 640 individuals involved with the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club or with non-biker street gangs–both of which are present in Copenhagen. Statistical models are used to predict 143 violent events committed by 196 outlaw bikers. The results suggest that violence committed by gang members predicts violence committed by outlaw bikers. This indicates that violent acts committed by outlaw bikers are at least partly a form of retaliation carried out on behalf of their club. The paper expands the literature on the kinds of inter-group, micro-level processes that can lead to reciprocal violence by including outlaw bikers in a literature that has previously focused on non-biker street gangs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Illegal enterprise and social embeddedness theories have highlighted the importance of market forces and social factors, respectively, for analyzing organized crime and organized criminal activities. This paper empirically demonstrates the joint explanatory power of these respective theories in the case of the transnational trafficking of cocaine. It does so by conceptualizing transnational cocaine trafficking as a network of relationships among countries; a network whose structure reflects the actions of manifold organized criminal groups. The analysis utilizes exponential random graph models to analyze quantitative data on cocaine trafficking which are ordinarily difficult to capture in empirical research. The analysis presented focuses on a set of 36 European countries. The results yield insights into the nature of the relationship among economic incentives, social ties, geographic features and corruption, and how, in turn, this relationship influences the structure of the transnational cocaine network and the modi operandi of cocaine traffickers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on research undertaken as part of the EU funded EPPIC project, this paper aims to update and elaborate on the relationship between drug use and offending behaviours by exploring variations within a cross-national sample of drug-experienced young people in touch with criminal justice systems. Adopting a trajectory-based approach, interviews were undertaken with 198 young people aged 15–25 in six European countries (Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Poland, and UK). Data were analysed by applying the Bennett and Holloway categorization of the drugs-crime link, with a focus on the concept of social exclusion as developed by Seddon. Three main types of mechanisms (economic, pharmaceutical, and lifestyles) are used to interpret the data, showing how the relationship between drugs and offending can vary according to type of substances and over time. Furthermore, it can be associated with very different degrees of social exclusion and needs. The results suggest that while economic inequalities still play key roles in explaining drug use and offending, both behaviours can originate from a state of relative deprivation, resulting from the contradictions inherent in 'bulimic societies' that raise aspirations and desires while providing young people scarce opportunities for self-realisation and social recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper focuses on the issue of intimate partner violence and, specifically, on the distribution of femicides over time and the existence of copycat effects. This is the subject of an ongoing debate often triggered by the social alarm following multiple intimate partner homicides (IPHs) occurring in a short span of time. The aim of this research is to study the evolution of IPHs and provide a far-reaching answer by rigorously analyzing and searching for patterns in data on femicides. Methods: The study analyzes an official dataset, provided by the system VioGén of the Secretaría de Estado de Seguridad (Spanish State Secretariat for Security), including all the femicides occurred in Spain in 2007-2017. A statistical methodology to identify temporal interdependencies in count time series is proposed and applied to the dataset. The same methodology can be applied to other contexts. Results: There has been a decreasing trend in the number of femicides per year. No interdependencies among the temporal distribution of femicides are observed. Therefore, according to data, the existence of copycat effect in femicides cannot be claimed. Conclusions: Around 2011 there was a clear change in the average number of femicides which has not picked up. Results allow for an informed answer to the debate on copycat effect in Spanish femicides. The planning of femicides prevention activities should not be a reaction to a perceived increase in their occurrence. As a copycat effect is not detected in the studied time period, there is no evidence supporting the need to censor media reports on femicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cryptomarkets, or illegal anonymizing online platforms that facilitate drug trade, have been analyzed in a rapidly growing body of research. Previous research has found that, despite increased risks, cryptomarket sellers are often willing to ship illegal drugs internationally. There is little to no information, however, about the extent to which uncertainty and risk related to geographic constraints shapes buyers' behavior and, in turn, the structure of the global online drug trade network. In this paper, we analyze the structure of a complete cryptomarket trade network with a focus on the role of geographic clustering of buyers and sellers.Methods: We use publicly available crawls of the cryptomarket Abraxas, encompassing market transactions between 463 sellers and 3542 buyers of drugs in 2015. We use descriptive social network analysis and Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGM) to analyze the structure of the trade network.Results: The structure of the online drug trade network is primarily shaped by geographical boundaries. Buyers are more likely to buy from multiple sellers within a single country, and avoid buying from sellers in different countries, which leads to strong geographic clustering. The effect is especially strong between continents and weaker for countries within Europe. A small fraction of buyers (10%) account for more than a half of all drug purchases, while most buyers only buy once.Conclusion: Online drug trade networks might still be heavily shaped by offline (geographic) constraints, despite their ability to provide access for end-users to large international supply. Cryptomarkets might be more "localized" and less international than thought before. We discuss potential explanations for such geographical clustering and implications of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the relationships between space, ethnic identity and anti-state violence in twentieth century London. It will do so by comparing the Spitalfields violence of 1906 and the Brixton unrest of 1981. The association of physical metropolitan space with 'difference' in the Edwardian East End and post-consensus South London, and how this 'othering' was influenced both by the state and the anti-migrant far right will be analysed. The paper will then dissect relationships between the police and working class Jewish and Caribbean communities, and how these deteriorating relationships exploded into extreme violence in 1906 and 1981. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mediation in criminal cases, as an alternative means to settle disputes, should apply to rather large categories of crimes, which leads to making more efficient and better managed criminal proceedings and allows the justice to focus attention toward complex and higher difficult cases. This instrument enjoys lot of attention at international level, through the adaptation of an UN resolution, of some recommendations by the Council of Europe of some decisions by the European Union. Thus, the Framework Decision of the EU Council of March 15th 2001 on the standing of victims in criminal proceedings burden Member States to promote the mediation in criminal proceedings for offences which it considers appropriate for this type of measure. The paper presents the efforts made for the implementation of this system in European countries, through the adoption to that purpose of a series of criminal rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimation of the "dark figure" for any crime (the number of actual instances of a specific crime committed minus the reported cases of that crime within a population) has primarily rested on the ability to conduct random sample crime surveys. Such surveys are based on the assumption that victims experience crimes that are discrete, time-bound, and of relatively short duration. The crime of enslavement, however, presents a special challenge to estimation because it is of indeterminate duration. This challenge is compounded by the fact that victims of slavery are also often isolated by the stigma linked to sexual assault, or a sense of shame over their enslavement. Using a unique dataset, based in part on the random sample surveys of Julia Pennington et al. (2009), and extended through a process of extrapolation, this paper estimates the numbers of victims of slavery and human trafficking for thirty-seven countries in Europe. These estimated numbers of slavery victims are then compared with reported cases of slavery and trafficking for the same countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mainstay of the paper is formed by an analysis of the mechanisms that lead to tax aversion, the measurement of tax morale, Switzerland's refusal to cooperate in countering tax evasion, and the moral wrongfulness of tax evasion. The results of the current study converge with prior research on negative correlations between the level of tax morale and the size of the shadow economy, citizen's willingness to pay taxes, and tax morale as a crucial determinant of taxpaying behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the papers presented at the 11th Criminological Colloquium on crime and economy in Europe in 1994. Jerzy Jasinski describes and explains crime patterns and trends in the region. He emphasises that the sharp rises in reported crime after the change have to be seen in connection with the overall crime level in pre-change times, which tended to be determined by political decisions rather than by the actual crime situation. Pierre-Henri Bolle deals with the difficult issue of the reform of criminal law and changing philosophies which underpin the reform process and the impact of international human rights standards and case law on criminal legislation. He warns against oversimplification and reductionism, emphasising that it is unreasonable to assume that social and legislative changes in the region. Peter Tak examines the changing position and function of the prosecuting authorities. He strongly emphasises the pivotal role of the public prosecutor in relation to other key-players in the criminal justice system. Karóly Bárd deals with a vast array of questions relating to the trial-stage of the criminal process. He addresses such matters as independence of the judiciary, training and appointment of judges, structure of criminal procedure, sentencing patterns and the role of the defence.

The article discusses the symposium of critical terrorism studies in Europe. It is said that this symposium has emerged as a response to recent developments in the field of terrorism studies. Moreover, the paper discusses the three developments in terrorism studies such as the tremendous growth in terrorism-related research and teaching activities, the growing dissatisfaction with the state of the field and its voluminous output and the increased visibility of coterie of explicitly critical terrorism studies scholars, publications, doctoral research projects and teaching programmes.