A Criminological Review of Factors causing increase in Violent Crime rate in Shiraz and its Solution (2006-2011)

This study aims to investigate the most important causes for increased occurrence of violent crime, murder and voluntary assault in particular, in the city of Shiraz. The statistical population consists all those convicted or accused of murder or voluntary assault who were serving their terms in the Adlabad prison in Shiraz. In the meantime, only those who confessed their crime were considered as data sample. The studied sample comprised 102 men and women. The data gathering tool was the questionnaire designed by the author. Democratic characteristics, previous disputes and enmities, as well as risky beliefs and behaviors can lead to the increasing trend of such crimes. Apparently, risky beliefs and behaviors can be the most important factors in the occurrence of violent crime. Moreover, it seems the following preventive measures can be effective on the reduction of violent crime: punitive prevention, non-punitive prevention, perpetrator-based prevention (background and circumstances that affect the perpetrator), and the victim-based prevention (background and circumstances that affect the victim). Also, the perpetrator-based prevention seems to be more effective than the other factors in prevention of such crime. The results obtained regarding research hypotheses show that certain demographic factors can affect committing crimes or falling victim to crimes. In 25.37% of the studied cases, there were previous disputes and enmities between the perpetrator and the victim. In 58.16% of the cases, risky beliefs were the main cause of crime. In 56.12% of the cases, the risky behavior on the part of both the perpetrator and the victim was the main reason why the crimes were committed. In the latest case,punitive prevention, direct prevention, reactive prevention, victim-based prevention and perpetrator-based prevention were effective in violent crimes prevention. The most effective preventive measure can be the perpetrator-based prevention. Thus, all the research hypotheses were proved.