Death by 2020 - Why Murders Spiked by 30% Last Year

2020 saw the largest single-year increase in the murder and non-negligent homicide rate... ever. This episode explores possible reasons for this spike, including motives and criminological theories.

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Sources for this episode:
• Eriksson, L., Mazerolle, P. (2013). A general strain theory of intimate partner homicide. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 18(5), 462-470. 

• FBI. (2021). Crime Data Explorer. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved from: https://crime-data-explorer.app.cloud.gov/pages/home 

• FBI. (2021). News: FBI Releases 2020 Crime Statistics. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved from: https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-releases-2020-crime-statistics 

• Fernandez, M. (2021). CDC: Suicides decreased in 2020. Axios. Retrieved from: https://www.axios.com/suicide-decreased-in-2020-pandemmic-mental-health-26196eaf-a245-4d21-85eb-eeb864a24449.html 

• Joiner, T.E., Lieberman, A., Stanley, I.H. and Reger, M.A. (2020), "Might the COVID-19 pandemic spur increased murder-suicide?", Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 177-182. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-05-2020-0502

•    Lucas, R. (2021). FBI Shows an Unprecedented Spike in Murders Nationwide in 2020. NPR. Retrieved from: https://www.npr.org/2021/09/27/1040904770/fbi-data-murder-increase-2020