Understanding Homicides in India : A District Level Analysis

Homicides present itself as one of the most important social problems facing a society. Yet, homicide research in the context of developing countries has been under examined. This paper investigates the factors responsible for wide variations in homicide rates in India by shedding light on the socio-demographic composition of offenders and victims. A descriptive analysis of homicides has been conducted for the Indian economy in the period 1990 to 2020. Empirically, we draw on a cross sectional regression analysis of homicides at district level to support our claims. Contrary to the findings established for developed countries, urbanization does not bear any significant association with homicide rates in India. Interestingly, overall literacy rate and homicide rates are found to be positively associated. The main finding of the study is that gender inequality (female to male ratio) bears a robust and significantly negative association with homicide rates