Suicide, homicide and crime in ireland: What are the relationships?

The relationship between suicide and homicide has long been of interest. It has often been written that the two are inversely related though more recent reports, especially from North America, suggest that the two vary in parallel. In 1970, Kendell hypothesised that suicide and homicide should be inversely related. This study tested this prediction in an Irish context by examining the suicide and homicide rates of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland for the yean 1950-1990. The results suggest that, in general, suicide and homicide are positively related and that the inverse relationship hypothesis is limited to periods when a society is in a war-like situation. There is a positive relationship between suicide and indictable crime in both countries, more so in the Republic of Ireland. In light of these findings a new hypothesis is proposed that, in general society, suicide, homicide and indictable crime are positively related and reflect the level of disorder in society.