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PubMed1997

Changes in crime rates and family-related values in selected East European countries.

Observations and longitudinal comparisons of emerging trends within formerly socialist East European countries offer a unique opportunity to observe some of the social policies typical of the capitalist and socialist systems and their influence on society. Some of the emerging trends in the Czech Republic, former East Germany, and Russia pertaining to general areas of public health, family, and crime are described. Effects of these changes are discussed within the framework of a recently proposed multiple regression model of criminal behavior in which criminality is attributed to the confluence of gross inequalities in the distribution of wealth and to the disintegration of the traditional family. The changes should be considered in the conduct of research.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Class differences and traffic deaths.

The transition of the East European countries from socialist to capitalist economies is marked by an exponential rise in traffic-related deaths. This increase is routinely ascribed to the rising numbers of privately owned cars; however, this explanation does not take into account the fact that, while in the Western societies the number of cars on the road and number of traffic deaths are positively correlated, in the postcommunist countries this correlation is negative. This finding is discussed within the framework of an hypothesis that class differences and related feelings of superiority contribute to homicides related to moving vehicles.

Accidents, Traffic↗