Competition, inequity, and homicide

Most homicides occur as a result of competition for scarce material and social resources. Those who are most likely to become involved in such homicides are unsuccessful young men who have relatively little to lose by adopting riskier competitive tactics.

There is enormous variability in homicide rates between modern nation states and at more local levels, such as between Canadian provinces, too. The best predictor of the local homicide rate is the local level of income inequality. These facts imply that one of the social costs of policies that increase inequality is more murders.

Read The Hamilton Spectator article by Steve Buist