Abstract
The criminal use of weapons is a very topical issue in the industrialized countries and worldwide, and a reconsideration of the legislation governing their possession is warranted. We retrospectively analyzed the homicides and suicides involving the use of firearms and piercing and/or cutting weapons recorded at the Medicolegal Bureau in Milan from January 1, 1993, to December 31, 2008. First we considered the clinical histories of the deceased and the circumstantial details of their deaths, then we examined the data relating to the cause of death recorded in the autopsy reports. Our case series consisted of 414 homicides (54.2%) and 350 suicides (45.8%). Firearms were responsible for more deaths (64%) than piercing and/or cutting weapons (36%). The firearms involved were legally licensed in 40% of cases (suicides) and illegal in 22% (homicides). Our findings suggest the need to review the criteria considered for the issue of firearms licenses, in Italy at least.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 386-415 |
| Number of pages | 30 |
| Journal | Journal of Interpersonal Violence |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |
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Keywords
- community violence
- homicide
- violence exposure
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Psychology
- Applied Psychology
Cite this
Analysis of 16 Years of Homicides and Suicides Involving the Use of Weapons Recorded at the Milan Medicolegal Bureau. / Gentile, Guendalina; Clerici, Carlo; de Micheli, Angelo; Merzagora, Isabella; Palazzo, Elisa; Rancati, Alessandra; Veneroni, Laura; Zoja, Riccardo.
In: Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Vol. 28, No. 2, 2013, p. 386-415.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Analysis of 16 Years of Homicides and Suicides Involving the Use of Weapons Recorded at the Milan Medicolegal Bureau
AU - Gentile, Guendalina
AU - Clerici, Carlo
AU - de Micheli, Angelo
AU - Merzagora, Isabella
AU - Palazzo, Elisa
AU - Rancati, Alessandra
AU - Veneroni, Laura
AU - Zoja, Riccardo
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - The criminal use of weapons is a very topical issue in the industrialized countries and worldwide, and a reconsideration of the legislation governing their possession is warranted. We retrospectively analyzed the homicides and suicides involving the use of firearms and piercing and/or cutting weapons recorded at the Medicolegal Bureau in Milan from January 1, 1993, to December 31, 2008. First we considered the clinical histories of the deceased and the circumstantial details of their deaths, then we examined the data relating to the cause of death recorded in the autopsy reports. Our case series consisted of 414 homicides (54.2%) and 350 suicides (45.8%). Firearms were responsible for more deaths (64%) than piercing and/or cutting weapons (36%). The firearms involved were legally licensed in 40% of cases (suicides) and illegal in 22% (homicides). Our findings suggest the need to review the criteria considered for the issue of firearms licenses, in Italy at least.
AB - The criminal use of weapons is a very topical issue in the industrialized countries and worldwide, and a reconsideration of the legislation governing their possession is warranted. We retrospectively analyzed the homicides and suicides involving the use of firearms and piercing and/or cutting weapons recorded at the Medicolegal Bureau in Milan from January 1, 1993, to December 31, 2008. First we considered the clinical histories of the deceased and the circumstantial details of their deaths, then we examined the data relating to the cause of death recorded in the autopsy reports. Our case series consisted of 414 homicides (54.2%) and 350 suicides (45.8%). Firearms were responsible for more deaths (64%) than piercing and/or cutting weapons (36%). The firearms involved were legally licensed in 40% of cases (suicides) and illegal in 22% (homicides). Our findings suggest the need to review the criteria considered for the issue of firearms licenses, in Italy at least.
KW - community violence
KW - homicide
KW - violence exposure
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84871507462&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84871507462&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0886260512454715
DO - 10.1177/0886260512454715
M3 - Article
VL - 28
SP - 386
EP - 415
JO - Journal of Interpersonal Violence
JF - Journal of Interpersonal Violence
SN - 0886-2605
IS - 2
ER -