Description and explanation of the relationship between economic downturn and crime have to date been limited by the narrow scope of criminal activity characteristically selected as a focus by pertinent criminological scholarship. Efforts to examine the relationship have overwhelmingly approached it through the prism of common property and violent offences, or, and to a lesser degree, white-collar crime. As a consequence, appreciation has been impeded of the existence and heightened political significance of diverse and complex connections between different forms of criminality during times of economic downturn. To demonstrate the value of such connections to the study of the relationship between economic downturn and crime, we draw on the contemporary experience of crisis-hit Greece, where the political importance of associations between corruption, illicit political violence, and common property and violent offences, has made them indispensable components of any account of the relationship between economic downturn and crime in the Greek context.

The link between poverty, unemployment and economic downturns and increases in crime rates has long been the subject of social science study. However, the relationships between these phenomena has not been studied sufficiently and through time in most European countries that suffered, or, like Greece, are still suffering the recent financial crisis. We examined if the recent financial crisis in Greece has coincided with an increase in crime, analyzing crime rates since the start of the financial crisis and over an extensive time period (7 years). Crime statistics were taken from the Greek Police. Repeated measures analyses of variance were performed to reveal potential differences in criminality for the years 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014. There was a significant increase in global criminality rate per 100,000 residents (Wilks’ Lambda=0.32, F (3,11)=7.93, p=0.004). There was a significant increase in illegal gun possession (Wilks’ Lambda=0.16, F (3,11)=18.68, p=0.001), fraud (Wilks’ Lambda=0.10, F (3,11)=32.35, p=0.001), extortion (Wilks’ Lambda=0.38, F (3,11)=4.45, p=0.040), and beggary (Wilks’ Lambda=0.33, F (3,11)=6.22, p=0.014). A reversed U shape was found for homicides, thefts and robberies, with rates peaking in 2010 and 2012 before dropping off in 2014. Narcotics and sexual exploitation crime rates remained unchanged. Surprisingly, the incidence of rape decreased (Wilks’ Lambda=0.42, F (3,11)=5.14, p=0.018). Our results are in agreement with the results of previous broader studies as well as with criminological theories according to which in times of economic stress an increase in both property crimes and violent crimes is expected. As predicted, an increase in financial crime was observed (e.g. fraud and extortions) as well as petty crime related to financial hardship like beggary. Concerns regarding the escalation of white-collar crimes in times of economic downturns that have been raised in the literature warrant further investigation. Key words: Criminality, financial crisis, poverty, unemployment, Greece.

Nordic studies on alcohol and drugs, 2015

2007

There is no doubt that population changes constitute a significant field for scientific research. During the past decades there has been an increasing interest in future demographic trend. Despite the fact that the demographic problem is of great importance, the interest does not focus only on the future of the population in a clearly demographic perspective, but it is increasingly associated with the social-economic effects, as they arise from population changes. The demographic problems become increasingly sharper, having social and financial impacts. The increase in life expectancy and the fertility control, which result in an unfavourable ratio between the elderly and the young, bring about significant questions regarding both the development of population and the course of essential social and financial variables. Indeed, the ageing of the population creates, among other things, higher financial responsibilities for the maintenance and care of the elderly, and raises reasonable questions regarding the development and the future structure of a country’s labour force. This paper aims to describe the trends of selected vital demographic variables, on national as well as on European level, covering a number of years, in order to record the most significant population changes in Greece in comparison with the EU-15 and the EU-25.

2014

Crime is a serious concern in modern times in which we live. Day by day we encounter criminal event which starts from the weaker motivations to the more unusual ones. Types, forms and categories of crime are extended. Not few are the cases that shock the public. Crime varies from one country to another country. The causes and reasons for this are numerous. The aim of the article is to identify the geographical distribution of crime in Albania, new forms of crime that are applied by area, making a detailed study, based on official statistics over the years. The article begins with an argument of the relationship between geography and crime, as well as recognition of the importance of the geographical distribution of crime. Part of the objectives of purpose, the authors aim to present a logical analysis of the factors that have brought this overview of the geography of crime, based on the relationship of social geography with geography of crime.

In the field of public policy comparative studies can be illuminating and productive, but such analyses are extremely difficult to carry out. What may be represented as comparative research is all too often a recitation of the statistics of an aspect of the economic, cultural, social, demographic or other dimension of national life of two or more countries. Other studies describe the different institutions or processes such as legal, financial or other bodies, or their product, be it throughput, sentencing, regulation, inspection, or whatever. It is always useful to gain a perspective on one’s own country, or any aspect of it, by looking at life lived beyond its borders. But these are comparisons only at a superficial level and can sometimes be misleading: context is essential and frequently hard to grasp and to explain. It is not the purpose of this short paper to compare crime and criminal justice institutions in Ireland and Greece, but rather to set out some facts concerning economic and social developments in Ireland over the last several decades and to suggest that these two countries, on the periphery of Europe (and on diametrically opposite sides of that periphery) may have a number of features in common, in their history, their structures and their national character, which would suit them very well to be partners in comparative study.

European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, 2003