SUICIDE, HOMICIDE AND CRIME IN IRELAND - WHAT ARE THE RELATIONSHIPS

The relationship between suicide and homicide has long been of interes t. 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 h omicide should be inversely related. This study tested this prediction in an Irish context by examining the suicide and homicide rates of th e Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland for the years 1950-1990. Th e results suggest that, in general, suicide and homicide are positivel y related and that the inverse relationship hypothesis is limited to p eriods when a society is in a war-like situation. There is a positive relationship between suicide and indictable crime in both countries, m ore so in the Republic of Ireland. In light of these findings a new hy pothesis is proposed that, in general society, suicide, homicide and i ndictable crime are positively related and reflect the level of disord er in society.