THE DECLINE OF ELITE HOMICIDE

Criminological research consistently shows that interpersonal homicide is largely confined to low-status people. Yet, anthropological and hi storical materials reveal that in earlier and simpler societies homici de was found throughout the status hierarchy. Using theory developed b y Donald Black, I argue that a critical factor in the decline of letha l conflict among social elites is the increased availability of legal means of handling conflict An implication is that since a focus on mod ern societies and their developed legal systems yields a limited and e ven distorted empirical picture of lethal violence, criminologists sho uld strive to formulate theories that ape cross-cultural and historica l in scope.