Citation

Clarke RVG, Mayhew P. Br. J. Criminol. 1989; 29(1): 35-46.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1989, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, Publisher Oxford University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The marked decline of the suicide rate in England and Wales following detoxification of the domestic gas supply during the 1960s and 1970s has been used as evidence to support the case for preventing crime through reduction of criminal opportunities. The apparent absence of displacement to other methods of suicide has been regarded as especially significant. The present study investigates the seemingly lesser effect of detoxification on the overall suicide rates of Scotland and the Netherlands. While this reduced effect might be indicative of displacement, it is concluded that the fall in suicide resulting from detoxification may have been masked by a rise in other forms of suicide in these countries, coincident to, rather than consequent upon, detoxification. Implications for the study of crime displacement and criminal innovation are briefly discussed.