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THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF HOMICIDE IN BANGLADESH: A CONTENT ANALYSIS ON REPORTS OF MURDER IN DAILY NEWSPAPERS T. M. Abdullah-Al-Fuad June 2016 Department of Sociology University of Dhaka Dhaka University Institutional Repository THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF HOMICIDE IN BANGLADESH: A CONTENT ANALYSIS ON REPORTS OF MURDER IN DAILY NEWSPAPERS T. M. Abdullah-Al-Fuad Reg no. 111 Session: 2011-2012 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Philosophy June 2016 Department of Sociology University of Dhaka Dhaka University Institutional Repository DEDICATION To my parents and sister Dhaka University Institutional Repository Abstract As homicide is one of the most comparable and accurate indicators for measuring violence, the aim of this study is to improve understanding of criminal violence by providing a wealth of information about where homicide occurs and what is the current nature and trend, what are the socio-demographic characteristics of homicide offender and its victim, about who is most at risk, why they are at risk, what are the relationship between victim and offender and exactly how their lives are taken from them. Additionally, homicide patterns over time shed light on regional differences, especially when looking at long-term trends. The connection between violence, security and development, within the broader context of the rule of law, is an important factor to be considered. Since its impact goes beyond the loss of human life and can create a climate of fear and uncertainty, intentional homicide (and violent crime) is a threat to the population. Homicide data can therefore play an important role in monitoring security and justice. Likewise, homicide data can enable to gain a better understanding of the complexity of homicide and the different ways it affects the population, which is why this study delves deeply into the very nature of intentional homicide. The influence of crosscutting and enabling factors, such as killing mechanisms is also examined in order to gain a better understanding of the role they play in lethal violence. This study will help governments to develop strategies and policies for protecting those most at risk and addressing those most likely to offend. This study’s capacity to show variations, in the intensity of homicide within the regions of Bangladesh and to enable the identification of homicide “hot spots”, which warrant further monitoring, both within the country and sub-regions. Indeed, as this study shows, the study of intentional homicide is, to a large extent, the study of contrasts. For example: males also account for almost 8 out of every10 homicide victims; two thirds of the victims of homicides committed by intimate partners or family members mostly are female; and half of all homicide victims are under 30 years of age. The study found that, homicide is least common among women, the young and old, and those living in rural settings. Homicide patterns, including victims, motivation, and commission, differ across groups in some important ways. For example, men and women kill in ways that uniquely reflect their gender roles and opportunities. Thus, women’s aggression tends to be directed at those who are closest to them – intimate partners and children with whom these women spend much of their time. Only rarely do women kill strangers. When a woman kills, it is likely she was under extreme pressure and/or provoked by fear for her life or for the sake of someone close to her (e.g., children), though sometimes her motives are less altruistic. The occurrence of criminal homicide, of all sorts and for all groups, is higher in places with entrenched, concentrated poverty, inequalities, and more vulnerable family structures. Solutions often do not address the difficult to observe social forces that influence individual decision-making and situational characteristics regarding the use of violence in various circumstances. Perhaps the failure to address social- structural sources of homicide offending is, in part, attributable to the popular misperception that homicide is a random occurrence among strangers when, in fact, most real-world murder mysteries have a fairly predictable ending. vi Dhaka University Institutional Repository Acknowledgements I am heartily thankful to my supervisor, Dr. M. Jahangir Alam, Professor, Department of Sociology whose encouragement, guidance and support from the initial to the final level enabled me to develop an understanding of the subject. I owe my deepest gratitude to Dr. Shah Ehsan Habib, Professor, and Dr. Samina Luthfa, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology for giving me their insights during my research. I am equally grateful to Md. Ishtiaq Ahmed Talukder, Assistant Professor, Department of Criminology and Police Science, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University who helped me a lot in gathering different information and collecting data. Despite of his busy schedules, he gave me different ideas in making this study unique. I am also thankful to my family, friends and mates who have rendered their whole hearted support at all times for the successful completion of this study. Lastly, I offer my regards and blessings to all of those who supported me in any respect during the completion of the research. T. M. Abdullah-Al-Fuad June 2016 vii Dhaka University Institutional Repository Table of Contents Abstract vi Acknowledgements vii List of Tables xvi List of Figure xvii List of Appendix xxi List of Acronyms xxii Chapter Subject Page Number No. I. Introduction 1 1.1 Introduction and Background of the Study 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem 4 1.3 Research Questions 5 1.4 Objectives of the Study 6 1.5 Rational of the Study 6 1.6 Limitations of the Study 9 II Methodology of the Study 12 2.1 Methods 12 2.2 Justification of Newspaper Selection and Sampling Technique 12 2.3 Rationale for Selecting the Methodology 15 viii Dhaka University Institutional Repository Chapter Subject Page Number No. 2.4 Study Area 16 2.5 The Unit for Analysis and Tools for Data Collection 16 2.6 Data Processing and Analysis 17 III Key Terms and Literature Review 18 3.1 Key Terms 18 3.1.1 Defining Homicide 18 3.1.2 Culpable Homicide 21 3.1.3. Gender 21 3.1.4 Dowry 23 3.1.5 Sexuality 24 3.1.6 Rape 25 3.1.7 Stalking (Sexual Harassment) 26 3.1.8 Robbery and Dacoity 26 3.2 Review of Literature 28 3.2.1 Global Study on Homicide 29 3.2.2 Cross Country Studies on Homicide 30 3.2.3 Homicide in Comparative Context 32 3.2.3.1 Demographic Comparisons: Gender, Race, and Age 32 3.2.3.2 Temporal Comparisons: Changes in Homicide over Time 33 3.2.4 The Nature of Homicide 34 3.2.5 Understanding Homicide Offending Patterns 35 3.2.6 Studies on Gender and Homicide 41 ix Dhaka University Institutional Repository Chapter Subject Page Number No. IV Theoretical framework 43 4.1 Choice and Environmental Theory 45 4.2 Social Structure Theory 53 4.3 Social Process Theories 63 4.4 Conflict Theory 64 V Major Findings 68 5.1 Socio-demographic Characteristics of Homicide Offender and it 68 Victim 5.1.1 Age of Homicide Victim 68 5.1.2 Age of Homicide Offender 69 5.1.3 Location of Homicide Occurrence 69 5.1.4 Social Class of Homicide Offender 70 5.1.5 Social Class of Homicide Victim 72 5.2 Classification of Homicide 73 5.2.1 Classification wise Homicide Occurrence 74 5.3 Trends of Homicide over Time 75 5.3.1 Changing Trend in Use of Weapon to Commit Homicide 76 5.3.2 Increasing Trend of Child Homicide 77 5.3.3 Trend Sexual Homicide 77 5.3.4 Time of Homicide Occurrences 78 5.3.5 Intra-Week Patterns of Homicide 80 5.3.6 Geographical Concentration of Homicide 82 x Dhaka University Institutional Repository Chapter Subject Page Number No. 5.4 The Causes of Homicide 85 5.4.1 Homicide by Intimate Partner in Domestic Altercation 87 5.4.2 Dowry Deaths 87 5.4.3 Stalking (Sexual Harassment) and Homicide 89 5.5 The Relationship between Homicide Victim and Offender 90 VI SOCIO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF HOMICIDE 93 6.1 Age Structure 93 6.2 Urbanization 95 6.3 Income Inequality and Poverty 98 6.4 Population density 103 6.5 Ethno-linguistic and religious heterogeneity 105 6.6 Education 110 6.7 Governance indicators 111 VII Classification of Homicide 116 7.1 Global Initiatives to Classify Homicide 116 7.1.1 The Uniform Crime Reporting Program 117 7.2 The classification of homicide under this study 118 7.2.1 Criminal Enterprise 119 7.2.1.1 Contract Murder (Third Party) 119 7.2.1.2 Gang-Motivated Murder 119 7.2.1.3 Kidnap Murder 120 xi Dhaka University Institutional Repository Chapter Subject Page Number No. 7.2.1.4 Drug Murder 121 7.2.1.5 Felony Murder 121 7.2.2 Personal Cause Homicide 122 7.2.2.1 Domestic Homicide 122 7.2.2.2 Spousal Homicide 122 7.2.3.3 Neonaticide 122 7.5.5.4 Argument/Conflict Murder 123 7.5.2.5 Revenge 123 7.2.3 Sexual Homicide 124 7.2.3.1 Sexual Homicide, Organized 124 7.2.3.2 Sexual Homicide, Disorganized 125 7.2.3.3 Sexual Homicide, Mixed 126 7.2.3.4 Sexual Homicide, Sadistic 127 7.2.4 Extremist Homicide 128 7.2.5 Extrajudicial Killing 129 7.2.6 Nonspecific Motive Murder 129 VIII Nature and Trend of Homicide 131 8.1 Homicide rate of Bangladesh 133 8.2 The polarization of homicide in international Perspective 134 8.3 Findings from the present study 135 8.3.1 Criminal enterprise in Bangladesh 136 8.3.2 137 Personal cause homicide in Bangladesh xii Dhaka University Institutional Repository Chapter Subject Page Number No.