Crime and Meteorology

Irreducible issue of Criminology is to determine which will push an individual in a given situation, to commit a crime (understood in the broad sense as any offense). For nearly 150 years, many explanations have been advanced. Of these, it is interesting to consider the influence of weather on the transition to the crime. Common sense - and everyone will personally observed - wants mood varies with weather. Are there a comparable impact on crime?



       Criminology as a science, can not be satisfied with mere general impressions. After fl neglected, the subject is back in fashion from the 1970s and early studies have shown a correlation between time and the transition to acte.Il was noted that the offenses against the person are more common by heat and high pollution. However, rain is a limiting factor of the crime. However, the homicide rate varies slightly depending on these factors. This is due to the inherent danger of the killer, who often have matured his project, started preparing the package and provided the perfect time of commission. The time is therefore the most serious minimal influence unless extreme conditions offenses. Similarly, offenses against property are not subject to variation depending on the weather which can be partly explained by the professionalism of this type of crime.



      A recent Canadian study by Stephen Blais and Marc Ouimet brings valuable information (International Journal of Criminology and Forensic Science, 4.3, p.397, this study also discusses other factors that will be subsequent articles.) These authors analyzed daily from 1995 to 1998 crime statistics by 6 variables (rain, sunlight, temperature ...). The influence of these factors is analyzed to assault (in short, violence), sexual assault and domestic violence. The most significant results are the following:



- The maximum temperature of the day is the most important variable. She has a strong connection with the assault and, to a lesser extent, sexual assault and domestic violence. Crimes are committed primarily to the hottest parts of the day. Therefore, contrary to popular belief, this is not the night that is the most exposed to a potential victim time. This influence is true as well in January until August in similar proportions.

- Rain and wind to reduce the crime rate

- The snow has a reducing effect especially for domestic violence

- The amount of sunshine and humidity have a relatively large impact on sexual assault only



         In conclusion it can be said that there is some correlation between weather and crime. However, as noted by MM. Blais and Ouimet, many questions remain unanswered including the explanation of the interaction between weather, the structure of routine activities (theory that our daily activities, our travel and dating vary the criminal capacity) and the transition to the act or victimization.