Abstract:
This study is an attempt to recognize the causes for homicide and analysis them in
a sociological aspect. The crimes which are differed to each society has a big
impact on contravention of the collective conscious that helps to positive existence
the in the society. As well as this social revolution process copes with the
globalization process. The crimes such as murders, rape, child abuse, hitting,
robbery and illegal money printing have been expanding in Sri Lankan society with
the current wave of crime. Crimes are the major criterion of determining development
in each country. This study seeks to identify the reasons and the remedies for the
murders in Sri Lanka. Rathnapura police division was selected for the study because
of several reasons. It is one of the districts, which recorded the highest number of
crimes, and it mainly represents the crimes in rural sector. Non-probability purposive
sampling used for the study because the area is much specified and is not very
common scenario for each household. 20 cases of murders were included in the
sample. The sample is derived through the secondary source of police reports
taken from the police head quarters; research papers, publications and web sites
were used as the secondary data. Structural and non-structural interviews and
observations are further used. There are several limitations of the study. Although
crime is a widespread issue, all areas in Sri Lanka were not covered through the
study due to time and budgetary constraints. Because Rathnapura district records
the very high rate of crimes, the study selected the particular district but Rathnapura
police division is the only concern of the study as to make the study easier and
descriptive. The study is only based on the cases from 2001 upto2002. Major
limitation of the study is that the concealing the real information about the particular
incident by the victims and criminals because of several sociological and legal
obstacles. The study concludes that the major causes for murders in Rathnapura
police division as informal sexual relations, alcoholism, poverty, illiteracy, family
background, revenging purposes, monitory purposes, environment and hot temper.
Some short, medium, and long-term suggestions are proposed by the study to
minimize murders as a one of the crimes in Rathnapura police division as a final
contribution of the study.
