Experimental test of the relationship between institutional anomie and violent crime in Iran

Violence is a behavior that is harmful to another, and various studies have shown the role of social variables in its occurrence. Violence in all its forms is one of the social problems of Iran today. So that the statistics of violent crimes in the last decade as well as the results of research show that violent crimes have increased in various forms in recent years. Therefore, this study has been designed provide a sociological explanation of violent crimes based on the components of institutional anomie theory categories in order to provide an explanation of violent crimes in its light. In this study, using the secondary analysis method, the provincial data of the last two decades related to social institutions and violent crimes have been analyzed. Findings show that empirical support for the approach of institutional anomie theory in Iran is moderate and among the structures defined to explain violent crime, disruption and weakness of the family institution and economic dominance have the greatest impact. But the explicit variables selected to measure weakness in the other two institutions may not have been sufficiently explained. The research confirms the statements of the institutional anomie theory that the rate of violent crime increases as a result of the weakening of non-economic institutions. This means that the relationship between non-economic institutions and crime has been positive. As a result, it can be said that the results show the disorder and weakness of the family institution and the dominance of the economic institution over the institutional balance of power and it can be claimed that Iranian society is facing a kind of institutional imbalance and consequent growth of violent crimes.