Case Study of Murder in a Midsized Urban Area : Homicide in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in the Interwar Period

Abstract

The interwar period saw an increase in murder rates throughout the country. Views about urban murder in this period--both in popular culture and secondary historical literature--focus almost exclusively on high profile sources of crime, such as drug dealing, the Mafia and Prohibition. In contrast, murders in midsized urban areas such as Eau Claire, Wisconsin, occurred for different reasons. By examining primary source documents such as court records and coroner reports, this project focuses on homicides in Eau Claire to determine what factors influenced murder in midsized urban areas from 1920-1940.