Rioting in Northern Ireland

Abstract

This article addresses empirically the effects of three different policy approachesreformist, repressive, and constitutional-to reducing the level of rioting in Northern Ireland over the 1968-1973 period. The analysis shows that none of these policy approaches is singularly successful in decreasing monthly levels of rioting. Furthermore, a given policy's effects on violent activity is shown to vary depending on the group involved in the rioting, be it Catholics, Protestants, or both.