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Can the International Criminal Court Deter Atrocity?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 July 2016

Hyeran Jo  and
Beth A. Simmons
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Abstract

Whether and how violence can be controlled to spare innocent lives is a central issue in international relations. The most ambitious effort to date has been the International Criminal Court (ICC), designed to enhance security and safety by preventing egregious human rights abuses and deterring international crimes. We offer the first systematic assessment of the ICC's deterrent effects for both state and nonstate actors. Although no institution can deter all actors, the ICC can deter some governments and those rebel groups that seek legitimacy. We find support for this conditional impact of the ICC cross-nationally. Our work has implications for the study of international relations and institutions, and supports the violence-reducing role of pursuing justice in international affairs.

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Research Article
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International Organization , Volume 70 , Issue 3 , Summer 2016 , pp. 443 - 475
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Copyright © The IO Foundation 2016 

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