NCJ Number
93173
Date Published
1982
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Intraracial homicide is a serious problem in black communities largely resulting from the frustration and sense of powerlessness engendered in blacks by generations of oppression by the dominant culture and expressed in violent aggressive behavior imitated by a high percentage of the youth in each new generation.
Abstract
Dennis reported that in 1972, homicide emerged as the leading cause of death for nonwhite males aged 20-24, 25-29, and 30-34. Most of the murder victims are killed by other blacks. In addition to such correlates of homicide as business trends, race, age, geographical location, socioeconomic status, day of week, and time of day, there are situational or background variables that may influence violence and, relatedly, the high rate of homicide among blacks. The increased availability of hand guns, for instance, is reported to be a factor in the increased homicide rate. Social learning theorists have emphasized the role that imitative learning plays in the behavior of the young. Observing models of aggression in parents, friends, and even on television has been found to increase the probability the observers will adopt aggressive behavior. The high rate of such aggressive models in the black community may be explained from an historical perspective. The history of American blacks abounds with racism and oppression directly or indirectly affecting all aspects of the lives of blacks. The consequent frustration, hopelessness, and powerlessness can only contribute to aggressive and violent behavior as the last resort for feeling and demonstrating power over others when power has been denied in the financial, social, and political realms. The existence of aggressive models for behavior in the black community tends to perpetuate violence and homicide from one generation to the next. Those who are closest to the aggression i.e., other blacks, bear the brunt of its consequences. Tabular data and 35 references are provided.