NCJ Number
54974
Date Published
1979
Length
8 pages
Annotation
PATTERNS OF INVOLVEMENT IN HOMICIDES AMONG BLACK WOMEN ARE EXAMINED, AND MODELS EXPLAINING THAT INVOLVEMENT IN TERMS OF PERCEIVED SEX ROLES ARE ASSESSED.
Abstract
HOMICIDE DATA FROM DETROIT, MICH., POLICE DEPARTMENT RECORDS SHOW THAT BLACK WOMEN ARE MORE FREQUENTLY INVOLVED IN ACTS OF LETHAL VIOLENCE, BOTH AS VICTIMS AND OFFENDERS, THAN ARE WHITE WOMEN. THE SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE THESIS WOULD ACCOUNT FOR THIS DISPROPORTIONALITY BY POSTULATING THAT BLACK WOMEN BELONG TO A SUBCULTURE WITHIN WHICH VIOLENT BEHAVIOR IS THE NORM. BUT THIS VIEW HAS SEVERAL WEAKNESSES, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT MODELS OF VIOLENCE THAT MAY INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR ARE PERVASIVE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY AND NOT NECESSARILY SUBCULTURAL. AMERICAN CULTURE HAS SOME HIGHLY DEVELOPED ATTITUDES TOWARD BLACK WOMEN. SOME HAVE GROWN OUT OF THE UNIQUE HISTORY OF BLACKS; OTHERS ARE AN EXTENTION OF ATTITUDES TOWARD WHITE WOMEN. STEREOTYPES OF THE BLACK WOMAN, INCLUDING THOSE HELD BY BLACKS AS WELL AS WHITES, TEND TO SET HER APART FROM OTHER WOMEN, GENERALLY IN A NEGATIVE WAY. THE LOW ESTEEM IN WHICH BLACK WOMEN ARE HELD MAY BE RELATED TO THEIR DISPROPORTIONATE INVOLVEMENT IN HOMICIDES, AS VICTIMS AND PERPETRATORS. FOR INSTANCE, BLACK WOMEN MOST FREQUENTLY ARE THE VICTIMS OF BLACK HUSBANDS OR LOVERS, WHO MAY SHARE THE MAINSTREAM CULTURE'S LOW OPINION OF THE BLACK WOMAN AND MAY IN ADDITION BELIEVE THAT SHE IS THE SOURCE OF THEIR PROBLEMS. ON THE OTHER HAND, MANY BLACK WOMEN LIVE UNDER STRESSFUL AND FRUSTRATING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY LEAD THEM TO RESORT TO HOMICIDE MORE FREQUENTLY THAN OTHER WOMEN. THESE AND OTHER CONCEPTS OF BLACK FEMALE INVOLVEMENT IN HOMICIDE REQUIRE FURTHER REFINEMENT AND EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)