NCJ Number
82786
Date Published
1982
Length
120 pages
Annotation
The report covers the activities of the California Commission on Crime Control and Violence Prevention through December 30, 1981, with emphasis on the commission's findings related to the causes of violence.
Abstract
The report also describes a recently initiated assessment of violence prevention programs in California, the commission's activities to develop public awareness and action to prevent violence, and efforts to develop legislation in priority areas and to extend the commission's current efforts. The study of the causes of violence focused on seven major areas: the birth experience and parent-infant bonding; diet, drugs, and other biochemical factors; biological factors; family violence; parenting and early childhood development; economic factors and institutional racism; schools and educational factors; and mass media violence. Findings reveal that lack of self-esteem is common among violent offenders and that persons first develop a sense of self-esteem in the family. Many adult and juvenile offenders have histories of childhood physical abuse and neglect by their parents. Corporal punishment, even if not obviously abusive, is not the most effective means of disciplining a child and for some can have aggressive consequences. High crime rates among some minority groups may be due to some of their members' relegation to a permanent underclass. Drugs, food, food additives, environmental pollutants, and toxic metals can be conducive to violence in some individuals. Children who watch violence on television are much less likely than other children to stop other children from hurting one another. Numerous additional findings as well as recommendations based on them are presented. Appendixes present the text of a proposed law and the agendas of two conferences on violence.