NCJ Number
46547
Date Published
1978
Length
16 pages
Annotation
DATA ON 444 HOMICIDE DEFENDANTS AND 432 VICTIMS ARE ANALYZED AND COMPARED WITH DATA FROM EARLIER STUDIES, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SEVERAL THEORIES CONCERNING VIOLENT BEHAVIOR ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE ANALYSIS COVERS THE SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DEFENDANTS AND VICTIMS, THE LEGAL HISTORY OF DEFENDANTS, SOCIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DEFENDANTS AND VICTIMS, AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE OFFENSE. IN THE JURISDICTION STUDIED, THE MAJORITY OF HOMICIDE DEFENDANTS AND VICTIMS WERE BLACK LOWER-CLASS AND WORKING-CLASS MALES. THE MAJORITY OF HOMICIDE DEFENDANTS HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY ARRESTED FOR CRIMINAL OFFENSES. SOME INTERACTION PRIOR TO THE MURDER EXISTED BETWEEN THE DEFENDANT AND THE VICTIM IN VIRTUALLY ALL CASES. DEFENDANTS AND VICTIMS NOT ONLY WERE CLOSELY RELATED IN TERMS OF SOCIAL TIES, BUT ALSO WERE FREQUENTLY OF THE SAME SEX, RACE, AND AGE. OVER HALF OF THE DEFENDANTS WERE CHARGED WITH MURDERS THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE HOME. THE GUN WAS THE MOST COMMON MURDER WEAPON. THEORIES OF SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION, FRUSTRATION-AGGRESSION, AND SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE ARE REVIEWED IN LIGHT OF THE DATA. IT IS NOTED THAT, ON THE BASIS OF THE OBSERVATION THAT MOST HOMICIDE OFFENDERS COME FROM THE BLACK LOWER CLASSES, SOCIAL SCIENTISTS AND LAYPERSONS HAVE CONCLUDED THAT VIOLENCE IS PREDICTABLE AMONG THESE GROUPS. THE EFFECTS OF SUCH A CONCLUSION ON THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO ARE DEFINED IN ITS TERMS ARE QUESTIONED. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)