NCJ Number
75596
Editor(s)
M G Kerr
Date Published
1977
Length
145 pages
Annotation
This book contains papers presented at the 1976 Convention of the Institute of Public Administration in Christchurch, New Zealand. The problem of criminal violence is addressed here by representatives of the police, penal system, psychologists, sociologists, and other experts.
Abstract
In searching for the origins of violence one paper argues that lasting negative sentiments or emotional habits such as dislike and hatred, often closely associated with ethical denigration are one of the sources of violence. Other papers examine the environment in which offenders have grown up, and point to the fact that lower class children tend to be less well equipped to deal with events and to express them in a verbal manner. Furthermore, lower class groups tend to be excluded from opportunities to influence the life chance of others in a legitimate way, and the stresses of deprivation cause frustrations which may find expression in violence. However, it is also pointed out that the extent of middle class violence is unknown. The problem of political violence is also explored. To explain its origins, ideology is placed at the head of the causal chain. The spontaneity of the acts of criminal violence is discussed and alcohol intoxication is blamed for more than half of them. The negative role of the mass media is also discussed. For example, violence shown on television may lead to dulled sensibilities and a greater readiness to accept violence as a means of responding to conflict situations. Media coverage may also yield a misleading impression of the frequency of violence, and of who is responsible for it, by reinforcement of stereotypes. As a result, the public may respond to violence perpetrated only in public places by strangers, which is all the media can know about, and tolerate private violence such as child abuse and wife-beating. This hidden violence is more threatening and it should be addressed, along with traffic accidents which claim more victims than public violence. Thus, the solutions proposed by the contributors argue for a redefinition of the problem of violence in which the concern is shifted from the offender to the victim. It is also pointed out that actions taken by the police and the justice system treat only symptoms of the problem. The causes must be addressed by the community. Footnotes, references, and statistical data are included. For contributing papers, see NCJ 75597-75601. (Author abstract modified.)