NCJ Number
152276
Date Published
1994
Length
149 pages
Annotation
This interim report consists of four studies exploring violence that victims encountered in their roles as professionals.
Abstract
The first study reports on three Finnish victimization surveys conducted in 1980, 1988, and 1993. In analyzing the large number of cases in retail stores, restaurants, health care facilities, and other settings, the study perceived work related violence as an escalation process which both parties contribute to. The second study compared 1980 and 1988 data of the same victimization survey. The results indicated that the incidence of work related violence had increased and that the increase concentrated on female victims 20 to 44 years of age. The change was explained (among other factors) by the growth of young, untrained employees in social work and health care and by a less stringent definition of violence. The third article interviewed 15 salespersons and four private security guards to determine what types of violent situations arise in sales work. The majority of threatening situations was found to occur in the prevention or investigation of thefts. The last study interviewed nine social workers who had experienced violence at the hands of their clients. The social workers were convinced that threatening situations were unavoidable in their profession; however, security could be improved through alarm devices, emergency exits, working in pairs, denial of entry to violent clients, and improved training. All studies include a bibliography.