NCJ Number
1929
Date Published
1968
Length
39 pages
Annotation
FOCUS ON THE VIOLENT OFFENDER AND HIS RELATION TO THE PAROLE PROCESS.
Abstract
THE CONTENTS INCLUDE - CLASSIFICATION OF VIOLENT OFFENSES, TRENDS AND DISTRIBUTION OF VIOLENT OFFENSES, SUBCULTURES OF VIOLENCE, FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH VIOLENT BEHAVIOR, TYPES OF VIOLENT OFFENDERS, AND DECISION-MAKING AND THE VIOLENT OFFENDER. BOTH THE STATISTICAL CONCENTRATION OF VIOLENT OFFENSES AND CASE DATA SUGGEST THAT THE CAUSE OF THESE CRIMES MAY REST LARGELY IN ATTRIBUTES OF GROUPS, RATHER THAN IN PURELY INDIVIDUAL TRAITS - HOMICIDE AND ASSAULT ARE MOST FREQUENT IN SOCIAL CIRCLES WHERE VIOLENCE IS THE EXPECTED REACTION TO A REBUFF OR INSULT. NEVERTHELESS, THE CONCEPTS OF PSYCHOPATHY, FRUSTRATION, AGGRESSION, AND DISPLACEMENT SEEM TO ACCOUNT FOR MANY DISTINCTIVELY INDIVIDUAL VIOLENCE PATTERNS. PSYCHIATRIC ADVICE, IF EMPLOYED JUDICIOUSLY, MAY AID A PAROLE BOARD IN DECIDING ON THESE CASES. HOWEVER, DIFFICULTIES INHERENT IN THE PREDICTION OF ANY INFREQUENT EVENT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD IN FACING THESE DECISIONS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)