Dealing with Violent Criminal Behavior

This paper review the theoretical bases for understanding and addressing violent criminal behavior. It then discusses ways of dealing with that behavior. The paper also specifically addresses domestic violence.

The rate of violent crime in the United States is the highest among all developed countries and is higher than that found in most developing countries ("The secret," 1994, pp. 38-40). Violent crime consistently increases in the United States at the rate of 5 percent per year. Violence in the United States has reached epidemic proportions (Mason, 1993, pp. 1-3). Violence is most typically an outgrowth of conflict when peaceful dispute mechanisms fail.

Most of the theoretical studies devoted to the discovery of ways to reduce levels of criminal behavior emphasize one of two general ways to attack the problem. First, some theories hold that the underlying causes of anti-social behaviors (poverty, injustices=perceived or real, and so forth) must be addressed, if the frequency of anti-social behaviors is to be reduced by any significant degree (Berger, 1991, pp. 221-238); Wilson, 1994, pp. 25-34). The thrust of these theories is that, by eliminating the underlying causes of anti-social behaviors, either the behaviors themselves will be eliminated or their frequencies of occurrence will be significantly reduced.

The second broad group of theoretical studies emphasizes the relationship between

Related Essays

Police Behavior and Urban Minorities .... that is relevant to the problem of violent behavior in American society and the role of the police in dealing with the problem in a criminal justice context as .... (9694 39 )

THEORIES ON VIOLENT JUVENILE CRIME OF .... Criminal Justice and Behavior, 27(3), 292-311. Lotz, R., & Lee, L. (1999). .... MacLellan, TM (2000). Dealing with violent juvenile offenders. .... (4377 18 )

Theories of Violent Juvenile Crime OF VI .... Criminal Justice and Behavior, 27(3), 292-311. Lotz, R., & Lee, L. (1999). .... MacLellan, TM (2000). Dealing with violent juvenile offenders. .... (4254 17 )

Treatment of Violent Juvenile Crime Abstract The purpose of this .... recidivism. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 27(3), 356-374. MacLellan, TM (2000). Dealing with violent juvenile offenders. Employment .... (4706 19 )

Models for Dealing with Wife Abuse FOUR MODELS FOR DEALING WITH WIFE ASSAULT/ABUSE The American home is said to be possibly .... Biosocial Bases of Criminal Behavior. .... Violent Individuals and Families .... (2848 11 )

ough substance abuse is certainly a factor, the conclusion of this and previous studies was that most physical violence occurs in the absence of alcohol or other drugs used by the victim. Solutions Crime control is obtained in macro terms through general deterrence, by communicating symbolically to the public at large that people risk punishment if they commit crimes. At the micro level-involving individual offenders-one can try to incapacitate them, typically through imprisonment, and thereby block their access to potential victims int he community during the period of confinement. Alternatively, one can try to improve their behavior subsequent to some treatment that may focus on punishment (working through individual deterrence) or on enhancing individual skills in legitimate activities (sometimes indicated as rehabilitation). Incapacitation effects represent crime reduction that occurs while the individual is incarcerated (Blumstein & Cohen, 1987, pp. 985-991). The incarceration experience, however, could also have longer-term effects following release if it changes behavior, either through individual deterrence or through enhancing skills in functioning in legitimate activity. That effect might show itself through a re

Category: Government - D