Violent Crime

Question 1

What is violence?

Answer 1

The use of power to harm another, no matter what form it takes

Question 2

What are the three broad types of violence?

Answer 2

Interpersonal violence
E.g., robbery, acquaintance violence, domestic violence, mugging, sexual violence, homicide
State/political violence
E.g., terrorism, war-related violence (e.g., mass rape, torture)
Corporate violence
E.g., death or injury due to corporate negligence or neglect, crimes against the environment

Question 3

What is the most prevalent of violent crime?

Answer 3

Aquaintance - 43%

Question 4

What are socio-demographic risk factors?

Answer 4

Gender, age, ethnicity, class

Question 5

What are dynamic risk factors?

Answer 5

lifestyle, workplace/occupation, mental health

Question 6

What are biological explanations?

Answer 6

Lombroso’s ‘born criminal’
Adoption studies and research on twins
“Nature plus Nurture”
Influence of Alcohol/Drugs

Question 7

What are psychological explanations?

Answer 7

Straus & Gelles (1990) ‘Social Learning Theory’
Violence as normative in the family
Violence repeated in later life
Visual portrayals of violence

Question 8

What are sociological explanations?

Answer 8

Wolfgang & Farracuti (1967) ‘Subcultures of Violence’
Alternative norms values legitimate violent behaviour

Strain, unemployment, poverty, class
Links to family violence and property crime

Question 9

What is the feminist perspective on violent crime?

Answer 9

Structures of patriarchy
The ‘maleness’ of violent crime
“In spite of the inferior role which men assign to them, women are the privileged objects of their aggression,”
- Simone de Beauvoir