HISTORICAL PATTERNS OF VIOLENCE IN AMERICA (FROM VIOLENCE IN AMERICA - HISTORICAL AND COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES - SEE NCJ-00763)

• NCJ Number: 6974
• Author(s): R M BROWN
• Date Published: 1969
• Length: 30 pages
• Corporate Author: National Commission on the Causes & Prevention of Violence
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Historical Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: CHAPTER 2, P 35-64

Annotation

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW FROM PRE-REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD TO THE PRESENT.

Abstract

THE AUTHOR DIVIDES VIOLENCE INTO TWO CATEGORIES NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE. NEGATIVE VIOLENCE IS THAT WHICH IS NON-CONSTRUCTIVE IN TERMS OF SOCIAL OR HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT. POSITIVE VIOLENCE IS A MEANS TO AN END THAT IS GENERALLY WIDELY ACCEPTED AND PRAISED. NEGATIVE VIOLENCE INCLUDES CRIMINAL ACTS, FEUDS, LYNCHING, URBAN RIOTS, AND ASSASSINATION. THE POSITIVE CATEGORY ENCOMPASSES POLICE VIOLENCE, THE REVOLUTIONARY, CIVIL, AND INDIAN WARS, VIGILANTISM, AND LABOR DISTURBANCES. THE PREVALENCE OF VIOLENCE IN THE UNITED STATES IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE AMERICAN IDOLIZATION OF THE OUTLAW HERO AND TO THE FACT THAT MANY PARTICIPANTS IN THE VARIOUS FORMS OF POSITIVE VIOLENCE HAVE BEEN RESPECTED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. THE CONCLUSION IS REACHED THAT TO BE FREE OF VIOLENCE WE MUST RECOGNIZE IT AS PART OUR CHARACTER AND THEN BANISH IT FROM OUR VALUE SYSTEM. EXTENSIVE REFERENCES.