STRAIN OF VIOLENCE - HISTORICAL STUDIES OF AMERICAN VIOLENCE AND VIGILANTISM

• NCJ Number: 27858
• Author(s): R M BROWN
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 410 pages
• Sale Source: Oxford University Press, Inc
• Publication Type: Historical Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TRACES THE HISTORICAL ROOTS AND DEVELOPMENT OF MANY MANIFESTATIONS OF, VIOLENCE IN AMERICA, INCLUDING CRIME, RIOTS, VIGILANTISM, AND WAR.

Abstract

REPEATED EPISODES OF VIOLENCE, DATING FROM THE AMERICAN COLONIAL PAST, HAVE IMPRINTED UPON THE AMERICAN CITIZENRY A PROPENSITY TO VIOLENCE. VIOLENCE IS SEEN AS A TOOL WHICH AMERICANS ARE WILLING, IF NOT EAGER, TO UTILIZE FOR WIDELY DISPARATE PURPOSES. VIOLENCE IS USED TO BRING ABOUT POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE, AS WELL AS TO PRESERVE THE STATUS QUO; TO FACILITATE THE COMMISSION OF CRIME, AS WELL AS TO SURPRESS CRIME AND MAINTAIN ORDER. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT VIOLENCE IS AN UNACKNOWLEDGED ELEMENT OF THE AMERICAN VALUE SYSTEM.