NCJ Number
214087
Date Published
2005
Length
47 pages
Annotation
This chapter discusses patterns of violent and sexual crimes in England and Wales and explores various prevention approaches.
Abstract
The main points of the authors are that first, there are significant differences in types of violence problems that call for different prevention responses and second, the range of violence typically approached from a prevention perspective is too restricted, typically focusing only on the problems ordinarily encountered by police and courts in Western countries. Large scale violence and possible prevention approaches are all but ignored. The authors begin by reviewing the patterns of violent and sexual crime in England and Wales before moving on to a more focused discussion on the three major families of violent and sexual crime: (1) those relating to domestic violence and sexual abuse; (2) those relating to alcohol-induced violence in public places; and (3) those relating to predatory violence. The types of violence in each category suggest a need for different prevention approaches. Multi-agency partnership approaches and risk-based assessments are explored in terms of preventing domestic violence while the problem of alcohol-related violence in public places is generally addressed through the use of situational approaches, such as the direct management of drinkers, and so-called secondary approaches that address the root of problematic drinking. Prevention responses to predatory violence tend to include tertiary approaches that are based on the risk management of dangerous offenders. New prevention approaches to predatory violence, however, focus on the community rather than solely on the individual. The phenomenon of hate crimes is focused on as a specific type of predatory violence that can only be addressed through strong secondary prevention approaches that attempt to change racist and homophobic attitudes at a national and community level. In closing, the authors underscore the importance of maintaining both a short-term and a long-term focus on the prevention of violence and sexual crimes. Tables, notes, references