NCJ Number
76865
Date Published
1980
Length
44 pages
Annotation
In this concluding paper of a violent crime study, it is suggested that the most effective policies for deterring violence are those geared towards lowering the total amount of violence committed by everyone and especially those which seek to attain a modest reduction of family violence.
Abstract
The socialization process and internalized values keep most people from committing crimes and not the police or fear of punishment. Present policies such as the Dangerous Sexual Offender Act and the Habitual Offender legislation may meet the emotional needs of the public but are ineffective in providing protection from violence. Present strategies are based on certain stereotypes which result in a presumption of guilt and a harsher application of criminal proceedings against those who fit the stereotypes. In formulating an approach that would have a genuinely meaningful impact on violent crime, policymakers must not attempt to focus on single elements in the violent crime situation. More effective policies would be those aimed at reduction of spouse or child abuse, those which might strengthen the quality of family life and provide relief to families under stress, and those which would remove restraints that keep violent families together. Such policies would probably not only have a greater impact on the general incidence of violence but would also serve to reduce the chances of police injuries, since the large majority of those occur during domestic disputes. A graph, tabular data, and 39 references are included. Two brief related papers are appended. For related documents, see NCJ 76862-4. (Author abstract modified)