Understanding Violent Crime* How widespread is violence? * Why do people engage in various forms of violence? * What can be done to reduce the level of violence? Understanding Violent Crime provides a concise yet thorough and extensive account of the main explanations of violent behaviour. It draws upon sociological and psychological perspectives on violence as part of a coherent approach to the study of a phenomenon that raises wide public concern. There is also a focus on the ways in which violence is considered by the criminal justice system. Definitions of the main violent offences, including violent sexual offences, are discussed and some indication of the levels of sentencing in particular cases is provided. The final chapter then considers ways in which offenders are able to confront their violent behaviour within the criminal justice system. Frequent references to the definitions and treatment of violence in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA give the book a distinctive comparative perspective. The result is a wide-ranging and essential undergraduate text and a key reference for researchers in the field. |
Contents
Part two Explanations of violence | 29 |
Part three The aftermath of violence | 117 |
Conclusion | 167 |
Appendix | 171 |
| 183 | |
| 208 | |
Back cover | 224 |
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Common terms and phrases
activities actual bodily harm aggravated aggression alcohol American anger anomie approach areas argued attack Australia boys British Crime Survey caused cent Chapter child claimed cognitive-behavioural committed common consent considered convicted corporal punishment Court of Appeal Cr App Crim crime prevention criminal behaviour Criminal Statistics criminology defendant delinquent developed Dobash domestic violence drugs effect England and Wales evidence example explanations factors female feminist Further reading gang gender grievous bodily harm guidelines Home Office imprisonment incidents increase increasingly indecent assault individuals injury involved left realist lence male masculinity ment mental disorder Messerschmidt occurred parents particular person police prison problems programmes psychological rape rapists reconviction rates reported response result routine activities theory schizophrenia self-report serious sexual assault sexual offences sexual penetration social society suggested superego theory victim surveys violent behaviour violent crime violent offenders women writers