Violence: The Enduring Problem

“Violence and disorder constitute the primal problem of American history, the dark reverse of the coin of freedom and abundance.”—David T. Courtwright

Beginning with a definition of violence and then introducing their primary theme, the interconnectedness of all violent crime, authors Alex Alvarez and Ronet Bachman employ the most up-to-date research, theories, and cases in their broad, interdisciplinary analysis of the patterns and correlates of violence. With a highly engaging writing style, the authors of Violence: The Enduring Problem explore a number of different types of both individual and collective violent acts and examine the linkages, behaviors, ideas, perceptions, and justifications that connect these different types of violence. Inspired generally by the fear of the pervasive violence in the world and more specifically by the recent Virginia Tech massacre, the text also addresses legislative, social, and political efforts to curb violent behavior.

Key Features

• Provides a comprehensive yet accessible understanding of the nature and patterns of violence: Using an interdisciplinary approach to provide a more thorough and complete analysis of human behavior leading to violence, the book draws from a number of different disciplines including criminology and criminal justice, sociology, psychology, political science, and public health.
• Highlights commonalities between various forms of violence: Introducing the idea of the “unity of human aggression,” Alvarez and Bachman postulate that acts of violence share a significant number of core defining traits that join them together, such as rationalization or justification by the perpetrator, the predictive nature of past violence for future violence, the “spillover theory” of violence, and the “brutalization hypothesis,” among others. By examining both individual and collective forms of violence the text illustrates the linkages between violent acts.
• Exposes readers to a wide range of aggressive behaviors: The book includes both contemporary and historical sources to explore a variety of types of interpersonal and group violent crimes, including homicide, assault, rape, domestic violence, robbery, genocide, riot, lynching, and terrorism among others.
• Offers policy connections and implications: By reviewing legislative, social, and political responses to violence, the authors help readers understand the direct impact of violence on society at large.
• Boasts extensive pedagogical tools: The text includes tables, charts, photographs, “In Focus” boxes, and other visual aids to illustrate key concepts discussed in the book.

Intended Audience
This is an ideal core text for undergraduate and graduate courses such as Violence and Abuse, Sociology of Violence and Abuse, Violence in America, and Violent Crime in departments of criminology, criminal justice, sociology, political science, and social work.