Crime and Violence: Forces for
Good or Evil?
Lecture One
Thinking About
Violence
1
Programme
Full information on WebCT
Lectures 2pm LT1
Dr Helen Jones
Seminars
Dr Rob Ralphs
Dr Hannah Smithson
2
Assignments


3
50% Presentation (proposal due 15th
October)
50% E-communication Project (7 week
project in Term Two)
Considering definitions
“the threat, attempt, or use of physical force by one or
more persons that results in physical or nonphysical
harm to one or more persons” (Weiner, Zahn & Sagi,
1990:xiii)
“any act that causes the victim to do something she
doesn’t want to do, prevents her from doing
something she wants to do, or causes her to be
afraid” (Adams cited in Jones, 2000:4).
4
“violence involves the infliction of emotional,
psychological, sexual, physical and/or
material damage” (Stanko, 1994:xiv).
5
Biological
This sees causes of violence as located in the
genetic make-up, or chemical imbalances, it
is connected with Lombrosian theory which
still has some influence today.
6
Psychological
Freud would argue it is the impact of
childhood that determines adult
behaviour. Personal experiences of
violence may result in violence. Violent
people are often accused of being mad,
out of control.
7
Sociological
There is a need to examine the social
relations of violent individuals and
contextualise them in relation to class, race,
gender and other social
characteristics/divisions.
8
9

People – not all violent people are criminal, consider boxing,
rugby, or sadomasochism. We can consider the violent actor
but also need to acknowledge the diversity of other subjects
– the victim, the judges/magistrates, agencies of support and
care, the community.

Policies – legislation defines what a violent act is and how
the state should respond.

Practices – institutional practices – for example, how the
police respond, what their attitudes are and how this
influences their culture and practices. We also need to
consider the influence of primary definers, for example the
media.
10

Individual – interpersonal (between
people) and intrapersonal (what we do to
ourselves).

National – State violence, socially located
violence (racism, gendered violence, hate
crimes).

Global – Terrorism, war, torture, corporate
crime, trafficking (drugs or people).
Stanko argues that there are four crucial
elements in considering violence:




11
The act itself
The relationship of the participants to each
other
The location of the act
The outcome
We should also add:
12

Social rules – because different rules apply
in different situations

Social roles – because who we are might
determine how we act

Social power
Legal definitions and the law
Stephen Jones ‘Understanding violent crime’
pages 5-7.
13
The Home Office definition
Violent crime is the generic term for a number of
crime types involving physical or verbal assault on a
individual. The broad categories are:
 Violent assault, including incidents of :
 Racism
Homophobia
Domestic violence
 Sexual crimes
 Robbery
14
Concluding Questions





15
Are there hierarchies of harm?
Is murder worse than bullying? Bullying can lead to
death.
Do we have the right to live free from fear of
violence?
Is it a basic human right that the state has a
responsibility to protect?
Are some individuals and social groups more prone
to violence and victimisation?