1. Deviance 10e Alex Thio Chapter Four: Physical Violence
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2. Introduction Myths cloud our understanding of physical violence
E.g. African Americans are more likely to kill whites and that women kill their husbands due to infidelity
Terrorism now accounts for much violence, especially in Israel and London

3. Assault and Aggravated Assault
Assault: unlawful use of physical force against another person
Aggravated assault involves intent to kill or the use of a deadly weapon, where the victim survives rather than dies
Assaulters are less likely than murderers to use firearms
Assault rises dramatically during the summer

4. Who is More Likely to Kill?
Over 90% of murderers in the U.S. are in the lower classes
While making up 12% of the general population, blacks account for 45% of the murders
Most killings are INTRA-racial

5. Who is More Likely to Kill? – cont.
Southern region has the highest rate (10 per 100,000)
Large cities have a significantly higher murder rate than small cities/rural areas
More men than women kill, and kill other men
Women usually kill in defense of themselves in an abusive relationship
Both male and female murderers are relatively young
highest murder rate is aged for males and aged for females

6. TABLE 4.1 How Urban and Rural Murder Rates Differ

7. Who is More Likely to Kill? – cont.
Today, the overall murder rate in the United States is lower than it was in the mid- 1980s
Since 1985 murders committed by teenagers are on the rise
Reasons: many inner-city teenagers carry guns to protect themselves, availability of guns, dysfunctional families, drugs, the declining quality of public schools, and increased violence on TV and in the movies.

8. Patterns of Killing
Fewer murders occur during fall and spring, and more during July and August; they also peak during December
Saturday night is the time of week murders most often occur.
Higher class murders, though, are more premeditated and show no variation by time of year or week

9. Patterns of Killing – cont.
Men commit murders inside and outside the house
Women almost exclusively kill in their own homes, especially in the kitchen
If guns were less available, many heated arguments would result in aggravated assaults rather than murders
In America, over 10,000 handgun homicides occur each year
In other industrialized nations such as Canada, England, and Japan, where guns are much harder to get, the number is less than 100

10. Characteristics of Homicide
Of all crimes, homicide is least likely to involve strangers (less than 20%)
In 1 of 4 homicides the victim first attacks his subsequent slayer (victim-precipitated homicide)
most homicides result from a "character contest" among lower-class

11. Characteristics of Homicide – cont.
Homicide-suicide offenders first kill another person and then themselves
Sociologists see suicide as remorse
Psychologists see suicide as psychosis
Mass murder: killing a number of people at about the same time and place
Offenders usually die by their own hands or the hands of the police
Serial murder: involves killing a number of people one at a time.
Most murder in one city, plan what they do, stalk their victims, and lure them into traps
Often suffered abuse while children and cannot feel remorse for hurting others.

12. Figure 4.1 Most Victims Know Their Killers

13. The Social Profile of Serial Killers
Most serial killers:
Usually seem like ordinary people
Are typically blue collar workers
Are usually white men in their late 20s or 30s
Are typically motivated by an intense desire for power and sadism

14. Global Perspective: Homicide
Homicide rates are higher in developing countries
Latin America has the highest homicide rate in the world – characteristic of “machismo culture”
in the highly patriarchal societies such as the Middle East, women are likely to fall victim to “honor killings” by their male relatives
The U.S. has the highest homicide rate among developed countries

15. School Violence
School violence is attributed, in part, to the availability of guns, media violence, and a culture of violence
Offenders are highly likely to be those rejected by parents and peers

16. Stalking
Stalking: act of pursuing someone that creates the fear of being assaulted or killed
Most stalkers know their victims
Most cases are men stalking women
No racial differences

17. Hate Killing 9,000 Americans per year experience hate crimes
African Americans and gays are the most likely victims
Most hate killers are part of hate groups, which are often formed in prison
Three types of hate killers:
thrill hate killers
defensive hate killers
mission hate killers

18. Genocide Genocide: whole-scale killing of a racial or ethnic group
Perpetrators have a job of killing others under orders
Bystanders are average citizens who usually do nothing

19. Genocide – cont. Theories of genocide:
physical or psychological separation between perpetrators and victims
dehumanization of victims
obedience to authority when asked
psychological ability to dissociate from the insanity of killing
Power – The more power that a government has, the greater its ability to carry out killing on a large scale

20. Terrorism
Terrorism: violence intended for a government but victims are usually innocent citizens
e.g. Timothy McVeigh, al Qaeda
The suicide attacks of 9/11 were said to be waged against “the Great Satan” or the U.S., as part of a holy war
The U.S. has obtained assistance from friendly Muslin countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan
Following 9/11, most Muslim nations express less support for terrorism than in the past

21. Why Do People Kill? Two popular theories:
external restraint theory: tries to explain how the presence or absence of restraints controls the expression of frustration
subculture of violence: basic cause of high homicide rates in poor neighborhoods

22. Does the Death Penalty Deter Murder?
The death penalty is not very effective in deterring murder
However, it does prevent the offender from committing further crime
And satisfies the societal cry for retribution