1. Aggression & Crime in Professional Sports
Heath Benker, Emily Metschke, Cole Stuerke, Brian Bresee

2. Breakdown Types of aggression What leads to aggressive play
General Population vs. Pro Athletes
Correlation between athletic violence and “real world” violence
Public Views
Crime, Aggression, and Athletes

3. Introduction Definition: Angry or violent behavior or feelings.
What do you think of when you think of aggression and sports?
Do you think athletes are encouraged to be aggressive?

4. Types of Aggression
Hostile: When the main aim is to cause harm or injury to your opponent.
Anger is involved.
ex: Throwing a punch at another player.
Assertive: When aggression is used with the prime motive of executing the skill.
Player plays within the rules of the sport at a very high intensity, but will have no intention to harm an opponent.
Making a tackle in football.

5. Types of Aggression cont...
Four Types:
Brutal Body Contact
Borderline Violence
Quasi-Criminal Violence
Criminal Violence

6. What Leads to Aggression
What situations during games lead you to become more aggressive?

7. What Leads to Aggression
Being fouled
Urged by crowd
Anger
Poor performance
Learned behavior
Poor call by ref
Urged by opposing player

8. Aggression & Sports It’s always been a concern in sports.
In football players died due to the violent nature and even more were severely injured.
Although sport encourages a healthy release of anger or aggression.
Sporting events are accepted as a setting where everyday societal morals no longer apply.
To be more competitive players are encourage to be aggressive
This can lead to the use of performance drugs
“Good” players must have tough and aggressive demeanor on court.

9. Aggression & Crime
Can you think of any crimes that are prevalent in the sports community?

10. Aggression & Crime
Rape
Domestic Violence
Murder
Assault

11. General Population vs. NFL
Which group do you think has a higher arrest rate? Why?

12. General Population vs. NFL
Average annual assault rate (per 100,000):
NFL - 4,271
Gen. Pop. - 9,199
Most common crimes committed by NFL players (in order)
Assault (Non-DV)
Domestic Violence
Rape
Kidnapping
Homicide

13. Public View and Studies
Benedict and Klein (1997)
217 sexual assault complaints filed (21% receive no action)
172 athletes arrested
Conviction Rates
- Athletes = 31%
- Gen. Pop. = 54%

14. Why the Discrepancies? Victim Consent Perceptions
Sex-Segregated grouping/Mono-sexual environments
Hyper-masculinity sports

15. Examples Hope Solo Michael Irving & Eric Williams
Grambling State Football Team vs. 15 year old girl
Mike Tyson
O.J. Simpson
Bounty Gate

16. Questions
Do you think the locker room and/or mono-sexual environment is the major catalyst for aggression outside of the sport?
Do you believe that the aggressive nature of a sport directly relates to aggressive behavior towards others?
How much of a role does media have in persuading the general population about athletes and aggressive crimes?
Do you think the rate of convictions for violent crimes has gone up or down?

17. Sources
Crist, P., & Miller, S. (2009). The media's treatment of sexual assault by athletes in a post-rape reform era: How do victims fare? (pp. 7-13). University of Delaware. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
Ellis, R. (2015, January 22). Hope Solo suspended from U.S. Soccer Team for 30 days - CNN.com. Retrieved from
Finn, N. (2015, March 27). Hopo Solo Went Into Therapy During U.S. Soccer Suspension. Retrieved from
Solo Domestic Abuse Charges Dropped. (2015, January 14). Retrieved from
Stevens, C. (2012). A Review of Literature. In Violence By Male Athletes (pp. 1-5). Plymouth, New Hampshire: Plymouth State University. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
Blumstein, A., & Benedict, J. (n.d.). Criminal Violence of NFL Players Compared to the NFL Population. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
Coakley, J. (2004). Sport in society: Issues and controversies (8th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.