Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 230-252). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2010. / Prepared for: Dept. of Public Policy and Administration. Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Bibliography: leaves 120-139.

Although societal interest in violence is not new, the lay public and legal and mental health professionals have become increasingly interested in distinguishing nonstranger and stranger violence. The importance of the victim-offender relationship is underscored by the fact that society appears to be less fearful of the nonstranger offender than it is of the stranger offender. This research explores the role of the victim-offender relationship in crimes of violence. Inmate self-report, official data, and prison infraction data were used. All data collection occurred within the Arizona state prison system and included 273 inmate subjects who committed violent offenses. The victim-offender relationship was studied in the context of the validity of offender self-report, the prison experience of inmates, criminal justice processing of offenders, recidivism of offenders, specialization of offenders, and offender's perception of victim contribution. Results suggest that the violent offender self-report is valid and reliable, and that stranger and nonstranger offenders are similar in some ways and different in others. In particular, stranger offenders have more disciplinary problems in prison; are charged and convicted of less serious crimes but are given longer sentences; have more extensive juvenile records and histories of drug abuse; are more likely to have been in prison before; do not have more extensive self-reported crime commission rates; are no more or no less likely to specialize; and are less likely to perceive victim contribution than nonstranger offenders. Conclusions and implications for public policy are discussed.

Thesis (D. Phil.(Krim.)--Universiteit van Pretoria, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 327-351).

Thesis (Ph.D)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009. / Prepared for: Dept. of Psychology. Title from resource description page. Includes bibliographical references.

Talk of violent crime in South Africa abounds, with criminal violence as a topic of discussion on many social platforms - from the President‟s State of the Nation address to conversations between people on the street. This study aims to explore the discourses that South Africans use in their accounts of violent crime, what presentation of violent crime is constructed through the use of these discourses, and the effects of such constructions. Using Wetherell and Potter‟s (1992) approach to discourse analysis, the transcripts from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with fifteen participants were analysed to identify and examine the discourses that participants drew on to construct an account of violent crime. Seven central themes were identified in the transcripts. These pertained to the causes of violent crime, the effects of violent crime, prevention and deterrence, victims, responsibility, perpetrators and categorisation of „good‟ and „bad‟ criminals. In the study each of the themes is examined in turn to explore the discourses that are drawn on in the construction of each theme and the presentation of violent crime that is constructed through the use of these discourses. Analysis of the discourses shows that the construction of crime, criminals and victims is complex and that this is often done in such a way as to manage the threat of violent crime. It also shows that race „colours‟ the way we see, understand and construct violent crime. Yet this is not only about the identification of others as particular kinds of people but also about self-identifying, as people actively construct their own identity when constructing violent crime. The way in which we construct violent crime therefore has important implications for the way in which we experience others as well as ourselves. It also has important implications for the interventions that are used and proposed for managing violent crime. An understanding of these discourses and constructions of violent crime will allow us to more effectively evaluate the assumptions on which these interventions are based and thus improve the interventions themselves. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sci.)-Univesity of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

Graduate

This research deals with the topic of violent crime in urban Colombia. Although many references are made to the conflict between the State, guerrilla groups and paramilitary organisations in rural areas, and to the problem of drug-cartels and illegal-drug production, the main aim of the thesis is to show recent trends in violent crime and discuss citizen security strategies followed during the decade of the 1990s. Chapter 1 focuses on urban homicides. In Colombia, 40 percent of the 25,000 annual homicides are committed in the ten largest cities. The cities of Medellin, Bogota and Cali account for almost 30 percent of this total. Although the victims are mainly young men from the poorest socio-economic levels, homicides are not necessarily correlated to the areas where the poor live. The probability of getting involved in a homicide, either as a victim or as victimiser, is significantly higher in places where access to economic resources is greater. Chapter 2 analyses the problem of kidnappings. The chapter looks at recent progresses in Colombian anti-kidnapping legislation and focuses on the authors, the victims and the riskzones where most cases take place. Although these crimes affect mainly the rich and the middle class, kidnappers have recently started to target victims from all social backgrounds. This strategy creates fear among citizens and permits kidnappers to extort more fees from people who could be at risk of being kidnapped. Chapter 3 looks at the issue of perception and fear of crime. This question provides a better understanding of the concept of risk and the subjectivity of decision-making when facing insecurity. If citizen security strategies have had little impact during the last decade, it has been partly because of poor levels of co-operation and communication with the population. The consequence of this has been an increasing perception of insecurity and distrust among citizens. Chapter 4 assesses citizen security strategies followed during the administrations of Presidents Gaviria (1990-1994), Samper (1994-1998) and Pastrana (1998-2002). The reforms implemented since the adoption of a new Constitution in 1991 have had important impacts on security strategies as they have given more discretionary powers to civilian authorities, especially at the municipal level. Larger cities like Bogotá, Cali and Medellin, implemented a series of successful programmes that have reduced the levels of violent crime, notably homicides. Other crimes, like kidnappings, have not decreased since the government has lacked a coherent strategy to combine its peace negotiations with insurgent organisations with its legitimate right to fight violent crime.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Texas at Dallas, 2009. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 189-206)

Thesis (M.P.A. )--Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 2004 / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2955. Typescript. Abstract precedes thesis as 4 preliminary leaves (ii- v). Includes bibliographical references ( leaves 108-111).