The latter two of these barriers are interrelated and come from the historical patterns of racism and oppression in American society. The devaluation of black life is shown in many ways, particularly in the sentencing of criminal defendants. Black defendants who offend against other blacks tend to receive less severe punishments than similar white defendants, and crimes with black victims receive less severe punishment than those with white victims. The view that violence is more normal among blacks than whites has been associated with more limited law enforcement and judicial responses to acts of violence in the black community than in the white community. Since a disproportionate amount of black violence occurs in the home, the ideological barriers have particular relevance for efforts to prevent family violence. Efforts to address the problem must recognize that homicide and other violence is largely preventable and that it is an unacceptable form of behavior in black as well as white communities. Notes and 62 references.