Specifically, the relationship is examined between violent criminal behavior and exposure to family violence, exposure to television violence, school performance, and other adolescent activities, and differential reinforcement for previous illegal acts. The exploratory model is based on data collected on 100 male inmates incarcerated for violent crimes and 65 nonincarcerated, nonviolent males matched in terms of age, race, and neighborhood. Findings, from analyses which estimate both additive and interactive effects, indicate that the background experiences associated with violent crime vary depending upon the individual's race. The discussion focuses on the implications of these findings for further research on the causes of violent criminal behavior. (Publisher abstract)