The first section, which consists of three chapters, examines selected writings of Charles Dickens and Mark Twain to show their observations on the human condition, so as to temper nostalgic views of a nonviolent past and sensitize readers to the material that follows. Other chapters in this section provide a selected theoretical overview of explanations for violence within families and the link between violence in families and in communities. The next section, which consists of five chapters, explores subjects that deserve special consideration in the attempt to understand population aspects of violence and possible preventive factors. Issues examined include the disproportionate presence of violence within minority populations and preventive interventions, the concept of psychological resilience, the influence of spirituality as a possible protective factor against violent behavior, and television's role in stimulating and preventing violent behavior. The final five chapters provide examples of various efforts underway to reduce the incidence of violent behavior in various American contexts. For individual chapters, see NCJ-159950-61. Chapter references and subject and author indexes