FOUR VARIABLES--SOCIAL CUSTOMS, ASPIRATIONS, THE SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT, AND PERSONALITY--ARE EXAMINED QUALITATIVELY WITH RESPECT TO TWO HYPOTHESES: THAT REPRESSION INCREASES VIOLENCE AND THAT REPRESSION REDUCES VIOLENCE. CRIME STATISTICS, CASE STUDIES, REVIEW OF PRINTED AND MASS MEDIA INFORMATION, AND PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES FORM THE BASIS FOR ANALYSIS, WHICH FOCUSES ON FOUR VIOLENT CRIMES: HOMICIDE, FORCIBLE RAPE, ROBBERY, AND CRIMINAL ASSAULT. HISTORICAL, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL FORCES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE THE SOURCES OF A CONTINUING HIGH LEVEL OF VIOLENCE, EXPECIALLY WHEN CONTRASTED WITH THE LOW VIOLENCE RATES IN CANADA. ALL THE VARIABLES EXAMINED INDICATE THAT REPRESSION TENDS TO INCREASE VIOLENCE UNDER A WIDER RANGE OF CONDITIONS THAN IT REDUCES VIOLENCE. ALTHOUGH NATIONALLY-BASED GOVERNMENT ACTION AND CHANGE ARE NEEDED TO CONTROL EXPANSION OF VIOLENT CRIME, CURRENT PRESSURES TOWARD REPRESSIVE MEASURES MAY MOVE THE U.S. AWAY FROM LIBERTY AND TOWARD TOTALITARIANISM. TO AVOID OVERREACTING TO VIOLENT CRIME, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES SHOULD CHANGE FROM THEIR PRESENT PARAMILITARY STRUCTURE TO A MORE DEMOCRATIC MODEL EMPHASIZING PARTICIPATORY DECISIONMAKING. IN ADDITION, THEIR FOCUS SHOULD CHANGE FROM CRIME FIGHTING TO PUBLIC SERVICE, PEACEKEEPING, AND MAINTAINING ORDER. QUESTIONS ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD ASK TO APPRAISE THEIR ORGANIZATIONS ARE LISTED. EIGHT FIGURES, FOOTNOTES FOR EACH CHAPTER, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)