AUSTRALIAN OFFICIAL CRIME STATISTICS SHOW THAT WORKING CLASS PEOPLE AND BLACKS COMMIT VIOLENT CRIMES AT RATES THAT ARE OFTEN 5 TO 10 TIMES AS HIGH AS RATES FOR MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE AND WHITES. HOWEVER, THESE STATISTICS FAIL TO ACCOUNT FOR INSTITUTIONAL VIOLENCE IN WHICH DEATHS OR INJURIES RESULT FROM INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS PREFERRING PROFIT OVER PUBLIC SAFETY. FOR EXAMPLE, MANY BABIES DIE BECAUSE OF LACK OF PROPER FOOD, SHELTER, AND MEDICAL FACILITIES, BUT THESE DEATHS ARE NOT COUNTED IN VIOLENT CRIME STATISTICS. SIMILARLY, DEATHS FROM LUNG DISEASE AMONG ASBESTOS WORKERS ARE IN PART TRACEABLE TO THE THWARTING OF EFFECTIVE SAFETY REGULATIONS OR VIOLATING EXISTING REGULATIONS, YET THESE DEATHS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN CRIME STATISTICS. THE CURRENT AUSTRALIAN LEGAL SYSTEM IS INCAPABLE OF DEALING WITH INSTITUTIONAL VIOLENCE ENTAILING COLLECTIVE RATHER THAN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY. IN ADDITION, INDIVIDUAL VIOLENCE AMONG THE WORKING CLASS IS IN PART THE RESULT OF A RULING CLASS IDEOLOGY WHICH EXPECTS, AND THEREFORE PROVOKES, WORKING CLASS VIOLENCE. MOREOVER, THE RULING CLASS HAS LEGITIMIZED CERTAIN FORMS OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, SUCH AS BEATINGS OF PRISONERS BY PRISON STAFF. THESE AND OTHER EXAMPLES SHOW THAT, ALTHOUGH SOME INSTITUTIONAL VIOLENCE RESULTS FROM THE PROFIT ORIENTATION OF CAPITALISM, SOME COMES FROM DIFFUSION OF RESPONSIBILITY AND RESULTING LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY IN LARGE HIERARCHICAL ORGANIZATIONS. TO DEAL WITH THESE PROBLEMS OF VIOLENCE, THE LEGAL SYSTEM NEEDS TO CHANGE AND TO FOCUS ON COLLECTIVE CRIME AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY. ONE TABLE AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. FOR RELATED ARTICLES IN THE SAME BOOK, SEE NCJ-62118-62125. (CFW)