VIOLENCE MAY BE DEFINED AS, 'THE EXERCISE OF PHYSICAL FORCE SO AS TO INFLICT INJURY ON, OR CAUSE DAMAGE TO, PERSONS OR PROPERTY.' THIS WORK REVIEWS WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT VIOLENCE. THUS, IT IS IMPLIED THAT VIOLENCE IS TO SOME EXTENT A UNITARY PHENOMENON. SIMULTANEOUSLY, IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT VIOLENCE IS NOT A UNITARY PHENOMENON, BUT THAT IT OCCURS IN AN INCREDIBLE VARIETY OF FORMS, CONTEXTS, AND CONDITIONS, AND THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE EXPLANATIONS AS WELL. NEITHER ASSUMPTION WAS MADE IN ADVANCE AND MATERIALS DISCUSSED DO SUPPORT BOTH POSSIBILITIES. THE FIRST CHAPTER FOCUSES ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE, ANALYZING ITS IDEOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS BUT ALSO ASSESSING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL UNDERPINNINGS OF THESE IDEOLOGIES. THE HISTORICAL PATTERN OF VIOLENCE IN AMERICA IS THEN DESCRIBED. SUBCULTURAL FACTORS RELATED TO ETHNICITY, RELIGION, AND SOCIAL CLASSES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS TO CRIMINAL VIOLENCE ARE EXPLORED. VARIATIONS IN VIOLENT BEHAVIOR AS AFFECTED BY AGE AND SEX ARE DISCUSSED. FAMILY VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE IN VARIOUS SETTINGS SUCH AS THE SCHOOL AND IN PRISONS ARE THE FOCUS OF SUBSEQUENT CHAPTERS. INSTINCT AND BIOLOGICAL FACTORS ARE THEN ADDRESSED. VIOLENCE MAY BE VIEWED AS A FORCE WHICH IS CULTURAL, CREATIVE, DESTRUCTIVE, OR MORAL, DEPENDING UPON THE CONTEXT OF THE SITUATION. IT MAY BE A RATIONAL INSTRUMENT FOR EFFECTING CHANGE OR A LEARNED RESPONSE. TABLES, REFERENCE NOTES, AND AN INDEX ARE PROVIDED IN THE BOOK. (LWM)