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Age and the Effect of Third Parties During Criminal Violence

NCJ Number
94944
Journal
Sociology and Social Research Volume: 68 Issue: 4 Dated: (July 1984) Pages: 452-462
Author(s)
R B Felson; S A Ribner; M S Siegel
Date Published
1984
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This research examines the behavior of third parties in incidents of homicide and assault and their effect on the behavior of offenders and victims.
Abstract
It was hypothesized that violence would be more intense when third parties who were present during the incident are supportive of violence. Further, it was hypothesized that conflicts involving youth are likely to be more intense because significant others who were present during incidents involving youth are more likely to be supportive of violence. These hypotheses were supported. For example, offenders delivered more blows in situations where their family or friends were also aggressive and they struck fewer blows when third parties attempted to mediate the conflict. The results are consistent with the notion that position in the social structure can affect behavior because it affects the situations and the types of persons with whom one interacts. In addition, it is noteworthy that a behavior that one might have assumed is the result of an uncontrollable outburst, is socially influenced. (Author abstract)

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