8 Shining Light on the Shadows
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Jack Levin
Abstract
This chapter focuses on strategies for preventing covert violence, something that is perhaps even more difficult than preventing overt forms of criminal behavior. To a large degree, this is because the covert version is often harder to detect and/or is easily misunderstood as something else. Compared to maliciously inflicted injuries and deaths, those that are deemed accidental, due to natural causes, or self-inflicted generally require much less, if any, investigation or follow-up. And once an official classification has been made, there are virtually no mechanisms in place for routine reconsideration. Further, the U.S. legal standard required for a criminal conviction—beyond a reasonable doubt—is a high bar to achieve. If there is not enough evidence present, perhaps it is easier or more practical to classify a possible homicide as something else. Despite these and other difficulties, strategies exist that hold promise for reducing the incidence of covert violence. This chapter describes three of those, along with supporting evidence and examples.
Abstract
This chapter focuses on strategies for preventing covert violence, something that is perhaps even more difficult than preventing overt forms of criminal behavior. To a large degree, this is because the covert version is often harder to detect and/or is easily misunderstood as something else. Compared to maliciously inflicted injuries and deaths, those that are deemed accidental, due to natural causes, or self-inflicted generally require much less, if any, investigation or follow-up. And once an official classification has been made, there are virtually no mechanisms in place for routine reconsideration. Further, the U.S. legal standard required for a criminal conviction—beyond a reasonable doubt—is a high bar to achieve. If there is not enough evidence present, perhaps it is easier or more practical to classify a possible homicide as something else. Despite these and other difficulties, strategies exist that hold promise for reducing the incidence of covert violence. This chapter describes three of those, along with supporting evidence and examples.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of Figures and Tables iv
- About the Authors v
- Acknowledgments vii
- An Introduction to Covert Violence, Power, and Social Institutions 1
- Family and Close Relationships 22
- Formal Education 47
- The Workplace 62
- Politics and Government 74
- Healthcare 90
- Mass Media 104
- Shining Light on the Shadows 116
- Case Summaries 131
- Index 148
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of Figures and Tables iv
- About the Authors v
- Acknowledgments vii
- An Introduction to Covert Violence, Power, and Social Institutions 1
- Family and Close Relationships 22
- Formal Education 47
- The Workplace 62
- Politics and Government 74
- Healthcare 90
- Mass Media 104
- Shining Light on the Shadows 116
- Case Summaries 131
- Index 148
