Violence and Crime

This book examines the critical connections between criminal justice and public health perspectives on violence and crime. Violent crime involves not only criminal justice agencies, but social agencies, community groups, and public and private healthcare organizations. The authors provide a broad overview of prevalent forms of violence, focusing on how criminal justice and public health perspectives converge in the examination of and response to these issues. The book looks at the nexus of public health with problems as varied as assaultive violence, child abuse, rape and sexual abuse, interpersonal violence, elder abuse, suicide, police violence, teenage bullying, workplace violence, firearm injuries, and opioid addiction. The authors lay out a structure for an epidemiological approach to studying violent crime and offer policy recommendations for using both criminal justice and public health approaches to prevent violence. This volume spotlights the connections between violent crime and public health, and urges a consideration of public health in efforts to prevent and control violent crime. It is ideal for courses on violence in criminology, criminal justice, sociology, and social work, and an invaluable tool for practitioners, policy makers, researchers, advocates, and community volunteers in criminal justice, public health, and social service.