Community violence
Community violence is a term that refers to any acts involving violence that is committed intentionally in a public place. This form of violence, in most cases, involves individuals who are strangers, with very few perpetrators being intimately related to the victim. Community violence encompasses a large group of activities, including mass shootings, terrorism attacks, bullying, war, gun violence, and drug-related violence, among others. Violence has been growing steadily in the United States. This is shown through increased cases of mass shootings, gang violence, and bullying. The increased rate of violence in the community has been accrued to the accessibility of weapons and prevalent drug and substance use in the country. This paper analyzes the issue of community violence in the United States and diagnosis accrued to the problem. Although risks of violence have grown exponentially over the years, the media play a role in exaggerating the problem in some cases. The paper, therefore, looks at statistical evidence on community violence to provide a credible discussion.
The levels of violence in the United States are hard to ignore because they cut across all ages, including juveniles. Exposure to violent content in the community today is seen to cause trauma, which negatively affects the victims (“Exposure to Community Violence and Its Impact on Our Youth,” 2018). Increased violence is related to both community violence and virtual violence presented through technology. As the article points out, individuals who engage in violent video games are more prone to engaging in acts of violence. Social media depicts the negative effects of technology with similar effects on violent video games. The youth are the most affected by these issues because they consume technology at a higher rate. Moreover, research conducted by the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice shows growth in the number of youths and delinquents involved in community violence by 75% (“Exposure to Community Violence and Its Impact on Our Youth,” 2018).
Although the media has been blamed for blowing the issue out of proportion, statistical evidence supports these views. According to a study conducted by PEW in 2018, the number of aggravated assaults reported in the United States was 246.8 in every 100,000 citizens*. This number was considered to be significant because it accounted for more than fifty percent of the average crimes as the offenses reported were 382.9 in every 100,000 citizens. Violence statistics from the twentieth century portray the growing problem of community violence. The issue can be tracked through a discussion on the rate of homicides over the past five decades. The number of homicide cases registered increased substantially in the 1960s, where they moved from five deaths to about 10.7 deaths in every 1000,000 individuals according to the study results (Sumner et al., 2016). The government has incorporated various measures to help deal with the problem. As a result, homicide rates went down to 5.1 per 100,000persons in 2013, showing success in the procedures integrated (Sumner et al., 2016). The rate of aggravated assaults has also declined from 442 individuals in 1992 to about 243 by the year 2012. In spite of the decline registered, the number of homicides stands at sixteen thousand, with at least 1.6 million injuries requiring medical attention (Sumner et al., 2016).
Gun violence is also depicted as a primary contributor to increased violence in the community. Increased gun violence in the community has been shown through growth in the number of mass shootings, especially in schools. The El Paso incident, as well as Dayton, Ohio, which occurred recently, further brings out the danger posed by gun violence and the taxed laws controlling gun ownership (Gramlich, 2019). As the pew research explains, the number of murders related to guns in 2017 was at 37%, a value replicated by CDC records from the same period (Gramlich, 2019). Despite the decline in crime experienced in the 1990s, the rate of violent crimes in the United States has been rising steadily over the years. This issuer has raised a call for more research in the area to identify the causes and solutions to increased community violence.
Community violence has its roots in the fabric of society because it is influenced by fundamental issues such as poverty, unemployment, and racism. This is because the problem is seen to emanate from social perceptions pointing to socialization policies and incorporation of equality as determinants on the level of violence experienced in society (Sumner et al., 2016). Community violence exists in different forms, which also show differentiated influences on the victims and society at large. Community violence is fueled by environmental factors such as neighborhood, economic wellbeing, and social integration. However, this problem is also associated with mental conditions where some of the perpetrators are found to be of unsound mind or with various personality disorders (Sumner et al., 2016). Individuals who have been through trauma and abuse are also presented as high risk concerning involvement in violent crimes.
Potentially violent individuals are seen to have specific symptoms that can be used to gauge the risk of engagement in violent practices. Violence is often associated with mental health challenges, which in some cases result in violent reactions against members of the community. In cases of murder charges, the judicial system is mandated to carry tests determining if the perpetrator is mentally sound. This is a practice that emanates from the direct correlation between violence and psychological issues (Nicolaidis, Curry, McFarland, & Gerrity, 2004). As the authors posit, individuals involved in community violence depict various characteristics that can be used to identify the factors influencing this practice. Depression is flagged as the primary symptom identified in more than half of the offenders involved in community violence. This is because perpetrators suffering from depression have lost the will to live and thus turn to violence to let out their frustrations in society. The study carried out shows a direct correlation between engagement in acts of violence and various psychological issues. Depression is singled out as the model that mostly affects this process, with 53% of the individuals experiencing anxiety and other symptoms related to mental health problems (Nicolaidis, Curry, McFarland, & Gerrity, 2004).
Anger, impatience, and irregular moods are also symptoms of violence in the community. Individuals involved in violent activities are seen to either have anger issues or impulse control challenges (Gollub, Green, Richardson, Kaplan, & Shervington, 201). These factors are seen to facilitate violent behavior in individuals when presented with a triggering condition such as indirect violence exposure. This is because when faced with frustrating circumstances, such individuals tend to react and think later, a factor that has been accrued with numerous violent cases involving the youth. Drugs, alcohol, and substance abuse are also presented as symptoms used to identify individuals likely to perpetuate community violence (Rutherford, Zwi, Grove, & Butchart, 2007). Alcohol, drug, and substances affect the mental capacity of an individual, making it more difficult to make the right decision morally. These substances also influence interactions between individuals because it lowers moral inhibitions, thus facilitating violent activities.
Violence is also tied to membership and affiliation with gangs in society, facilitating the growth of hatred and rivalry. Violence takes different forms, including physical bullying and cyberbullying, which is facilitated by technological advancements. This is because relationships play a significant role in a child’s healthy development. In cases where individuals have strained relationships, they are more likely to be violent compared to those with healthy relationships (Wilkins, Hertz, Kuehl, & Klevens, 2015). Besides, gang affiliations include basic groups such as school playgroups, which may exhibit violent tendencies such as bullying of individuals they consider weak. Bullying is considered one of the mild forms of community violence, but it has far-reaching effects on the victim.
Violence in the community can result in permanent disabilities or loss of life in extreme cases. However, major effects regarding community violence are experienced by the victims as the practice causes physical pain, mental distress, and an overall decline in the quality of life experienced. Repeated exposure to violence is also associated with declining physical and mental health in individuals (Nicolaidis, Curry, McFarland, & Gerrity, 2004). The decline in health is associated with premature deaths in society resulting in fear and feelings of insecurity among community members. Individual perceptions concerning crime play a major role in the opinions portrayed by society members on individual security and the wellbeing of society. Exposure to violence is depicted in various models where victimization and witnessing of acts of violence are depicted as the primary models influencing behavior (Nicolaidis, Curry, McFarland, & Gerrity, 2004). In addition, community violence incorporates crimes that damage the preset environment in a community.
Children and youth are the groups most affected by community violence. This is because exposure to violence at an early age disrupts mental development in an individual resulting in social and mental problems (Rutherford, Zwi, Grove, & Butchart, 200). As the author elucidates, children who are faced with such circumstances may experience post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. The effect in children can be observed from the kindergarten age, where they may portray aggressive behavior such as bullying and fighting or reclusive anti-social behavior (Rutherford, Zwi, Grove, & Butchart, 2007). Children who have experienced violence either in the form of bullying or involvement in crime have higher chances of developing anxiety or PTSD in addition to behavioral problems.
The effects in adulthood are presented as similar to negligible differences in the levels of violence and anxiety experienced. Adults exposed to violence also have higher chances of getting caught up in violent acts against society in search of retribution (Rutherford, Zwi, Grove, & Butchart, 2007). However, adults experience other challenges emanating from continuous exposure to violence, including eating disorders and the development of low self-esteem in the victim.
Exposure to violence in childhood may influence the quality of life experienced by an individual. Some of the effects of violence exposure are buried down and manifested later in adulthood, decreasing quality of life through the integration of fear and anxiety as well as PTSD emanating from trauma caused by the experience (Sumner et al., 2016). Violent and criminal gangs are also a source of concern among members of society due to to0 the violence and insecurity they bring into society, causing unrest and disorder. As the author points out, youth are more prone to crime, th8us the need to integrate control measures at this stage. The development of violent gangs among the youth is accrued to discrimination in American society, further increasing the gap between the rich and the poor (Howell, Moore, & Egley, 2016). Adolescents and youths who are affiliated with gangs show a higher risk of getting involved in criminal activities and violence against the general public. The gangs also affect children in school through the facilitation of delinquent behavior from early stages.
Exposure to violence has numerous effects on society, especially in cases where this exposure is based on racial bias. Racism has been used by governmental institutions such as the police department to dehumanize and demoralize individuals. Police brutality presents a prevalent form of institutional violence driven by implicit bias in society (Community Violence as a Population Health Issue: Proceedings of a Workshop, 2017). This is portrayed in the laws adopted on the stop and frisk policy, which has caused conflict between the police and people of color. This policy has been misused in the facilitation of implicit bias in society and promoting police brutality. The effects of this challenge have been observed in social unrest and lack of trust between police officers and members of society (Community Violence as a Population Health Issue: Proceedings of a Workshop, 2017). The issue of racial bias and brutal treatment of people of color by police officers is depicted through statistics on police conduct in Philadelphia, which is considered one of the safety districts. The region shows no police shootings compared to 90% shootings in largely black neighborhoods (Gramlich, 2019).
Community violence has various effects on the victims as well as counselors, where it influences the treatment model adopted for each patient. Emotional therapy is presented as the most effective model for trauma victims and those exposed to violence (Martinez, 2016). This model is especially required in counseling males who have been exposed to violence in their childhood or prolonged violence over a long period. Development of an emotional connection is required to help the patient open up, thus the use of a relational vulnerability in combination with emotional therapy (Martinez, 2016). Cultivation of vulnerability, especially among male patients, is required for the process to work effectively. The establishment of relational safety is also used to help individuals suffering from anxiety and depression as a result of exposure to community violence. This is established by sharing vulnerabilities to help enforce accountability and reduce power disparities causing distress in victims (Martinez, 2016). The development of trust is the most important factor in helping victims of violence, and perpetrators start the healing process and smoothly reintegrate into society. Emotional support is also considered important at this stage because it helps individuals cope with the problem better where family and friends offer support. Generally, community violence is seen to adversely affect the quality of living, integration, and wellbeing of individuals in society.