Violence, and Anti-social Behavior: From Expert Rhetoric to the Common Reality of Crime (Violence et Incivilites: De la Rhetorique Experte a la Realite Ordinaire des Illegalismes)

• NCJ Number: 190114
• Journal: Deviance et Societe Volume: 24 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2000 Pages: 331-350
• Author(s): Ph. Milburn
• Date Published: December 2000
• Length: 20 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: French
• Country: France
• Note: English summary included

Annotation

This article investigated the history, consequences, and the heuristic inadequacy of violence and anti-social behavior in France, as well as the nature of illegalisms.

Abstract

Two prominent categories designate crime and insecurity in the French public debate: violence and anti-social behavior. The article was divided into two parts. First, the article investigated the history, consequences on public policies, and heuristic inadequacies of the violence and incivilities in France. Second, the paper presented a statistical monograph that allowed the examination of the ordinary nature of illegalisms, taken as situations constructed as such by their participants. The predominance of two kinds of illegalisms emerged: (1) those against property (theft, vandalism) and (2) community disturbances (arguments, insulting, brawls). These types of situations related to statistically observable social rationales.