The Problem of Youth Violence in the United Kingdom - Essay Example

? Violent Thinking and Violence in Young Adults Youth Violence in the United Kingdom Studies on patterns of violence among the youthin the United Kingdom (UK) have focused on the themes of prevalence, nature of violence, target victims, distribution, causes, agents of violence, and possible remedies (Bartol & Bartol, 2012; Dragiewicz, 2010). Statistics from police records, rehabilitation centers and other sources indicate that the incident and prevalence of youthful violence in the UK has been on the rise in the past decades (Bleich, 2007). Statistics from the Youth Justice Board show that there were nearly 3000 youthful people under the age of 18 in custody (Cowell, McDavid & Saunders, 2012). Many of those in custody are convicted for violence-related incidents. Records show that most violent incidents revolve around arson, criminal violence, domestic burglary, motoring offences, non-domestic burglary, racially aggravated offences, robbery, and sexual offences (Widom, 2012). The same statistics indicate that violence against people ranks as second highest after theft and handling. Youthful violence in the United Kingdom mirrors adult violence in many ways including the use of sharp portable objects, the use of guns, and high incidence of gender-based violence (Weiner, 2012). Reports and records cite societal influences, the influence by media, socio-economic factors, and loss of parental control as some of the contributing factors to the high incidence of youthful violence in the UK (McDonnell & Sturmey, 2008; Davies & Beech, 2012). The occurrence of youthful violence in the UK varies from homes, shopping malls, schools, nightclubs, and other places where the youth or other members of the public mostly congregate. The violence that occurs in homes may involve attacks from siblings whereas those that occur in other places usually involve attacks by peers (Cowell, McDavid & Saunders, 2012). The level of harm on the targeted victims is classified under mild, severe, and fatal (Bartol & Bartol, 2012). Violence-related deaths have brought into sharp focus the suitability and efficacy of the interventionist structures developed as safeguards to guard against the high prevalence of violent incidents in the UK (McDonnell & Sturmey, 2008; Bleich, 2007). A mismatch in the ratio of probation officers and the rising incidence of juvenile violence has various featured in discussions on the causative factors of high levels of youthful violence has been cited as a fundamental factor in rise of violent incidents in the UK. Psychology of Violence A psychological study of youth violence involves multiple disciplines, which focus on violence as expressed in terms of extreme aggression (Markowitz, 2000). Understanding violence from a psychological point of view should begin with assessing its symptoms, manifestations, presentations, and treatment of the various degrees and kinds of violence. Psychological perspectives are rooted in the proposition that forms of violence are outward expressions of disturbed mental processes (Lazarus-Black & McCall, 2006; Fulero & Wrightsman, 2009). The malfunctioning of the psychological stability of an individual makes it problematic to engage them meaningfully in various normal tasks. The treatment of violence is often an important step in the determination of the various processes that connect with the underlying forces of violence (Ireland, Ireland & Birch, 2009). Cultural and environmental forces are often the mostly cited causes of violence (Huss, 2009). These forces manifest themselves in the various ways that determine the impact of the environmental or social triggers on the mental stability of an individual. Psychological analyses of violence have found the youth to be particularly vulnerable to the environmental causes of violence (Hargrave & Livingstone, 2009). Disruptions in the developmental stages of growth, inability to fit into the social order, rebellion against inner insecurities, have been cited alongside inferiority and superiority complex on the part of the youth (Goldstein, 2006). According to some psychologists, the option of violence provides distressed and depressed youth with a convenient escape towards self-actualization and an affirmation of self-identity (Harne & Radford, 2008). Traumatic experiences may also surface in the character of violence and extreme violence in the individuals. Studies on the prevalence of youthful violence in the UK have established links between extreme aggression and proclivity towards suicide among the victims. Depressed youth may want to avenge against certain personal losses through force of violence. Victims of bullying or harassment especially in school develop low self-esteem and my react against the system through extreme show of violence. Measuring Violence and Sympathy Past scientists and experts in human behavior developed various instruments to measure violence and sympathy according to how they express in people of different demographics. Studies in the patterns of violence show that the various ways of expression are ultimately reducible to causes and manner of responses across the affected persons. Some of the widely used instruments of measuring violence include the MVQ and Self Report Delinquency Scale. This particular instrument is particularly relevant in measuring the degrees and levels of violence and sympathy in the youth and young adults. The application of the MVQ and Self Report Delinquency Scale works with the direct oblimin procedure. Generally, the method involves the application of a factoring analysis that observes the characteristics of various factors as they apply to the aspect of violence or sympathy being measured. The precise factors of violence could involve such factors as “machismo” and “acceptance.” For comparative analyses, the measurements could be applied across subjects of various demographic characteristics. Total scores for the various demographics such as gender difference are determined through the Cronbach alpha coeficients, which normally records the scores between the numbers 0.74 and 0.91. The differences are also measured by use of the test-scores that indicate the manner of deviations among the different subjects of study. Other psychologists have also used the Linkert Scale to determine the variations in violence and empathy of individuals. Each chosen method has its strong and weak points. As such, it remains upon the user to determine the most appropriate measurement tool that appropriately meets the demands of the situation and the nature of study. Bartol and Bartol (2012) connect the meaning of violence with the use of physical power or force to threaten or inflict injury or harm on the body or mind of a victim or a group of victims. The agent of violence can be an individual, groups, or a system. According to this definition, the perpetration of the acts of violence must involve some intentional aspect in order to acquire its real significance. It might be necessary to consider the fact that the agent of violence usually wields some significant power or control over specific aspects of the targeted victim. Related definitions of violence regard it as a transaction of harmful power by a more privileged group to a less privileged one (Weiner, 2012). On this matter, it becomes evident that certain forms of violence will tend to demonstrate an increasing aspect of dominance and control over the targeted victim. The threshold of violence must include some specific aspects of harm, which emanates from intentional actions of a group or individual over other individuals or groups because of their relative differences in power and control. These definitions illustrate the aspects and essence of power as it relates to relations of the agent and the victim. Empathy relates to the awareness of an individual or a group of certain uncomfortable situations of other people and the capacity to respond to such an awareness in a responsible and caring manner (Weiner, 2012). Empathy entails the capacity to connect and share the feelings of other people and engage in remedial processes that are meant to alleviate the pain incurred by other people. Empathy differs significantly from sympathy in terms of the capacity to act willfully in lessening the pain incurred by the other groups. Feelings of sympathy often include the capacity to enter into the situation of other people with the objective of understanding the precise nature of harm and pain experienced in order to act in the most appropriate ways of reducing the impact of the harm (Harne & Radford, 2008). On this score, it might be argued that empathy involves the awareness of pain and the capacity to act. Violent thinking is the conditioned adoption of negative thought processes that promote desires to act in ways that inflict pain on other people (Donnell & Sturmey, 2008). Violent thinking provides the mental structures that enable the occurrence of violent acts. On this matter, it becomes important to consider the fact that violent acts automatically results in situations of violence as determined by the various factors that promote damage and harm. Violence thoughts encourage the agents of violence to act in ways that dehumanize and intimidate their targets or objects of hatred (Widom, 2012). The thought patterns often places the agent at certain positions that privilege them over the targeted victims. Violent thoughts are considered as the fundamental building blocks of violent actions. For instance, acts of homicide targeting male victims in the UK are largely perpetrated by male perpetrators known to the victims (Markowitz, 2000). Women victims tend to be targeted by their partners or their past relations. Records on violence targeting children have shown that parents, guardians, relatives, or adult people well known to the children harm most victims. For instance, the studies show that many sexual offenders targeting young children are usually adult children who raise the least kinds of suspicions with regard with their capacity to engage in acts of violent actions. In this regard, it becomes important to consider the fact that some of the issues that relate to children victims are largely dominated by sexual offences. Pedophiles and child offenders have shown an increasing prevalence in cases where children are brought into constant contact with male relations or other people such as teachers, neighbors, or religious people who are well known to the children (Dragiewicz, 2010). The manifestation of self-inflicted injury forms a significant part of violence among children. The major categories of self-inflicted injury include suicide or attempted suicide. Religious self-immolation features remotely in the United Kingdom but forms part of the wider picture of violence in the UK. Quite often, self-inflicted injury occurs in cases where younger people are involved. In many cases, some of the issues that relate to issues of suicide often result in matters of suicide relating partners or jilted partners. According to police records, the use of light and portable weapons features prominently in many cases of violence in the UK (Dragiewicz, 2010). However, recent times have shown a preference of guns and other light weapons by perpetrators of homicides and other criminal acts such as robbery with violence or revenge attacks. Some of the issues that connect to the matter of violence are regarded in terms of a determined shift in the nature and prevalence of violence as it occurs among various groups and parties in the UK. Records of violence between the years 2011 and 2012 showed that more men than women have fallen victim to various acts of violence. However, the general categorization of violence includes widowed, divorced, married, cohabiting, single, and separated individuals. Out of these, single individuals report the highest levels of violence as compared to widowed groups. As such, some of the issues that connect to violence conduct could be explained in terms of the various issues that determine the character of individuals in terms of their level of exposure to violent acts. Social factors and behavioral patterns comprise some of the factors of vulnerability among the various groups. According to a range of studies, the cultivation of empathy requires the application of various strategies, which target the inculcation of positive attitudes among individuals from an early age in life (Markowitz, 2000; Bleich, 2007). Psychologists and experts on human character contend that the cultivation of empathy occurs during the early developmental stages of an individual. According to this line of thought, children are more likely to develop feelings of empathy as compared to adults. This usually takes place during the character development stages of an individual. Parents, teachers, and guardians have the most significant impression in terms of developing feelings of empathy for young children. The development of character usually involves a combination of various positive attitudes that influence the worldview of an individual at the various stages of development. Environmental factors are the dominant factors that control the domination of certain factors and attitudes among individuals. In the general sense, the determination of empathy requires the application of various aspects that determine aspects and attitudes of individuals. The dominant perspectives in the society often determine the kind of characters that individuals adopt over some matters of general interest. According to some experts of human behavior, the determination of character among individuals requires an assessment of a range of factors that promote or inhibit the development of empathy (Bleich, 2007). Children who grow up in an environment of positive values will tend to develop attitudes that are consistent with feelings of empathy as compared to those who grow up in an environment that glorifies violence. Exposure to violent media has been cited as one of the contributory factors to tendencies of violence and lack of empathy among growing individuals (Lazarus-Black & McCall, 2006). The regulation of violent content and increased exposure to virtuous media content are some of the strategies that families and schools in the UK have attempted as ways of limiting the occurrence of violence actions and violent thinking among groups and individuals. It would be more appropriate to consider the fact that the determination of violence takes time and requires processes of learning and unlearning certain values that attend to the matter of violence and empathy. All-inclusive approaches should be regarded as strategies of promoting non-violent actions and attitudes among people and individuals. Societal, individual, and institutional approaches should aim at promoting non-violence actions and attitudes among individuals and groups. On this matter, it follows that the determination of various aspects of individual character should relate to individual and group strategies for purposes of sustainability. Governments and non-state actors in the UK should explore the causative and structural basis of violence in terms of seeking the most appropriate strategies of infusing positive values and virtues in individuals as a way of achieving lasting impact on the character of individuals. Mores, values, and traditions of individuals should be adjusted in ways that promote positive aspects of character in individuals while promoting certain safeguards against the strategies of individuals. The inclusion of ethics into formal curriculums in schools and colleges could have a significant impact on societies in terms of promoting the necessary aspects among characters for achieving positive aspects among groups and individuals. On this manner, it would be important to consider the fact that certain aspects of character can create significant impacts on the character of individuals as perceived in the context of character development. References Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2012). Introduction to forensic psychology: Research and application. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications. Bleich, E. (2007). Hate crime policy in western europe: Responding to racist violence in Britain, Germany, and France. The American Behavioral Scientist, 51(2), 149-165. Cowell, N. M., McDavid, H., & Saunders, T. S. (2012). Managing guest security in a high-violence society. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 4(1), 32-47. Davies, G., & Beech, A. R. (2012). Forensic psychology. 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