Citation

Shoemaker DJ, Williams JS. J. Crim. Justice 1987; 15(6): 461-472.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1987, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0047-2352(87)90002-X

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Using data from the General Social Surveys, this article examines the subculture of violence thesis as it relates to three ethnic groups–blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians. The data suggest that blacks and American Indians have had more violence experiences (hitting and firearms) than have the general population. Contrary to what would be predicted from the thesis, the data indicate that blacks and Hispanics had lower tolerance of violence than the general population. Only American Indians, on all factors considered, appeared to support the thesis. Even this support, however, took on less significance when regression results were examined. Demographic and residential variables explained more of the variance in violence tolerance and experiences with violence than did ethnic background. These findings suggest that the influence of ethnicity on the subculture of violence is minor and indirect.