ABSTRACT

It is widely accepted that violent crimes have surpassed tolerable levels in the United States and in many places around the world. Often unfolding in the form of sexual assaults, robbery, murder, physical assaults, and the like, the result is always tragic, and more often than not incurs loss of life, property, and the general feelings of harmony and well-being in our communities. Other mediate costs of violent crimes are the cost of investigative efforts, judicial due process, and incarceration. Even while incarcerated, the hardened criminal continues to commit crimes against fellow inmates and correctional staff. For some violent criminals, rehabilitation efforts appear to have little or no effect, and recidivism is a predictable certainty. Examination of national crime statistics suggests, and social scientists agree, that among the major root causes of violent crimes are illiteracy, socioeconomic status, unemployment, age, and gender. It is therefore essential that solutions to the problem of violent crime address each identified factor individually, and as a part of a comprehensive crime prevention strategy, since there is evidence of interdependence among these factors in certain segments of society. Any decision as to which approach is employed in addressing these causes must take into account cultural sensitivity, proven effectiveness, cost, and the greater societal good. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Crime Statistics show that age and gender are the strongest correlations to violent crimes, with young males of ethnic minorities groups committing a disproportionate amount of violent crimes across the country. While it can be argued that historical factors play a significant role in minorities committing violent crimes, and that this can be corrected with appropriate social, educational, and economic interventions, the same cannot be said of gender. This report examines the phenomenon of violent crimes in our society by analyzing data in the 10 largest metropolitan areas. Results affirm that violent crimes are overwhelmingly committed by young males. Since a fundamental physiological difference between males and females is hormonal, in particular, testosterone, we propose the development of safe humane testosterone suppression drugs and associated delivery systems in order to maintain low testosterone levels in violent criminals, and to preempt violent criminal behavior by high-risk individuals and male juvenile delinquents.