This report by the National Committee on Violence reviews the incidence and prevalence of violence in Australia. It finds that the risk of becoming a victim, or perpetrator, of violence is not evenly distributed across the population. Children under twelve months of age are at the greatest risk of becoming a victim of violence. The risk of violence depends on the interaction of a number of possible factors. The most significant factors that contribute to violence include child development and the influence of family, cultural factors, personality factors, substance abuse, biological factors, mental illness, media influences, and peers and schooling. The Committee makes 138 recommendations with the aim to prevent and control violence. The recommendations are grouped around three objectives, these comprise the adoption of a national strategy to promote non-violent attitudes; reduction of factors which aggravate the risk and extent of violence; and improvement in the availability of accurate information about the extent and nature of violence.
Contents
- Part one. The state of violence in Australia
- Introduction
- Sources of information on violence in Australia
- Costs of violence in Australia
- Patterns and trends in Australian violence
- Risk of violence in Australia
- Conclusion
- Part two. Explaining violence
- Introduction
- Biological factors
- Personality factors
- Mental illness
- Social-psychological explanations
- Substance abuse
- Cultural factors
- Conclusion
- Part three. The prevention and control of violence: conclusions and recommendations
- Introduction
- Public sector agencies: health and welfare
- Public sector agencies: education
- Public sector agencies: employment and training
- Public sector agencies: housing
- Public sector agencies: public transport
- Public sector agencies: sport and recreation
- Public sector agencies: Aboriginal affairs
- Public sector agencies: criminal law, evidence and procedure
- Public sector agencies: police
- Public sector agencies: courts
- Public sector agencies: prisons and corrections
- Miscellaneous regulatory authorities
- Information and research agencies
- Local governments
- Private enterprise
- Other non-government organisations
- Professions
- Other groups
- Conclusion
- References
- Minority report I: Boxing
- Minority report II: The impact of the mass media on the incidence of violence
- Appendix A. The process of community consultation
- Appendix B. Speakers at community forums and speakers at committee meetings
- Appendix C. Submissions and responses to request for information
- Appendix D. List of speakers who participated