-Caveat Lector- >======================================================== >Neil Wollman, Peace Studies Institute, Psychology Department, Manchester >College, N. Manchester, IN 46962; 219-982-5346; fax 982-5043 >======================================================== >GOVERNMENT INCREASINGLY CITED AS SOURCE OF VIOLENCE, ACCORDING TO MC > RESEARCHERS > Uninsured, hungry, and homeless populations grow > >NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. Dec. 14, 2000 America's streets are >safer, but the government isn't doing all it can to improve the >welfare of its citizens, according to researchers at Manchester >College. > >Researchers Dr. James Brumbaugh-Smith, Dr. Neil Wollman, Dr. Brad >Yoder, and students Heidi Gross, Ben Long, and Dustin Brown, have >devoted two years to comparing data from 1996, 1997, and 1998 >the most recent years of available data to 1995 to construct the >National Violence Index. > >Utilizing 19 different variables composed of 34 indicators, the >researchers developed two indices: societal violence, commonly >referred to as institutional/structural violence, and personal >violence. (Refer to the summary table for a description of the >Index structure and results.) Despite decreases in personal violence >that are widely reported, societal violence indicators reveal two >patterns: most corporate, family, and structural indicators have >decreased; most government indicators have increased. > >In fact, the researchers found increases in seven of the eight >indicators for government-related societal violence. In addition, >a significant statistical trend was observed during the period >studied.* Using 1995 as their baseline and indexing that year at >100 percent, the research team discovered civil rights complaints >in 1998 up considerably at 133.7, or an increase of nearly 34 >percent. The complaints included those directed at local, state, >and federal agencies that were reported to the Department of Justice. >This indicator was 120.6 in 1997 and 131 in 1996. > >The government, according to the index, is increasingly neglecting >its people as the 1998 social negligence figure was 112.4, an >increase of 12 percent from 1995. The 1997 figure was 104.4. > >The researchers describe social negligence in terms of people >without health insurance, people who request emergency food and >shelter, and high school dropouts.** Meanwhile, rates for capital >punishment, criminals incarcerated for nonviolent offenses, and >people killed by police intervention, the indicators composing >the criminal justice variable, also have increased since 1995. > >The 1998 figure was 111.8, up nearly 12 percent since 1995 but >nearly constant compared to the 1997 index of 111. > >Despite the increases in government-related indicators, the societal >violence index remained constant as a whole because of decreases >in 14 of the 17 corporate-, family-, and structural-related >indicators. > >The research team reported declines, for example, in the rates of >occupational injuries, illnesses, and deaths, as well as declines >in domestic violence and child abuse. Some of the poverty disparity >indicators have decreased, as well.. > >The research echoes other studies that indicate decreases in >homicides, rapes, batteries, robberies, and reckless behaviors, >all interpersonal violence variables. The researchers found those >indicators to be down, on average, 16.4 percent ? a significant >statistical trend during the period studied. > >"Even given the definite trends that we found, we need to remember >that we are not making absolute judgments," Dr. Wollman, the lead >researcher, said. "For example, even though homicides have dropped >dramatically, some would argue they are still very high." > >The index, which the researchers plan to release annually, is a >project of the college's Peace Studies Institute and Program in >Conflict Resolution, the nation's oldest such program. > >Visit >http://www.manchester.edu/academic/programs/departments/peace_studies/vi/index.htm >for complete details. > >Notes to editors: > >Dr. Brumbaugh-Smith is an assistant professor of mathematics, Dr. Wollman >is the senior fellow of the college's Peace Studies Institute and a >psychology professor, and Dr. Yoder is a sociology and social work >professor. > >A graphic (in GIF and PDF formats) depicting changes in the personal and >societal violence indexes can be downloaded from the Violence Index web >site: >htpp://www.manchester.edu/academic/programs/departments/peace_studies/vi/index.htm. > >*The eight measures are: > >1. Civil rights complaints > >2. Social negligence > 2a. lack of health insurance > 2b. hunger > 2c. drop-out rate > 2d. homelessness > >3. Criminal justice > 3a. capital punishment > 3b. nonviolent incarceration > 3c. deaths by police intervention > >**All of the social negligence factors, except high school dropouts, have >increased. > >All items associated with the Index are copyrighted by the Manchester >College Peace Studies Institute. We encourage wide dissemination >of these materials but request that permission be sought for anything >more than personal use and that appropriate acknowledgment be given. >We would also appreciate being informed of how others use the Index >in their own research, academic and advocacy work. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
