Urban violence

Abstract. Urban violence has become an endemic feature of cities in all parts of the world. The consensus is that levels of violence are increasing generally but that there are significant differences between different parts of the world. Recent studies review these assumptions and examine the problems associated with monitoring the incidence of violent crime. There are new dimensions to urban violence that include the rise in the drug trade, more organized crime and the trend towards more use of firearms. Cities offer specific situations in which violent crime is more likely to occur. There are geographies of violent crime that not only point out differences between cities but also highlight local concentrations of crime within individual cities. Society seeks to control violent crime, principally through its criminal justice Systems but also by involving Community action and local initiatives.