Analysis of Robbery Murder

Robbery is an intrinsically violent crime, and, in fact, is defined as theft accomplished by force or the threat of physical injury. In approximately 2,000 cases in the United States each year, robbery violence proves fatal to the victim. This is a relatively rare event given that there are more than one million robberies annually. Nevertheless, the number of robbery homicides is a major contributor to the public's fear of this crime. From time to time, public concern is enhanced by reports that robbers are becoming more violent. One example from the popular press reports: Another frightening difference in the crime picture is that life now seems pitifully cheap. Law-enforcement officials think they have witnessed a shift toward gratuitous slaughter. "It used to be 'Your money or your life,' " says assistant Bronx district attorney William Flack.Claude Brown offers a number of explanations for the viciousness of youths in inner cities. One explanation is that these youths