ABSTRACT
Until recently, violence theory and research has focused on explain ing why certain actors are more disposed to violence than others. This volume reflects the growing interest in explaining the occurrence of violence: that is, identifying the specific conditions that channel indi vidual motivation and predispositions into violent actions. This per spective reflects a shift in criminological theory from traditional con cerns with the propensities or risks of individuals, to a closer examina tion of criminal events. The latter approach addresses both the motiva tions that bring individuals to specific events and the transactions or decisions that comprise the event. Recent studies on property crimes (Tunnell, 1993; Shover, 1995; Wright and Decker, 1994), assaults (Oliver, 1994; Wilkinson and Fagan, 1996), robbery (Wright and Decker, 1997), and homicides (Luckenbill, 1977; Polk, 1994), illus trate the confluence of motivation, perceptions of risk and opportunity, and the social control attributes of the setting that shape the decision to participate in a violent event and its outcome.
