Anger, Hatred, or Just Heartlessness? Defining Gratuitous Violence

Posted on December 1, 2010
In Publications, Research
by David Bruce

Violent crime in South Africa is sometimes said to be unusual, because it is perceived to frequently be gratuitous. This article engages with the question of how to define gratuitous violence. It also analyses whether South African violence is characterised by unusual levels of gratuity when the concept is more clearly defined.

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David Bruce

David Bruce is a Johannesburg-based independent researcher and writer working in the fields of policing, crime and criminal justice. He obtained his Master's Degree Public and Development Management and Bachelor's Degree Bachelor of Arts with majors in Legal Theory and Industrial Sociology from The University of the Witwatersrand.

Tags: Criminal Justice, Study on the Violent Nature of Crime

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