Southern Subculture of Violence: Effects of Change from Interregional Migration and Education on Attitudes Supporting Violence

This study examines the changing demographics and its affect on the influence of the South on attitudes supportive of violence. The South has maintained a high level of violence compared to other regions of the country. Research has uncovered a myriad of correlates, predictors, and/or causal factors that explain high rates of violence in the South. To date, the consensus theory that explains this phenomenon is the subculture of violence theory. Previous research established the basis of a Southern subculture of violence based upon the consistently high homicide rates in this region. Research also has proposed many cultural and structural constructs that explain attitudes supportive of violence with the disparities in rates of violence in the South. Recent studies by Ellison and McCall have indicated the potential diminishment in the regional disparity in attitudes supportive of violence. Therefore, the present research examined the 1976, 1984, and 1993 GSS data years through regression analysis in an attempt to discover the%existence of a declining influence of the South in attitudes supportive of violence. After controlling for the main influences of region in each time period, the findings substantiate a declining trend from 1976 to 1993 in regional attitudes supporting violence. Finally, implication of the findings and future research are discussed.Air Force Inst of Tech Wright-Patterson AFB OH is the author of 'Southern Subculture of Violence: Effects of Change from Interregional Migration and Education on Attitudes Supporting Violence' with ISBN 9781423585442 and ISBN 1423585445.