Violence is a part of our world. Some would even argue that it is simply a part of life. When we hear of stunning and horrific acts of violence, the tendency is often to explain it as “senseless,” “random,” and “inexplicable.” But if we believe these descriptions, then we also have to accept that violence can’t be predicted or prevented.

Research today indicates that there are many contributing factors to violence. Some of the most popular are poverty, lack of education, emotional instability, history of abuse and overexposure to violence. The problem with this research, though, is that it does nothing to truly explain and predict violence. When we look at statistics, we find that most people who grow up in poverty, who do not have access to adequate education do NOT actually go on to become violent people! The argument could be made, then, that perhaps it’s not mental instability, drug abuse, or having a violent parent that causes someone to become violent. Perhaps we’re asking the wrong questions! Perhaps there’s another, outside influence that could better explain the origin and predictability of violence.

In his book Why They Kill, Richard Rhodes provides one of the most comprehensive and logical explanations available. Based on the research and writings of noted criminologist Lonnie Athens, Rhodes describes the process of violentization, a process that a person must go through completely in order to actually become a dangerous, violent criminal.

Using case studies and numerous criminal examples, Rhodes demonstrates that circumstances such as poverty, exposure to violence, and poor education do not cause violence. Instead, they are simply circumstances that can promote the process of violentization.

Lonnie Athens, after spending weeks and months interviewing dangerous, violent criminals, developed this 4 stage process of violentization. These 4 stages include brutalization, belligerency, violent acts, and virulency. And only a person that experiences these 4 stages in their entirety actually becomes violent. When we understand this process, it suddenly becomes very easy to understand why one person becomes violent and another does not. It also explains why many women that suffer physical abuse, rarely go on to become violent. It can even give clarity to the trauma that so many soldiers suffer after returning from war.

For anyone trying to grapple with the violence that pervades our society, this book is a “must read.” It is a powerful tool in learning to intervene in and predict violence. Especially for educators and those working in the juvenile justice system, this book provides tremendous insight into how we might develop more meaningful and directed interventions for youth that are turning to violence.