Routine Activities and Involvement in Violence as Actor, Witness, or Target

Abstract

This research examines the effects of an active “night life” on involvement in interpersonal violence as either an actor, a witness, or a target. The results show that males with an active night life are more likely to witness as well as participate in violent encounters, whereas an active night life is not a risk factor for females. The fact that night life affects witnessing violence, and engaging in nondomestic but not domestic violence, supports a routine activity approach over other explanations. The results also show that young men, and men without family obligations, are more likely to be involved in nondomestic violence, in part because they go out at night more frequently.