U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Library & Multimedia
 Storylines of Physical and Sexual Assault in Urban Nightlife: The Impact of Individual Disposition and Social Context
NCJ Number
              230408

Author(s)
          Philip R. Kavanaugh
Date Published

January 2010
Length
              272 pages
Annotation
              Using storylines as an analytical framework, this study tested a hypothesis regarding factors in physical and sexual assaults that occur in urban nightlife venues (i.e., bars and nightclubs).
Abstract
              The study hypothesizes that outcomes such as physical and sexual assault in urban nightlife venues depend on three factors: a certain individual disposition that includes static personality characteristics influenced by one's background, as well as more transient characteristics such as emotional state and role identity; a social context or spatial location that is either conducive to or an impediment to criminal outcomes; and a confrontation or situation that arises in which an individual makes certain behavioral choices. Depending on the confluence of these three factors, the hypothesis proposes that some individuals will engage in crime, some will become victims, and other will either experience noncriminal outcomes or walk away from potentially dangerous situations. Empirical support for this thesis used multi-method ethnographic data to construct storylines about respondent experiences with physical and sexual assault, identity profiles that identify key dispositional or background facts, and contextual profiles that detail the organization and atmosphere of the social spaces in which their criminal and victimization experiences occurred. According to Agnew (2006), "storylines" refer to key events or conditions that increase the likelihood that certain individuals will engage in crime. This dissertation is a secondary analysis of a previous ethnographic study in which the current author served as the primary research assistant/co-investigator. The study used interview data to construct storylines of respondent's experiences with physical and sexual assault (both offending and victimization), and to construct identity profiles of 51 respondents in operationalizing key individual-level or "dispositional" variables that contributed to offending or victimization outcomes. 8 tables, 2 figures, and approximately 320 references
      
  
          Additional Details
Grant Number(s)
        2008-IJ-CX-0004


  
  
        
  Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored


  
  
        
  Publication Type
        Report (Study/Research)


  
  
        
  Award
        The Relationship Between Individual Disposition and Social Context in Criminal Offending and Victimization: A Storyline Approach
    
  
  
Date Published: January 1, 2010
    
          Downloads
        
                      PDF

Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              NIJ Journal
    
      
            
            
            
      Podcasts
    
      
            
            
            
      Publications Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Multimedia Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Software & Databases
    
      
            
            
            
      Datasets
    
      
            
            
            
      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Aggravated assault
        Assault
        Crime causes theory
        Criminology
        Environmental influences



  
Similar Publications
        
                      Placial Analysis of Events: a Case Study on Criminological Places
                  The interpersonal context of depression and violent behavior: A social psychological interpretation
                  The Sexual Stratification Hypothesis: Is the Decision to Arrest Influenced by the Victim/Suspect Racial/Ethnic Dyad?
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov