College of Arts and Sciences

Symposium Explores Professor's Theory about Violent Criminals and Violent Acts  

Lonnie Athens

Professor Lonnie Athens, is the author of three books: Domination and Subjugation in Everyday Life, The Creation of Dangerous Violent Criminals, and Violent Criminal Acts and Actors Revisited.

How are violent criminals created? How are attempted and completed violent criminal acts committed, and how are the communities in which these crimes most and least often occur organized?

These questions are addressed by a theory called "violentization," developed by Lonnie Athens, D.Crim., professor of criminal justice. The theory will be explored in detail during a symposium on Wednesday, March 15, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Faculty Lounge (Room 210) of the University Center. All are welcome to attend.

Over the last two and half decades, Professor Athens' theory has generated a great deal of public attention. Pulitzer winner Richard Rhodes popularized the theory in his critically acclaimed Why They Kill: The Discoveries of Maverick Criminologist. Since Rhodes' publication of his book in 1999, the explanation has been mentioned in episodes of prime time television programs such as Murder in the First Degree, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and The Dr. Drew Show.

The symposium will feature the following speakers and presentations:

  • Symposium Moderator: Jeffrey Togman, Chair, Department of Criminal Justice
  • "The Milestones and Paradoxes of The Creation of Dangerous Violent Criminals" by Professor Athens
  • "Society and Violentization: A Critical Theory" by Giuseppina Cersosimo, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Salerno (Italy)
  • "A Visual Representation of Violentization Theory" by Giuseppe M. Fazari, Assistant Dean, Division of Continuing Education and Professional Studies

Professor Athens is the author of three books: Domination and Subjugation in Everyday Life, The Creation of Dangerous Violent Criminals, and Violent Criminal Acts and Actors Revisited. He also has edited or co-edited several anthologies, including Violent Acts and Violentization: Assessing, Applying and Developing Lonnie Athens' Theories and Radical Interactionism on the Rise.

In addition, he has published dozens of articles that have appeared in such journals as The American Sociologist, Deviant Behavior, Sociological Quarterly, International Journal of Group Tensions, Journal of Classical Sociology, Journal for Theory of Social Behavior, Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, Cultural Studies, Critical Methodologies, Qualitative Inquiry, International Review of Qualitative Research, Symbolic Interaction, Studies in Symbolic Interaction and Migration World. Although Professor Athens has spent most of his professional life in academics, he has also worked in a variety of capacities in the criminal justice system, including as an expert witness and consultant for the state and defense in murder trials.