Advancing the Trifecta of Violence: Theory and Application

• In Event: Theoretical Perspectives in Critical Criminology

Abstract

The Trifecta of Violence - a theoretical framework for understanding the relationship between violent ideology/rhetoric, violent policies/laws and violent actions (individual and state) was introduced by Lenning, Brightman & Buist in 2021. That work applied the trifecta to the historical violence of lynching Black Americans and contemporary homicides committed against transgender individuals. Since that time, scholars from a variety of disciplines (e.g., social work, health care) have found the trifecta to be a useful lens through which to understand systemic harms. Additionally, within criminology, it has been argued that the trifecta has strong potential for application to state violence, both direct and indirect harms, which should be further explored. The purpose of this paper is to explore the breadth of the trifecta framework, demonstrating its applicability across communities, historical moments, and the micro and macro levels.

Authors

• Sara Brightman, Fayetteville State University

• Emily Lenning, Fayetteville State University