Aggravated Battery and Social Control in Indianapolis
This paper examines aggravated battery in Indianapolis, Indiana, one of the U.S. cities with the highest recorded rates of this offense. Using a mixed-methods research design that combines quantitative crime statistics with qualitative survey data, the study investigates whether informal social control is more effective than traditional policing in reducing aggravated battery. The paper outlines a crime analysis framework—encompassing descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive approaches—and proposes a structured survey instrument targeting 80 community participants. It also addresses stakeholder communication and argues that community-based social control complements rather than replaces formal law enforcement in addressing violent crime.
- Introduction: Aggravated Battery in Indianapolis: Overview of Indianapolis aggravated battery statistics and context
- Crime Analysis Framework: Diagnostic and predictive crime analysis approach explained
- Research Question and Survey Instrument: Research question and seven-item survey presented
- Research Design and Methodology: Mixed-methods design, sampling, and data collection plan
- Stakeholder Communication and Thesis: Purpose, stakeholder roles, and thesis statement outlined
- Conclusion: Social control complements policing in reducing crime
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾
What makes this paper effective
- Clearly articulates a focused research question that directly compares two crime-reduction strategies — informal social control versus formal policing — providing a logical anchor for the entire study.
- Applies a four-part crime analysis framework (descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, prescriptive) that demonstrates structured analytical thinking rather than relying solely on narrative argument.
- Balances methodological transparency by explaining sampling rationale, data collection procedures, and storage plans, giving the research proposal credibility and replicability.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates the use of a mixed-methods research design within a criminology context. By pairing quantitative crime statistics from the FBI and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department with qualitative open-ended survey data from community participants, the author shows how triangulation of data sources can strengthen both descriptive and prescriptive claims about crime trends.
Structure breakdown
The paper is organized into two labeled parts — a crime analysis report and an applied criminology research proposal — followed by a conclusion and references. Within the research proposal, sections move logically from the legal definition of the offense, to the research question and survey instrument, through research design, study population, data handling, stakeholder communication, and thesis statement. This progression mirrors a standard research proposal format suitable for undergraduate criminology coursework.
Introduction: Aggravated Battery in Indianapolis
Aggravated battery is a serious problem both globally and within the United States. In Indianapolis, Indiana, cases of assault are particularly high. According to FBI records, Indianapolis registered 7,099 cases of aggravated assault in 2016 — the highest count among the cities surveyed (FBI, 2016). The cases are distributed between men and women, with both experiencing incidences of physical violence and rape. While these statistics reflect underlying factors that contribute to the escalation of crimes from simple to aggravated offenses, there are also social and legal factors that influence how such crimes can be deterred. This means the community has a role to play in curbing crime, creating an environment that discourages criminal behavior, and contributing to the development of laws that address these challenges. Despite the intent behind aggravated battery — which may include killing, robbing, or raping — the prevalence of such offenses can be significantly influenced by how the community responds to crime.
Crime Analysis Framework
A diagnostic approach is essential in determining whether an offender will be entered into the justice system. While discretion plays a limited role in how such offenders are treated, analyzing the effects of subjecting them to prosecution and sentencing is critical for understanding what role punishment plays in minimizing cases of aggravated battery. Such analysis aids in determining the predictive effects of various interventions (Hipple & Magee, 2017, pp. 987–992). When predictive results indicate that crime-reduction efforts are not producing social transformation, the prescriptive component of criminal report analysis comes into play. Here, the solution depends on the available statistics. For example, if the methods used to curb aggravated battery do not result in case numbers lower than 7,099 — with all other independent variables held constant — then the approach should be revised. Population variation and the total number of crimes are factored in by expressing the crime rate as a percentage of Indianapolis's overall population.
According to the 2017 Indiana Code on criminal law and procedure, a person who intentionally or knowingly causes injury to the point that it creates a risk of death, leads to permanent disfigurement, causes impairment of bodily organs or other members, or results in fetal loss commits aggravated battery (FBI, 2016). These features form part of the diagnostic process used to determine whether a committed offense fits the definition of aggravated battery. According to Magee (2020, pp. A7–A8), police rely on clinical data as part of the diagnostic procedure, which helps determine the severity of a crime. It is only after this information is verified that police proceed to formally classify the offense. This research paper likewise borrows this definition and its associated attributes to classify data provided by participants as constituting aggravated battery.
Research Question and Survey Instrument
Research Question: Is informal social control in Indianapolis more effective in reducing aggravated battery than policing?
Survey Questions:
1. What are the most common methods used to counter aggravated battery in Indianapolis? Please explain.
2. Have the existing measures led to a reduction in crime?
3. What is your opinion about the contribution of the police in curbing crime? Do they handle this particular crime effectively?
4. How has social control contributed to crime reduction? If it has not, in what ways does social control lead to an increase in aggravated battery?
5. Compared to policing, is social control more beneficial? Please explain.
6. What methods would you recommend that, based on your personal experience and observation in Indianapolis, would help reduce this crime?
7. Other comments.
Conclusion
Aggravated battery remains among the most common crimes in the world. Many governments have continued to deploy different methods to reduce it; however, cases continue to rise. The research on crime in Indianapolis highlights alternative social control strategies that both police and communities can use to fight crime. While this does not provide an immediate solution to the problem, it generates ideas that can enhance crime management and support the integration of society into crime-fighting efforts. Social control offers powerful methods of countering crime but does not substitute what policing offers — rather, it complements and extends those efforts.
References
Corsaro, N., & McGarrell, E. F. (2009). Testing a promising homicide reduction strategy: Re-assessing the impact of the Indianapolis "pulling levers" intervention. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 5(1), 63–82. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-008-9065-1
FBI. (2016). 2016 Crime in the United States. FBI–Indiana.
Hipple, N. K., & Magee, L. A. (2017). The difference between living and dying: Victim characteristics and motive among nonfatal shootings and gun homicides. Violence and Victims, 32(6), 977–997.
Magee, L. (2020). Identifying victims of firearm assault in Indianapolis through police and clinical data. Oral Presentations.
Magee, L. A., Dir, A. L., Clifton, R. L., Wiehe, S. E., & Aalsma, M. C. (2020). Patterns of adolescent gun carrying and gun-related crime arrests in Indianapolis, Indiana over an 11-year time period. Preventive Medicine, 139, 106199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106199
Create your account
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.