Abstract
Like other immigrant groups, Korean-American offenders victimize their own people. These criminals have operated with near impunity since their victims have been afraid to report crimes to the police. Due to the lack of knowledge of American criminal law and the operations of the justice system in general, Korean immigrants attempt to avoid those institutions in their new homeland that they feared in Korea. The purpose of the present paper is to examine various cultural aspects of serious interpersonal violence among Korean immigrants that lead to official police response. Interpersonal violence seems to be a method of conflict resolution relied upon by Koreans in disputes involving honor. A propensity to punish someone physically who has dishonored another in the form of an insult, cheating, disrespect, or failure to keep one's word—seems to b an acceptable method for redeeming or restoring the honor of the wronged parties. Such manifestations of violence are expressions of power, with physical force often taken to an extreme. The purpose is not just to right a wrong or administer just deserts; it must also serve to demonstrate control.
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