Why Violence? is designed to be used with Violence: Do We Know It When We See It?: A Reader. These two volumes explore the many ways in which violence is understood and manifest in contemporary society. These books offer a critical analysis of the interplay between popular perceptions and myths with official trends and scientific data; and ultimately they address the puzzling question of why there is a ¿disconnect¿ between the public¿s understanding of violence in society and scientific evidence.