Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 323 Societal stress fuels crime and social violence The U.S. Surgeon General has stated that Americans are living in“an epidemic of stress,”which leads to epidemic levels of heart disease, stroke, and other stress-related illnesses. According to research, pervasive stress on a societal scale also correlates with higher crime, including homicide, aggravated assault, rape, and robbery7—and contributes to the outbreak of war, terrorism, and other social violence.8 According to prevailing theory in the field of conflict management,9 the first stage in the emergence of war is mounting stress—political, ethnic, and religious tensions— in critical hotspots throughout the world. Such social stress, if unchecked, erupts as social violence or war. When such societal tensions run deep, history confirms that diplomatic efforts, negotiated settlements, and ceasefires produce fleeting results and provide no stable basis for lasting peace. 8 global peace initiative