THE INDEX OF SOUTHERNNESS REVISITED. The Influence of Wherefrom Upon Whodunnit

A study by Gastil concludes that the Southern area of the United States constitutes a regional subculture of violence. Loftin and Hill (1974) empirically challenge Gastil's findings at the ecological level of analysis. This study adds a further dimension to that line of research by examining violence-related items from a national survey at the individual level of analysis. Results fail to confirm the existence of a divergent value system among Southerners today. It is suggested that if a “regional culture of violence” once existed, it has vanished over the years.