NCJ Number
171555
Date Published
1997
Length
51 pages
Annotation
This booklet proposes a theoretical framework to guide research, policy, and action plans for preventing juvenile violence, ranging from individual-level programming to system reform.
Abstract
Data from various sources show that the onset, desistance, continuity, and types of violence vary by age and are influenced by the setting in which they occur. These findings suggest that analyzing violence in connection with human development will provide a greater understanding of such behavior. Such an analysis should trace the multiple pathways to violence, so as to infuse prevention strategies into the dynamics of human development at various stages of the life course. The authors propose an Ecological Model of Life Course Development. The focus of the model is on the direction of human adaptations over time as people move through various developmental stages in a variety of social settings. This issue is connected to the process of integrating and implementing services to supplement healthy human development. The model for action emphasizes skills, opportunities, and sanctions. These actions must be relevant for the population in specific settings. The authors provide a step- by-step approach for applying the model to existing services. The first step focuses on the development needs of the age group served and the social contexts. The second step addresses the overall goal and core assumptions to assess compatibility with developmental needs. The third step evaluates services in accordance with the five key questions of the model; and the fourth step involves the development of new approaches, resources, or activities to enhance the violence prevention potential of the program and/or measure program impact.