NCJ Number
228558
Journal
Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice Volume: 7 Issue: 4 Dated: October 2009 Pages: 331-349
Date Published
October 2009
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study examined the impact of neighborhood and individual level factors as predictors of violent victimization in high school students in Canada.
Abstract
Results indicate that programs designed to decrease alcohol use should also be able to reduce violence, particularly in disadvantaged neighborhoods. It also suggests that discussions of the increased risk of violent victimization should be included in such programs. Disadvantaged neighborhoods had higher proportions of nondrinkers and lower likelihoods of both minor and major victimization. Higher levels of collective efficacy were found to be associated with a lower risk of major victimization. In terms of the protective ability of families, results indicate that increases in family efficacy are associated with reduced risks of both minor and major victimization. Family efficacy represents a middle ground between purely structural measures and heavily relational measures. Finally, while other studies found non-White youth experienced more violence than their White counterparts, this study found that only those who reported "mixed" race were at a higher risk of victimization. Data were collected from 983 school children in grades 9 through 12 in Toronto, Canada between October 2001 and May 2002. Tables, notes, and references