NCJ Number
190276
Date Published
2000
Length
4 pages
Annotation
After reviewing some of the basic facts about violent behavior, this paper outlines strategies for preventing violence by and against juveniles.
Abstract
After defining violence, the paper summarizes some of the psychological effects of violent acts against youth. The link between violence and drug abuse is then noted, followed by a discussion of the importance of identifying target groups for violence-prevention activities. Principles for selecting settings (location where a prevention activity occurs) for prevention efforts are also outlined. Three general prevention strategies are proposed: education, legal and regulatory change, and environmental modification. Education provides information and teaches skills. It can encompass adult mentoring, conflict-resolution education, training in social skills, firearm safety training, parenting centers for improving parenting skills, peer education, and public information and education campaigns. Regarding legal and regulatory change, some examples designed to reduce injuries and deaths from violence include laws that prohibit the carrying of firearms in public and rules that prohibit the wearing of gang colors in schools. Environmental modification includes changes in both the social and the physical environments. Methods of changing the social environment of children and adolescents who may be at risk for being violent or for becoming a victim of violence include such activities as providing preschool education and appropriate or therapeutic day care programs for abused children. For older children and adolescents, this includes the provision of constructive, alternative activities such as recreational opportunities and employment. Small, personal after-school programs that offer contact with caring adults, counseling, help with homework, and recreation can create a safe, constructive alternative to violent street cultures. Change in physical environments may include better lighting for areas where youth congregate, protective landscaping, changes in traffic flow, speed bumps, dress codes, visible identification cards, and closed circuit television monitoring. Overall, violence-prevention activities should target at-risk groups with multiple strategies in a variety of environments.