Why Are American Youth So Violent? Some Clues to Causes and Prevention From an Analysis of Homicide Rates

• NCJ Number: 114187
• Author(s): M A Straus
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 29 pages
• Grant Number(s): 85-IJ-CX-0030
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Paper presented at the conference on 'Youth 2000: Imperatives for Action' at the New York Academy of Medicine, April 27, 1987.

Annotation

This analysis of homicide deaths of juveniles (age 15-19) for 1976-84 and a parallel analysis of homicides committed by juveniles indicates that juvenile violence correlates highly with adult violence in the areas of both criminal violence and legitimate violence.

Abstract

The homicide rates used in this study were computed from a data tape obtained from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. As measured by the murder rate, American youth were less violent than American adults over the period studied, and teens were progressively less violent over this period, particularly black youth. Despite the decreases, however, American youth had a high homicide rate compared to youth in other industrial countries. The more adults used violence for either criminal purposes or legitimate purposes (such as corporal punishment in school, the higher the rate of youth violence. Suggestions for reducing violence among youth are to reduce or eliminate physical punishment in families and schools, abolish capital punishment, reduce violence in the mass media, and reduce the exaltation of militarism. 11 figures, 2 tables, 21 references.