NCJ Number
191420
Date Published
December 2000
Length
52 pages
Annotation
This report examines the extent and causes of juvenile violence and recommends youth violence prevention efforts based on a public health approach.
Abstract
The discussion notes that the rise in levels of fear among children, parents, and public officials regarding youth violence stems from four factors first noted in the adult population: (1) an increase in mass murders and suicides, (2) increased lethality of firearms and ammunition, (3) more random violence, and (4) fewer safe places. The public health perspective regards youth violence as a social problem that can be prevented using the same rational approach that has affected other public health challenges. The six core elements of the public health model are community-based methods, epidemiological data and analyses, ongoing surveillance and tracking, community-based interventions based on scientific analysis, evaluation and monitoring of interventions, and public education to share information. Single-focus interventions are unlikely to be effective. The Department of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have endorsed 10 youth violence prevention and intervention programs, collectively known as Blueprints. Priorities for preventing youth violence should include supporting the development of healthy families, promoting healthy communities, enhancing services for early identification and intervention for those at risk, and increasing access to health and mental health services. Additional priorities should include reducing access to and risk from firearms for children and youth, reducing exposure to media violence, and ensuring national support and advocacy for solutions to violence. Finally, health professionals, schools, business and civic leaders, law enforcement and the justice community, the media, families, faith-based organizations, legislators, and youth can all take specific actions to help prevent and address youth violence. Lists of information sources, biographies of members of the group that produced the report, and 44 references