Introduction
Youth violence: Developmental pathways and prevention challenges

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Abstract

Youth violence is an important public health problem. During the latter half of the 1980s and early 1990s, the United States witnessed unprecedented levels of violence among the nation’s youths. Homicide remains one of the leading causes of death for young people aged 10 to 24 years. This paper reviews the major trends in homicide victimization and perpetration among youths during the past decade, the developmental pathways of delinquent and violent behavior and the context in which these behaviors occur, and some of the challenges associated with disrupting these pathways and preventing violence. Previous research reveals that multiple pathways lead toward violence and delinquency. Predicting which pathway a youth will follow, or if one will be followed at all, depends to some extent on a host of other biological, psychosocial, and environmental factors present as young people transition from early childhood to adolescence to early adulthood. Preventing violence requires a comprehensive approach that takes into account developmental needs, tasks, and supports.

Introduction

S everal school shootings during the past few years, most notably the mass murder–suicide at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, have cast the spotlight on youth violence. School-associated violent deaths, however, are relatively rare events1 and more symptomatic of the much larger problem of youth violence in the United States. Homicide is the third leading cause of death for persons aged 5 to 14 years, the second leading cause of death for persons aged 15 to 24 years,2 and has been the leading cause of death for African Americans in these age groups for more than a decade. Rates of homicide among children, adolescents, and young adults in the United States exceed those of their counterparts in other developed nations by several-fold.3, 4

Unlike the thousands of homicides that occur each year among young people, violent deaths that occur in schools make parents, school officials, and policymakers pause and ask a number of important questions. Researchers and practitioners who work in the area of violence prevention know that the answers to the problem of youth violence are not simple. Violence is a complex phenomenon. The first step toward preventing violence, according to the public health approach, is to identify and understand the factors that place young people at risk for violent victimization and perpetration. This involves understanding the many precursors of violence, including the role of early childhood environments on later violent behavior, as well as understanding how other biological, psychosocial, and environmental factors relate to youth violence.

The purpose of this paper is threefold: (1) to provide an overview of homicide victimization and perpetration among youths during the past decade, (2) to describe the developmental pathways of delinquent and violent behavior and the context in which these behaviors occur, and (3) to describe some of the challenges associated with disrupting these pathways and preventing violence.

Section snippets

Definition of violence

Public health researchers define violence as the “threatened or actual use of physical force against a person or a group that either results or is likely to result in injury or death.”5 In recent years, researchers have expanded the definition to include other possible outcomes, such as psychological harm, maldevelopment, and deprivation. Fatal (e.g., homicide) and nonfatal (e.g., assaultive behavior) outcomes are of particular interest as are the specific mechanisms and intent of injury. The

Prevalence of violence among youth

In 1998, a total of 18,272 homicides occurred in the United States, an annual age-adjusted rate of 7.3 (rates given as number per 100,000).2 Young people are disproportionately represented as victims of homicide in the United States. In 1998, 35% of all homicide victims were younger than aged 25.2 The majority of these victims (82%) were boys and young men. Homicide victimization is also high among African-American and Hispanic youths. In 1998, homicide rates for African-American men and women

Developmental pathways

The period of adolescence and young adulthood is a time of heightened risk behavior. There are, however, different developmental pathways that can lead to serious violence and delinquency during adolescence and young adulthood, and the age of onset for these behaviors may vary considerably.14 Some children exhibit stubborn, defiant, and disobedient behavior at very young ages, progressing to mild and eventually more severe forms of aggressive and assaultive behavior by adolescence and young

Developmental and social context of violence

Behavior and development result from a complex interaction between context and person. Understanding the biological, psychosocial, and environmental factors that place youths on a developmental trajectory of violence over the life course or for a more limited period is key to knowing how to prevent violence. It is equally important to understand these factors within the context of human and social development. As individuals move through the life course from birth to death, they enter and exit

The promise of prevention

Studies of recidivism rates among youths released from correctional and private facilities show that one half to nearly three quarters of these youths re-offend after release.83 Given the complexity of the problem of youth violence in the United States and the desire to reduce recidivism rates among juveniles, it is not surprising that researchers have evaluated a variety of approaches to determine “what works” in preventing delinquent and violent behavior. Through these efforts, much has been

The challenge of prevention

Identifying the factors that increase or reduce the risk for violent victimization and perpetration is important for preventing youth violence because it provides some indication of where to focus preventive efforts. Designing interventions and programs to reduce risk, however, is very difficult. Researchers and practitioners face a number of important challenges in developing violence-prevention programs and evaluating them for their effectiveness. In addition to those discussed in this

Conclusion

The United States has witnessed unprecedented change in the rates of violent victimization and perpetration among the nation’s youth over the past decade. Comprehensive preventive efforts are key to preventing violent and delinquent behavior in young people. Because violence results from a complex interplay of biological, psychosocial, and environmental factors that occur as young people move from early childhood to adulthood, preventive efforts that are sensitive to developmental needs and

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