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Youth Violence: Fact Sheet
Occurrence
and Consequences
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In 2002, more than
877,700 young people ages 10 to 24 were injured from violent acts.
Approximately 1 in 13 required hospitalization (CDC 2004).
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Homicide is the
second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24 overall. In
this age group, it is the leading cause of death for African-Americans,
the second leading cause of death for Hispanics, and the third leading
cause of death for American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Asian Pacific
Islanders (Anderson and Smith 2003).
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In 2001, 5,486
young people ages 10 to 24 were murdered—an average of 15 each day (CDC
2004).
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In 2001, 79% of
homicide victims ages 10 to 24 were killed with firearms (CDC 2004).
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Between 1994 and
1999, 172 students ages 5 to 18 were killed on or near school grounds or
at school-related activities (Anderson et al. 2001).
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More than 50% of
all school-associated violent deaths occur at the beginning or end of the
school day or during lunch (Anderson et al. 2001).
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In a nationwide
survey, 17% of students reported carrying a weapon (e.g., gun, knife, or
club) on one or more days in the 30 days preceding the survey (Grunbaum et
al. 2004).
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Among students
nationwide, 33% reported being in a physical fight one or more times in
the 12 months preceding the survey (Grunbaum et al. 2004).
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Data from a study
of 8th and 9th grade students showed 25% had been victims of nonsexual
dating violence and 8% had been victims of sexual dating violence (Foshee
et al. 1996).
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Nationwide, 9% of
students reported being hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by
their boyfriend or girlfriend in the 12 months prior to being surveyed (Grunbaum
et al. 2004).
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Groups at Risk
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Among 10 to 24 year olds,
homicide is the leading cause of death for African-Americans, the second
leading cause of death for Hispanics, and the third leading cause of death
for American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Asian Pacific Islanders
(Anderson and Smith 2003).
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Of the 5,486 homicides
reported in the 10 to 24 age group in 2001, 85% (4,659) were males and 15%
(827) were females (CDC 2004).
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A nationwide survey found
male students (41%) more likely to have been involved in a physical fight
than female students (25%) in the 12 months preceding the survey (Grunbaum
et al. 2004).
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A nationwide survey found
female students (12%) more likely than male students (6%) to have been
forced to have sexual intercourse (Grunbaum et al. 2004).
Risk
Factors
The first step in preventing youth
violence is to identify and understand the risk factors. A risk factor is
anything that increases the likelihood of a person suffering harm. Risk
factors are not necessarily causes. Research has identified the following
risk factors for youth violence (DHHS 2001; Lipsey and Derzon 1998):
Individual
- Attention
deficits/hyperactivity
- Antisocial beliefs
and attitudes
- History of early
aggressive behavior
- Involvement with
drugs, alcohol, or tobacco
- Early involvement in
general offenses
- Low IQ
- Poor behavioral
control
- Social cognitive or
information-processing deficits
Family
- Authoritarian
childrearing attitudes
- Exposure to violence
and family conflict
- Harsh, lax, or
inconsistent disciplinary practices
- Lack of involvement
in the child’s life
- Low emotional
attachment to parents or caregivers
- Low parental
education and income
- Parental substance
abuse and criminality
- Poor family
functioning
- Poor monitoring and
supervision of children
Peer/School
- Association with
delinquent peers
- Involvement in gangs
- Social rejection by
peers
- Lack of involvement
in conventional activities
- Poor academic
performance
- Low commitment to
school and school failure
Neighborhood/Community
- Diminished economic
opportunity
- High concentrations
of poor residents
- High levels of
transiency
- High levels of
family disruption
- Low community
participation
- Socially
disorganized neighborhoods
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Protective Factors
Recent research focuses
on how people recover from adverse situations, bringing a new awareness of
the importance protective factors have in preventing youth violence.
Protective factors are individual or environmental aspects that buffer
young people from the effects of risk. Identifying and understanding
protective factors are equally as important as researching risk factors.
To date, protective factors have not been studied as extensively or with
the same scientific rigor as risk factors. Most existing research is
preliminary; however, studies propose the following protective factors (DHHS
2001):
Individual Protective Factors
- Intolerant attitude
toward deviance
- High IQ
- Positive social
orientation
Peer/School
Protective Factors
- Commitment to school
- Involvement in
social activities
References
Anderson MA, Kaufman J, Simon TR, Barrios L, Paulozzi L, Ryan G, et al.
School-associated violent deaths in the United States, 1994-1999. Journal
of the American Medical Association 2001;286:2695–702.
Anderson RN, Smith BL. Deaths: leading causes for 2001. National Vital
Statistics Report 2003;52(9):1–86.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web-based Injury Statistics
Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. (2004). Available from:
URL: www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars. [Cited 2004 May 24].
Department of Health and Human Services (US). Youth violence: a report of
the Surgeon General [online] 2001 Available from: URL:
www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/youthviolence. [Cited 2004 May 24].
Foshee VA, Linder GF, Bauman, KE, et al. The Safe Dates Project:
theoretical basis, evaluation design, and selected baseline findings.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Supplement 1996;12(5):39-47.
Grunbaum JA, Kann L, Kinchen S, Ross JG, Lowry R, Harris WA, et al.
Youth risk behavior surveillance—United States, 2003. MMWR
2004;53(SS-2):1–100. Available from: URL:
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5302a1.htm
Lipsey MW, Derzon JH. Predictors of violent and serious delinquency in
adolescence and early adulthood: a synthesis of longitudinal research. In:
Loeber R, Farrington DP, editors. Serious and violent juvenile offenders:
Risk factors and successful interventions. Thousand Oaks (CA): Sage
Publications; 1998. p. 86−105.
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