NCJ Number
177906
Journal
Journal of Emotional Abuse Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: 1999 Pages: 23-37
Date Published
1999
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article reviews recent literature on how chronic community violence affects children and suggests how communities can buffer the effects of violence on children.
Abstract
The literature review shows that children witness, hear about, or are victims of violence daily in the United States. Children may be even more susceptible to the effects of the trauma of violence than are adults. Children learn from everything around them. Every experience is recorded and stored in their memories, affecting both their beliefs and their attitudes. There is even evidence that this information affects their nervous systems, which may influence involuntary reactions to later situations based on earlier stressors. Children who grow up in chronically violent neighborhoods typically face stressors other than violence, including racism, poverty, poor public education, and a lack of economic opportunities. The responsibility for these children cannot be placed solely on their parents, who usually have limited resources. Communities must pool their resources to develop safe havens for children. Schools, neighborhoods, and community centers should be patrolled by both police and residents through neighborhood watches, so that children may be actually safe and feel safe. Parents, teachers, police, ministers, and community residents should be educated about the detrimental effects of violence on children. The problem of violence exposure must be discussed and processed with children. Overall, communities must mount programs and produce environments that empower children and their families to improve the influences that affect their lives. This article includes descriptions of community-based prevention and intervention projects designed to prevent the negative impact of violence on children. 24 references