NCJ Number
180646
Journal
Health Education & Behavior Volume: 26 Issue: 6 Dated: December 1999 Pages: 788-805
Date Published
1999
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Data were gathered from young people in a poor urban community in New York City, the South Bronx, to help public health professionals better understand young people's perceptions of violence in the context of their daily lives.
Abstract
Data sources included a street survey, five focus groups, interviews with incarcerated young males, and observations of several youth programs. Findings suggested that violence was pervasive in the lives of both young men and women, although gender played an important role in shaping experiences of violence. Other factors that influenced experiences of violence included patterns of substance use, the availability and use of weapons, and perceptions that police did not respect young people. Despite numerous challenges, many young people took actions to reduce violence. The authors suggest four actions public health professionals can take to strengthen the ability of families, schools, youth organizations, and young people themselves to reduce violence in low-income urban communities: (1) violence prevention programs need to strengthen specific protective factors and reduce specific risk factors for violence that young people identify in their own communities; (2) interventions need to be developed that address both shared and gender-specific needs of adolescent males and females; (3) specific causes and consequences of different forms of violence in the lives of young people should be analyzed; and (4) youth programs should be encouraged that offer young people meaningful relationships with adults who care, a safe space to explore options, and opportunities to connect with a wider world. 49 references and 4 tables