NCJ Number
189965
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2001 Pages: 371-388
Date Published
August 2001
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article examined correlates contributing to young adults' violent behaviors.
Abstract
The study examined the extent to which gender, personality attributes, household, community, and environmental factors were associated with violent behaviors in young adulthood. The article presents findings from 1996 face-to-face surveys of a sample of 765 21-year-old individuals participating in a drug and delinquency prevention study. Personality attributes, opportunities, and social acceptability of antisocial behaviors accounted for gender differences and had more influence on violent behavior than environmental correlates. The article suggests, however, that neighborhood mobilization and innovative policing strategies could help minimize neighborhood opportunities for involvement in violent behavior, empowering communities to mobilize efforts in implementing more informal social controls. In summary, these data suggest that individual attributes were more significant indicators of violence in young adulthood than were family and community factors. Programs targeted at preventive interventions should emphasize promoting healthy lifestyles and decreasing risky opportunities and behaviors. Tables, references