NCJ Number
210024
Editor(s)
Lourdes M. Rosado
Date Published
June 2000
Length
78 pages
Annotation
This fourth of six modules in a Juvenile Court Training Curriculum focuses on the dynamics of the development of chronic violent juvenile behavior that is likely to continue into adulthood, as well as developmentally appropriate interventions for changing such behavior.
Abstract
In discussing the relationship between child maltreatment and subsequent violent offending by the abused child, the module notes that although such childhood abuse puts the child at higher risk for later violent behavior, there are many protective factors that can help the child cope with the abuse without resorting to violence. The module also addresses factors other than abuse that can contribute to the development of violent behavior, such as living in poverty, in an unstable family situation, and in an overall "socially toxic" environment where there is a high incidence of drug and gun activity. The instruction identifies the major points of onset of aggressive behavior in youth, noting that serious violence tends to emerge between the ages of 12 and 18. Intervention at the initial stages of such behavior can successfully provide alternative developmental pathways. The association with delinquent peers is discussed as a critical point of intervention, such that youth at risk for chronic violence are given positive role models and group interactions that teach nonviolent ways of dealing with conflict and stress. The module profiles existing model programs for violent youth that have proven effective in changing their behavior. A 32-item bibliography and 9 appendixes that provide supplementary material for instruction and exercises