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Myth:
A new, violent breed of youth threatens the United
States. Young people are worse now than ever before.
Fact: There is no scientific evidence that today's young
people are more frequent or more vicious offenders than
youth in earlier years.
Myth: Weapons-related
injuries
in schools have increased
dramatically in recent years.
Fact: Weapons-related injuries
in schools have not changed
significantly in the past 20 years. Overall, schools are
relatively safe places for young
people.
Myth: Most future offenders
can be identified in early childhood.
Fact: Exhibiting uncontrolled
behavior or being diagnosed with
a conduct disorder as a child
does not predetermine violence
in adolescence. The majority of
young people who become violent as teens were not "out
of control" as children.
Myth: Child abuse and
neglect often lead to violent behavior later in life.
Fact: Physical abuse and
neglect are relatively weak predictors of violence. Most
children who are abused or neglected do not become violent
offenders.
Myth: African American and
Hispanic youths are more likely to become involved in violence
than other racial or ethnic groups.
Fact: While
there are racial and ethnic differences in homicide arrest
rates, data from self-reports indicate that race and ethnicityhave
little bearing on the overall proportion of nonfatal violent
behavior.
Myth: Nothing works with
respect to treating or preventing violent behavior.
Fact: A number of prevention
and intervention programs that meet very high scientific standards
of effectiveness have been identified.
(See article Knowing
What Works in this issue.)
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The epidemic of youth violence in the United States is not over,
according to a report released by Surgeon General David Satcher.
Although the trend in youth violence is decreasing, it remains a
public health concern and efforts should be focused on preventing
violent behavior. "This is no time to let our guard down on
youth violence," Satcher said. "Even so, our success in
developing knowledge and tools to prevent serious violence gives
us reason to be optimistic."
The report, Youth
Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General,
was prompted by the Columbine High School tragedy. In the aftermath
of that event, Congress called for a report summarizing what research
revealed about youth violence.
According to the report, research shows that we
collectively possess the tools and knowledge needed to prevent youth
violence. A number of strategies exist
that are highly effective in preventing violent behavior.
Schools should take heart at this news. Only a few years ago, many
leading experts involved in the study of violence wondered if anything
could be done to stem the tide of serious youth violence that had
erupted in the 1980s.
Now prevention experts know that there are many things that teachers,
parents and other caring adults can do. Researchers know that there
are specific risk factors for violence—the personal and environmental
features of young people's lives that increase the probability that
they will engage in violence. There are also protective factors
that appear to buffer the effects of risk factors.
The report recommends steps that all Americans can take to address
youth violence and build a legacy of health and safety for young
people. Among the action steps are the following:
- Continue research on how we can effectively
reduce and prevent youth violence.
- Accelerate the decline in gun use by youths.
- Help youth enter effective intervention
programs rather than incarcerate them.
- Disseminate model programs and encourage
fidelity to original program design.
- Provide training for intervention personnel.
- Improve public awareness of effective
interventions.
- Convene a youth violence summit.
- Improve federal, state, and local strategies
for reporting crime information.
These actions offer a vision for the future
that will help us understand, treat, and prevent youth violence
so that all young people grow and mature safely, happily, and healthily.
Click
here to view the complete Surgeon General's report and an executive
summary online, or call the Knowledge Exchange Network at 1-800-789-2647
to obtain a copy.
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