The long reach of violence and aggression

The immediately preceding issue of psychiatry focused on the effects of violence on children. Of particular concern was the immediate impact of violence in the community on psychiatric symptoms in young children. Also of concern was the relationship of community violence to violence and abuse of children in the home, and the short-term impact of violence on many facets of child development. A group of five papers in the current issue focuses on the long-term impact of violence, aggression, and trauma; its impact on development into late adolescence and on severe character pathology in adulthood. Also of concern in this section are some of the origins of violence and abusive behavior toward children.