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Preventing youth violence: what works?
A L Kellermann1, D S Fuqua-Whitley, F P Rivara
1Emory Center for Injury Control, Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
Annual Review of Public Health
|June 5, 1998
Summary
Serious youth violence, including firearm use, surged in the US from 1985-1992. Early childhood interventions (prenatal to age 6) show more promise than later ones for preventing youth violence.
Area of Science:
- Criminology
- Public Health
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Serious youth violence and firearm use escalated significantly in the U.S. between 1985 and 1992.
- Youth are frequently victimized by peers, highlighting the need for targeted prevention strategies.
- Numerous programs have been developed to address youth violence, but few have undergone rigorous evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the effectiveness of various youth violence prevention programs.
- To identify critical periods for intervention and effective program types.
- To emphasize the need for ongoing evaluation research in youth violence prevention.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on youth violence prevention programs.
- Analysis of intervention effectiveness based on the age of initiation.
- Assessment of community-based program impacts on high-risk behaviors.
Main Results:
- Interventions implemented from the prenatal period to age 6 demonstrated greater effectiveness compared to those starting in later childhood or adolescence.
- Community-based programs focusing on specific high-risk behaviors showed potential benefits.
- A significant gap exists in the adequate evaluation of implemented youth violence prevention programs.
Conclusions:
- Early childhood interventions are crucial for effective youth violence prevention.
- Targeted, community-based programs may offer additional benefits.
- Sustained investment in evaluation research is essential to determine and refine the most impactful youth violence prevention strategies.