Youth Violence: A Complex
Problem
In addition to identifying 27
intervention programs that have met rigorous scientific standards, the Surgeon
General’s Report on Youth Violence (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/youthviolence/default.htm)
challenges false notions about youth violence and presents serious statistics
about the epidemic in America. One major myth debunked by the report concerns
race and ethnicity—data from self-reports of youth indicate that race and
ethnicity have little bearing on the overall proportion of nonfatal violent
behavior.
Self-report data reveal that
the problem is bigger than perceived: Although such key indicators of violence
as arrest and victimization data show significant reductions in violence since
the peak of the epidemic in 1993, involvement in some violent behaviors remains
at 1993 levels, according to self-reports of high school seniors.
Whether self-reports or
surveillance data, these statistics focus on physical assault by a youth that
carries a significant risk of injuring or killing another person. The Surgeon
General’s report does not address self-directed violence—self-inflicted
injury and suicide—or violence against intimate partners; or behavioral
patterns marked by aggressiveness, antisocial behavior, verbal abuse, and
externalizing (the acting out of feelings). When these issues are considered,
the myths, data, and facts are most compelling, too. For example, suicide is the
third leading killer of young people between age 15 and 24 years. (See the Surgeon
General’s Report on Mental Health and the chapter on depression and
suicide among children and adults: http://www.mentalhealth.org/specials/surgeongeneralreport/chapter3/sec5.html.)
While 15- to 19-year-old girls are twice as likely to attempt suicide, boys are
four times as likely to commit suicide. This rate for boys has been attributed
to an increase in firearms although data from other countries where suicide by
firearms is rare indicate marked increases in suicide rates.
Thus, the real picture of youth violence is much bigger than the public realizes. And, the solution necessarily must be comprehensive and involve healthy communities and families. As the Commission for the Prevention of Youth Violence, representing nine medical and nursing professional associations and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has set forth: “Together, we must work to overcome those factors that place children, youth, and families at risk for violence and capitalize on factors that promote healthy development and resilience such as close parental bonds, safe and stable communities, and good consistent health and mental health care.” “Violence in this country can and must be prevented,” said the Commission in publishing its 7 priorities and 44 recommendations for a violence prevention agenda (http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/3536.html).