Violence Committed by Adolescents

Violence committed by adolescents is the topic most associated with the phrase “adolescent violence.” It’s easy to admit: teens get bad press. Young people are constantly in the news or in the movies, killing or seriously injuring other people. The threat of that violence hangs heavily in the air. Some of the stories are true; some of the images presented to us, however, add exponentially to that image but are not based on much beyond teen and racial stereotypes

The stories that are true are frightening. Most recently, shocking accounts of school violence have captured the nation’s attention, riveting the country toward the “problem” of adolescent violence in our schools. And young people are in danger. The United States has the worst youth violence rates in the world. But the key to piecing together the puzzle of youth violence is first to look at the facts.

According to the Surgeon General, almost one out of every three sixteen to seventeen year olds in the United States self reports participating in acts of serious violence. From 1985 to 1994, the rate of homicides committed by youth aged fourteen to seventeen years increased by 172 percent. In 1999, 35.7 percent of high school students reported being in a physical fight within the last twelve months.

While these numbers are alarming, there is also some good news. Arrest rates for weapons offenses among ten to seventeen year old youth doubled between 1987 and 1993, but then dropped by 24 percent by 1997. Between 1995 and 1997, there was a 22.4 percent drop in the number of youth who reported carrying a firearm once in the past three days.

It is important to remember, however, that the numbers only tell us so much. For example, the National Crime Victimization Survey reveals that the majority (fifty-eight percent) of serious violent crimes committed by youth are not even reported to the police. That means any numbers gleaned from arrest rates or police reports actually under represent the amount of youth violence. Even information cited from self-report surveys has major errors. The truth is, we cannot be certain about the accuracy of these numbers.

What we do know is that violence committed by youth is inseparable from issues of discrimination, poverty, drugs and gun control in the Unites States. So while recent numbers seem to be improving, our statistics remain the worst in the world. Why? Theories abound:

Violent youth are genetically programmed
Their families did not care for them or they were abused
Our school systems do not address violence
Racial inequality demands violent responses

In reality, aggression and ultimately violence can be the result of a combination of all these factors and a causal explanation is impossible to find. The most comprehensive model acknowledges that a combination of external triggers including the media, family, school, peers, weapon availability, money, drugs and discrimination combine with internal triggers such as stress and anger to cause young people to turn to violence.

Is violence committed by young people preventable? The external triggers are difficult to control without broad social change—change that includes speaking out against racism or poverty or getting involved in programs promoting gun control. Internal triggers can be more directly controlled on individual, family and community levels. The challenge is changing the outlet for the aggressive feelings that all people including children, adolescents and adults harbor.

Some teens turn to sports to release their tension in a socially acceptable way while other adolescents turn to creative projects. The same principle holds true in different programs: helping youth turn their valid frustration, anger and aggression into something productive rather than destructive. Examples of projects abound: arts programs in Boston, video-making projects in Pittsburgh and break dancing ventures in Texas. The most successful organizations, ones where teenagers stay involved and active give youth control over their own work and respect for the creativity they bring to their work, their athletics, their music or whatever endeavor they attempt. They combine a control of internal and external triggers to help adolescents avoid violence.

The question is, what can be done to help stop the violence committed by teens? There is a lot that can be done by an individual:

Prevent discrimination against teens. When people talk about “teen violence” tell them the numbers. Rates are decreasing; fewer teens are violent than adults. And in fact, many more teens are victims of violent crimes than perpetrators.
Control one’s reactions to stressful situations. Encourage the local school system to provide programs on anger management and stress reduction. Create a program that respects teens and gives them other outlets for their anger. Every individual can help to decrease the intensity of his or her own internal triggers than can lead to violence. Ask yourself: do you hold grudges, what do you do when you are angry with someone? Where can you go for help if you get so angry you want to hurt someone?
Do not carry weapons. In a survey of kids who had been injured by violence, thirty-five percent of the victims were carrying guns when they themselves were shot. Weapons seem to make the situation more dangerous, no matter who carries them.
Avoid drinking alcohol or using drugs—especially to excess. Alcohol and drugs are a major component of all teens’ lives, whether they use these substances or not. But they also play major roles in increasing the risk of violence. The basic fact is if you do not use substances, you and those around you are a lot safer.
Speak out on issues of violence. Young people are becoming notorious for being violent and dangerous only because of a small minority of violent adolescents. Instead, give the media examples of what youth do to reduce youth violence—whether community service projects, peace and justice projects or other acts of organizing.

The last few years have witnessed a media explosion on the topic of school-based violence—a category that includes violence committed by and largely against young people. While school based violence receives considerable attention, it comprises a very small amount of the youth violence statistics. Less than one percent of all homicides among children aged five to nineteen years occur in or around school groups or on the way to and from school. Bullying and other kinds of school-based violence including threats, fist fights and weapons use remain very common particularly among males who are a significant majority of both the perpetrators and victims of school based violence.

A 1999 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Study reveals the following disturbing statistics:

Over thirty-five percent of high school students had been in a physical fight on school property one or more times in the past year.
Almost eight percent of high school students had been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property during the past twelve months.
About seventeen percent of high school students carried a weapon on school property during the previous thirty days.
Over five percent of high school students had missed one or more days of school during the prior month because they felt too unsafe to go to school.

Between 1993 and 1998, 177 students were killed in acts of school violence. While this is in fact a small percentage of young people, it is an intolerable number. Steps are being taken all over the country to make schools safer. These range from peer mediation program, to metal detectors.

How can one help?

Watch for these signs in your friends and peers: interest in violent art, cruelty to animals, loss of interest in school, possession of weapons or an obsession with violent computer games or media.

Get involved. Ask your school what they are doing to reduce the risk of school violence. And ask other students to get involved. Recruit local peace and justice programs or violence prevention programs to do workshops at your school. Create counseling programs or safe places where discrimination is not tolerated.

If you know someone who may have these characteristics, tell a parent or teacher. If you would like further information on what you can do, check out the National Crime Prevention Council’s website at www.ncpc.org and their suggestions for “Twelve Things Students Can Do.”

Violence Committed Against Young People

While the United States targets extensive media attention on youth that commit violence crimes, there is a remarkable under emphasis on the violence committed against young people. Sadly this is an every growing phenomenon encompassing domestic child abuse as well as the acts of violence committed against teens outside their homes. To begin, let’s again look at the facts:

Homicide is the second leading cause of death for youth fifteen to twenty-four years old. It is the leading cause of death for African-American males and the second leading cause of death in Hispanic males.
In 1997, there were an average of seventeen youth homicide victims each day in the United States.
Teens are 2.5 times more likely than adults to be victims of violence
Over seventy-five percent of teenage homicides involve people who know each other, and in ninety percent of violence committed against youth, the perpetrator and victim are of the same race.
Violence committed against young people is a major health risk in the United States. We are only beginning to understand the magnitude of this problem. The truth is that the vast majority of violence perpetrated against young people is kept hidden from the eyes of statistics. As a result, it is difficult to accurately assess the extent and impact of victimization against youth.

Violence committed against youth, in the form of a threat or bodily harm, can have devastating effects. These youth are subject to serious developmental and emotional problems. Depression, stress and school failure are not uncommon. There is evidence, also, that youth victims of violence are much more likely to become perpetrators of violence. Being a victim of violence is a major risk factor for an adolescent’s future since violence is one factor that creates anger. The cycle of violence traps everyone—not just those who commit the original violent act.

What can one do?

Your safety is essential to helping you to help others. Be careful where you go and with whom you socialize.
Develop a safe neighborhood program. Start a safe walk home program from the bus stop.
If you are the victim of violence, report it to a safe person in your community. The more people know, the more they can try to prevent violent crime.

Violence Witnessed by Young People

A third critical element of youth violence is the amount of violence witnessed by young people every day. This witnessed violence is a major health risk for the nation’s youth. Sometimes the effects of violence exposure are immediately seen and felt, but often the devastating effects lie far in the future. Taking a look at facts is an important first step in thinking about this aspect of youth violence:

Over ninety-eight percent of middle school students have witnessed or have been the victim of violence.
Ninety-seven percent of interviewed students in one study have been exposed to more direct forms of violence other than the media.
Twenty-two percent of adolescents in one urban study reported having seen someone killed and forty-two percent reported having seen someone shot.

Reports from the media show significant amounts of portrayed violence. Sixty-one percent of television programs contain some violence, while only four percent of television shows have anti-violence themes. Almost seventy-five percent of violence scenes on television feature no immediate punishment for or condemnation of violence. Since violence is a learned behavior, youth who see significant amounts of violence, whether at home, in their neighborhoods, on videos or on television learn violence. Those youth exposed to violence often turn to violence. Like those who are victims of violence, those who witness violence tend to have higher rates of depression, anger, anxiety and suicide, as they get older.

It is virtually impossible to live in the United States and not see violence. But there is a significant difference in long-term outcomes when young people see violent programs with an element of realism. When violence is punished or has consequences, adolescents seem less prone to imitate it. Parental involvement and discussion of violent television shows or video games seems to reduce the negative impact it can have on a youth’s future.

What can one do to reduce the amount of violence witnessed by youth?

Act as a positive role model to the people around you. Help them to identify the violence that surrounds your community and explain how it influences people’s lives in the long run. Demonstrate alternative ways to resolve conflicts.
Try to avoid watching violent television or music videos, or playing violent video games without at least planning to talk about the violence with friends of family.
Increase public awareness about the impact of witnessing violence on youth. The truth is, almost every community can use more services to decrease domestic violence, increase gun control and increase peaceful conflict resolution.
If you or someone you know witnesses extreme amounts of violence at home or in your community, try to talk with an adult about it. There may be something they can do to help.

Communicating with Adolescents about Disasters

The events of September 11, 2001 demonstrated that adolescents could be particularly affected by violent events. Teens may not show outwardly that they are disturbed. Rather, sleep disturbances, fatigue and lack of pleasure in previously pleasurable activities may be warning signs that teens have been traumatized. Some turn to substances to find relief. School performance may decline.

Adults need to help teens understand the significance of these events. Discussion is exceedingly important to place these events in context. Some teens may develop Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after witnessing, experiencing or participating in a disaster. Referral to a counselor can help to prevent or minimize PTSD and support by family, friends, school and community can be exceedingly helpful.

Related topics:

Academics, alcohol, anger, child abuse and domestic violence, counseling, hazing, kidnapping, music, posttraumatic stress disorder, rape, sexual abuse and incest, substance abuse