Youth violence is one of the most pressing social ills that promise to cripple entire generations of youth. The Washington State Department of Health defines youth violence as "All death and hospitalization due to injuries inflicted by another person with the intent to injure or kill by any means among youth ages 10-24" (State 1). Youth violence is widespread and a pervasive problem in American schools and on the streets of cities, towns and rural areas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), youth violence is the second leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 10 and 24 (Understanding 1). From an increase in bullying and guns being brought to school to other social ills like poor parenting, poverty and drug use; youth violence resulted in 5,764 murders of young people ages 10 to 24, an average of 16 young adults per day (Facts 1).
Many youth are deemed at-risk for violence or at-risk for violence due to a number of at-risk factors across various domains pinpointed by researchers and other professionals. Risk factors associated with the individual include:
. Chronic physical aggression
. Concentration problems
. Early initiation of violent behavior
. Involvement in other forms of antisocial behavior
. Believes and attitudes favorable to deviant behavior
Other risk factors across the domains of family, school, peers and community have been identified, such as academic failure and low bonding where school factors are concerned (State 3).
Perry Henderson. Allen Joplin. Pierre LaPoint. Quincy Coleman. These names are but a few of the young individuals whose lives were senselessly snuffed out by youth violence in the past year in Seattle, Washington. An increase in gun violence coincides with an increase in youth-on-youth violence in the State. The homicide rate among y...