Although many factors may influence the initiation of drug or alcohol use, the perception of risk associated with these behaviors also varies by gender, age, and type of drug. Understanding the different patterns of risk perceptions that emerge during adolescent development may help to better target health communication messages and increase the…

In 2006, more than 6 million individuals were victimized by violent crimes. Although violence is below levels of the early 1990s, it remains high. The extent of violence and its impact highlight a critical need to develop and implement effective programs to reduce violence and victimization. Communities have initiated a wide range of such…

Changing alcohol and drug use patterns among women and ethnic minorities, such as the over-representation of Hispanics in alcohol-related deaths, drunk driving arrests, and treatment facilities, emphasize the importance of understanding substance use patterns in these populations. This study attempted to identify a single cause of substance abuse…

This study combined a social capital-oriented status attainment approach, a life course perspective, and a risk approach that features analysis of subgroups at particularly high risk, to examine the determinants of adult achievement among at-risk males. Achievement was operationalized as socioeconomic attainment and included outcomes related to…

In 2000, the California Legislature passed the Schiff-Cardenas Crime Prevention Act, which authorized funding for county juvenile justice programs and designated the Board of Corrections (BOC) as the administrator of funding. A 2001 Senate Bill extended the funding and changed the program's name to the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act…