A study was conducted to develop a theoretically and statistically sound measure of neighborhood affiliation for use with low-income urban youth. The aim was to develop a measure that can be used in future studies to predict community violence exposure among adolescents from inner-city neighborhoods. Participants were 167 adolescents from a public…

This brief presents an overview of a comprehensive school safety plan that combines calm and sound attention to the violence that currently pervades children's lives. With regard to the absolute probability of encountering violence or being victimized by crime, schools are the social setting in which students are most protected and least likely to…

This paper describes the role of religious institutions in reducing youth violence in the inner city. The paper focuses on the Ten-Point Coalition, a group of ministers in Boston who have contributed in specific ways to reducing youth violence in that city. It analyzes the effectiveness of the police in reducing violence, pointing to the…

Challenges recent portrayals of the demonic character of female gang members by examining the life histories and social organizations of several different female gangs. Interviews with 65 female gang members from seven groups show that these young women experience potential and actual violence in different violence prone situations. (SLD)

Describes a three-tiered approach that the Omega Boys Club of San Francisco uses to help stop violence among inner-city youth. Essential steps of the plan are to provide appropriate information through effective communication channels, to show youth alternative ways of living that allow them to release their negative behavior, and to teach them…

Most of what the world envisions of the period of westward expansion in America has been crafted through Hollywood cinema. The myths of the West are so ingrained in America's culture that they have taken on a truth all their own. In a series of recent films, which began with the release of "Boyz N the Hood," Hollywood is at it again, presenting…

Qualitative research with 127 low-income young men and women, aged 14 to 30, in Rio de Janeiro found rigid gender roles with males displaying widespread "machista" attitudes (an exaggerated deep structure of masculinity) and acceptance of violence against women that was greater in low-income urban areas. Implications for working with…

Articles in this theme issue counter the myths of youth violence and probe the realities in school, the community, and the juvenile justice system. Most articles highlight the situations of urban youth of color. Alternative perspectives are presented, including some consideration of the situation of young women and girls, and some artwork and…

Psychosocial correlates of exposure to violence are explored to gain insight into how adolescents are affected in areas of school-based adjustment, and also whether specific groups of youth are affected more than others. Data were gathered as part of a study on academic adjustment across two groups of adolescents: one from a Northeastern…

Assessed the effects of exposure to nonviolent rap videos on black adolescents' perceptions of teen dating violence. Results from 60 black adolescents and teenagers indicate a significant interaction between gender and video exposure: male acceptance of the use of violence was not a function of viewing the videos, whereas video-viewing females…

Recognizing that violence is demographically concentrated in the male minority in inner cities is a necessary starting point for discussions of how to combat this violence. A conference on the prevention of youth violence was held in May 1996 to throw light on the problem of youth violence directly and specifically. Participants in this conference…

Presents a conceptual framework from Cleveland's (Ohio) George Gund Foundation youth violence prevention initiative to assist planners and funders effectively and creatively address youth violence in their communities. It presents an overview of current approaches to youth violence and treatment and a means for identifying, categorizing, and…

In an ethnographic reflection on 10 years experience working in the high schools of inner-city New York, issues of school safety, discipline, and violence are explored. The central proposition is that the mentality that relies on paramilitary security measures and technological devices, such as metal detectors, to achieve safe schools is only an…

A pattern of increased homicidal violence among adolescent youth in American inner cities has been documented and studied for some time. This elevated lethal violence has been observed to be a major cause of death in this age group and has been observed to be a particularly male phenomenon, especially for ethnic minorities. Both victims and…

Studies firearms behaviors among 835 criminally active male, mostly urban, youth and 1,653 male and female innercity high school students in 4 states. It is evident that the large urban environment encourages youth to be armed and that enforcement activities alone will not be enough to alleviate the problem. (SLD)