Fear of youth violence is a constant concern by millions of people all over the world. Kids seem to take up more and more space of crimes that are usually committed by adults over the age of 18. “Statistics confirm that more horrendous crimes are being committed by increasingly younger children” (Levine 27). These crimes committed by youth’s are caused by many different reasons: Poverty, neighborhoods, schools, parents, and TV, are the main concerns. But what is in most people’s minds is what we can do to help prevent this violence. Although there are many different methods for reducing youth violence such as administering harsher punishments and steering kids away from gang influences, the most effective is training in conflict resolution because it gives kids another alternative to fighting.
There are many different reasons as to why kids administer violence. Families, neighborhoods, peer groups, television, schools, and your personal factors are the main reasons. According to Joy G. Dryfoos, “Children who demonstrate antisocial behavior come from very non-supportive families at two extremes: either the family is repressive and abusive, or it seriously neglects the child from the early years on” (71). Parental neglect is a strong predictor of violence in a child, and parental rejection is the most powerful predictor. “The closer the child’s relationship with his parents, the more he is attached to and identified with them, the lower his chances of delinquency” (Hirschi 71). Neighborhoods and peer groups are also a great influence on kids and their crimes. Growing in an underclass neighborhood is closely related with the risk of delinquency. Not all poor people are criminals, but drugs, guns and poverty are identified as causes of delinquency. These delinquents usually have the lack of role models, good schools, and a nice community. Your friends are also a great influence on what you become or what you do with your future. If you are in contact with peers who use drugs, or those who are delinquents, there is a big percentile that you would become a criminal. “The strongest and most immediate cause of the actual onset of serious violent behavior is involvement with a delinquent peer group”(Elliot 72). This is where violence, crime, and delinquent behavior are encouraged. One of the easiest ways to access violent scenes is through television programs. Every time you get home, and turn on the TV a violent scene usually comes on. This is very sad, because many people around the world are concerned with all the violent acts that occur everyday. Kids feel that Robocop and Hulk are great models, but these characters are a bad influence on children. Growing up to be a violent person isn’t the right road to take. At school, the fight for status and status related confrontations cause violence. Academically poor students are usually those who are aggressive troublemakers, in or out of class. In addition to all these factors, your individual factors also encourage youth to violence. Low intelligence, hyperactivity, and attention deficit disorder are all connected to violence. Your moral values also have a great impact on the delinquents. “Our poverty-one which makes us particularly susceptible to the crime contagion-is poverty of values”(Feder 76).
Gangs are usually made up of kids of different ages. Gangsters are usually males ranging from 8-22. Most of them are either killed or imprisoned before the age of 22. But what attracts kids to gangs? Partying and fighting are what usually attracts kids. But not only male’s make up gangs. Most girls just hang around the males, and go around just as company. Most gangs are made up for a way to get power and protection from the crime in their communities. But usually gangs draw identity; acceptance, security and attention kids are not getting at home. “Gang members’ loyalty to one another, even unto death presents a strong appeal to abused or neglected children”(Hacker 90).
Youth violence is reduced in many different ways. Prevention, punishment, parents and schools can help steer kids away from violence. In order to stop crime, it is important to prevent it. Trying to stop crime before it happens might help stop youth violence. Punishments are said to help kids stop committing crimes. Treating kids like adults might make them realize that what they are doing is not a minor fault, but it is something in which adults are treated if they were to commit it. “The two basic approaches being advocated to reduce juvenile crime in America [are] prevention and punishment” (Doregan 106). It is also very important for parents to be involved. Parents should be role models for kids. Many children loose their fathers at an early age, and their mothers are harassed trying to get enough money to raise and feed them. If your son/daughter sees you doing nothing all day, what are they going to think? It is not a good idea to be a bad role model. Schools can play an important part in reducing youth violence because they can enforce programs on violence reduction, conflict resolution, and peer mediation. Conflict resolution courses help kids take another view of incidents. Violence isn’t the only way to settle things. In peer mediation, students are used to reduce conflicts between other students.
Although these are many ways to reduce youth violence, the most effective to me is training in conflict resolution. These conflict resolution programs have grown in popularity in schools, elementary or high schools throughout the world. On this conflict resolution course, you train to look for different views to settle your problems. Most kids today feel that violence is the only way out of problems, but it is not. Violence does not get you anywhere. Even if you win a fight, there will always be some type of tension. But taking a conflict resolution course will teach you how to talk through your problems. This will not only help you a young person, but it will help you all your life. Recently, this course has been applied her in school today. In Escuela Americana and many other schools in El Salvador, students feel that it is important to be recognized as the strongest, or the toughest. About two months ago, I met with a group of people from school, and took a conflict resolution course. This is a 3-phase course, 21 hours each. We took the first perhaps, and we learned the basics. We were taught to interact with people we had never talked to before, and it was a good feeling. Many people might think that this course is only lectures. But really consists of only activities. These are activities in which we as a group have a good time. We sit with a partner, and talk about problems, which helps our listening abilities. For example, there would be 16 people, and we would place 14 chairs in a circle. We had to hold our partners hand, and when those standing say “change,” we all had to run up and find another seat without letting go of our hands. This forces you to interact with somebody you would have never imagined you would be with. When you are trying to resolve a conflict you are there to listen to what the person has to say. This is why they practice listening skills so abundantly. In our community, we have many friends that seem to be very violent. There isn’t much we can do as friend, but try to make them realize that there is always another and better way out of problems.
It is very important for people to learn about these conflict resolution courses because if most people just think the way they do, where would the world stand 30 years from now. Our communities are deteriorating because we lack the capacity to change the way we are. Where has all the respect gone? I’ve been raised knowing that you should respect your elders. But all this violence is hurting elders, and there is no respect. These courses will not only help youth’s with student's problems, but they will help parents with their children, and adults with their friends, teachers and students etc. These courses highly encourage families to look into these courses, because they will make their lives and other peoples lives much better.
Gangs, Opposing View Points. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996
Korem, Dan. Suburban Gangs, The Affluent Rebels. Texas: International Focus Press, 1994
Levinson, Darrio. Aggression and Conflict, a cross cultural encyclopedia. Denver: ABC-C110, 1994
Street Gangs, Gaining Turf, Losing Ground. New York: Rosen Publishing Group, 1991
Vigil, James Diego. Barrio Gangs. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1988
Youth Violence. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998