Key Concepts:
Vocabulary: violence, assault, random violence, homicide
Understanding Violence
Causes of Violence
Main Idea: Weapons, drugs, and gangs are some factors that can contribute to violence.
Violence is the threatened or actual use of physical force or power to harm another person or to damage property. Some acts of violence result from interpersonal conflicts that escalate out of control. However, violence can also be random. People may commit violent acts for many reasons. Causes can include
uncontrolled anger or frustration.
a need to control others.
hatred or prejudice against a particular group.
retaliation or revenge for some past harm, whether real or perceived.
Certain risk factors make children and teens more likely to be involved in violence. Children are at a greater risk if their families are poor, have low levels of education, or are involved in illegal activities. For teens, friends and peers play a greater role. Having friends who are involved in violence a and crime greatly increases teens’ risk of committing violent acts themselves. Fortunately, there are factors that can help protect teens from participating in violence. Teens who are committed to school and have a negative attitude toward crime are less likely to commit acts of violence, even if they have several risk factors.
Alcohol and Drug Use
Studies have found that alcohol, in particular, plays a role in many violent crimes. There are several possible reasons
for this connection:
Drinking and drug use can lower people’s self-control. As a result, they may be less likely to restrain their violent impulses.
Drinking and drug use can damage people’s judgment. They may overreact to something they see as a threat or fail to consider the consequences of their actions.
Teens may engage in violent crimes as a way to get money to buy drugs.
People who use drugs and drink alcohol are more likely to engage in other high-risk behaviors, such as fighting, carrying weapons, and engaging in other unsafe activities.
Some teens actually become involved with violence before they start to use alcohol or drugs. In other words, for some teens, it isn’t using drugs and alcohol that makes them violent. Instead, their violent lifestyle puts them at risk for other problems, including substance abuse.
Mental and Emotional Problems
Low self-esteem is another risk factor for violence among teens. Insecure teens may try to use violence to prove them- selves. Teens who have had little success in life may use violence as a way of getting back at a system that they think has caused them to fail. In addition, teens with low self-esteem may be more likely to join gangs as a way to belong. Gang membership puts teens at much higher risk for violence.
Stress, depression, and strong emotions such as anger can lead some teens to become violent. Learning to control anger effectively can greatly reduce the risk of violence. Anger management workshops and counseling can help people learn to deal with anger and avoid lashing out at others.
Availability of Weapons
A recent government survey revealed that nearly one-in-five high school students reported having carried a weapon within the past 30 days. Five percent of all students said they have carried a gun. Access to weapons can increase violence. To protect yourself from the dangers associated with weapons, follow these strategies:
Do not carry a weapon. People who carry guns are twice as likely to become victims of gun violence. If you know that another teen is carrying a weapon, tell a trusted adult, such as a parent or teacher. If necessary, you can contact the authorities anonymously. If your parents keep a gun at home, encourage them to equip it with a trigger lock and to store it unloaded in a locked cabinet.
Violence in the Media
Every day, children and teens are exposed to violent words and images in television, movies, song lyrics, and video games. More than 60 percent of all television shows and nearly 90 percent of top-rated video games contain some violence. In addition, scenes that feature violence often fail to show its harmful consequences. In many cases, the characters who commit violent acts suffer no punishment as a result.
Exposure to violence in the media can influence the way people think about violence. This is especially true for children and teens. Some young people who view scenes of violence may begin to perceive it as normal or even positive. Studies have found that children and teens act more aggressively right after watching violent scenes. Also, children and teens who are aggressive tend to watch more violent television than their less aggressive peers.
Gang Violence
Youth gangs are groups of teens or young adults who are involved collectively in violent or illegal activity. Gangs are often involved in drug dealing, robbery, and violent attacks on members of rival gangs. Teens who join gangs may be seeking protection from violence or looking for a way to fit in. Teens who belong to gangs are much more likely than their peers to commit serious or violent crimes. They are also much more likely to become victims of violence. Being part of a gang reduces a teen’s chances of graduating from school and finding a steady job. As a result, teen gang members may end up as career criminals.
To avoid gang influence, be aware of gang activity in your area, including the colors and symbols used by various gangs. Doing so will enable you to recognize and steer clear of gang members. It will also help you avoid dressing in a way that could cause you to be mistaken for a gang member. Seek out positive alternatives to gang membership, such as sports or after-school programs. Be prepared to use refusal skills if anyone ever tries to recruit you into a gang.
Types of Violence
Main Idea: Violence may be physical or sexual.
In nearly half of all violent crimes, the victims know their attackers. This rate is higher for certain types of crimes. Victims of sexual attacks, for instance, are very likely to know their attackers, while robberies are typically random.
Teens who are involved in school activities are at less risk of violence, including assault and homicide.
Assault and Homicide
An assault is an unlawful physical attack or threat of attack. Assaults range from minor threats to attacks that cause life-threatening injuries. Each year, more than 4 million assaults take place in the United States, and more than one million of those incidents result in injury. Roughly half of all assaults occur between people who know each other. However, assaults may also take the form of random violence-violence committed for no particular reason.
If the victim of an assault dies, the crime becomes a homicide, the willful killing of one human being by another. Teens can protect themselves from assault and homicide by avoiding the risk factors associated with violence in general. That means avoiding drugs, alcohol, weapons, and gangs. You can also work on developing your protective factors. For instance, strengthening your ties to your family and your school can lower your overall risk of violence.
Hate Crimes
A hate crime is any crime motivated chiefly by hatred of or prejudice against a particular group. People may be targeted because of their race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, or other difference. Hate crimes can take many forms:
Hate crimes affect everyone, spreading fear, distrust, and anger throughout the community. The best way to stop hate crimes is to change the attitudes behind them. Practicing and teaching tolerance of other groups can go a long way toward ending these crimes. When a hate crime occurs, community members can condemn the crime and express support for the targeted group. This may prevent the hate violence from escalating.
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