What Are Some Causes Of Youth Violence?
For far too many young Americans, violence is a reality of day-to-day life. Young people, especially young people from minority communities, are particularly exposed to violence, injury, and even death.
If you’re at all paying attention to the news these days, this may come as less of a surprise. It feels like we’re waking up to news of tragic events more and more. Whether it’s due to bullying, gang violence, or even acts of outright terrorism, violence is a real threat for far too many young people.
You might be curious why violence seems so prevalent today and what some of the underlying causes are that have contributed to it.
We believe that understanding the root issue behind youth violence is the first step towards working to decrease it. With that in mind, today we’re going to look at some reasons behind the steep incline in violence among young people.
For those that have experienced violence firsthand, some of the details included in this article may be troubling or triggering. Take care of yourself and always consider your mental health first and foremost.
What Is the Status of Youth Violence Today?
Unless you’re living in an area that is disproportionately affected by violence — in most cases, cities — you may not be aware of the extent to which this problem has permeated daily lives.
Let’s take a look at the state of violence for young people today.
For all young people in the United States (in the 10 to 24 age group), homicide is the third leading cause of death. For Black youth, homicide is the leading cause of death. Young Black people, especially those living within dense urban environments, are far more likely to be exposed to violence.
Every day more than 1,000 young people are treated for injuries incurred from different types of violence. Every single day.
One study of young women indicated that anywhere from 3% to 24% of their first sexual encounters were non-consensual.
It can be staggering to consider the trauma that young people endure today. Violence is not a single act. It is a damage that transcends the people involved, implicating families and communities into a cycle of danger and pain.
We believe more than enough families have suffered a loss from violence. We believe something has to change.
Why Does Youth Violence Seem to be Increasing?
Change begins by fully accepting the issue at hand. To take on youth violence and start to bend the trend line down, we need to understand what’s behind these troubling statistics.
We can’t know the details behind every attack or event, but there is one thing we know for sure. Violence at these rates does not just happen. Whether it’s due to systemic failures, a misguided culture, or a lack of regulation, youth violence is very much a result of the state of the world we live in.
That may sound pessimistic, but it’s really a good thing. If the violence is a result of the state of our world, then it means we have the power to change it.
That said, let’s take a closer look at some of the root causes of youth violence. We want to be careful not to oversimplify or point fingers. There isn’t one straightforward cause behind every violent attack.
Rather, there’s often a complex web of causes, some influenced by each other, some independent of each other. We’ve done our best to outline a few but not all of the common social determinants behind youth violence below.
Lack of Resources
One of the reasons we see causing violence among young people is a lack of any alternative resources that can help diminish that harm.
Social workers and counselors are valuable contributors to the fight against violence, and too often, the communities that most need them often have no access to them.
For many young people, especially those of Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous backgrounds, calling or involving the police is not always a safe solution to violence. That’s why we need alternative resources to help mediate violent social situations and guide people towards de-escalation.
All people, regardless of age, benefit from feeling they have a safe, trusted person to confide in. Social service resources and in-school counseling are essential pieces of the puzzle when it comes to decreasing youth violence.
Instability at Home
Many young Americans know all too well how poverty and unemployment can damage the fabric of their everyday life.
The World Health Organization identified unemployment in the family, low family income, and low parental involvement in activities as key contributors to violence.
Parents who have to work multiple jobs to feed their families aren’t able to be as hands-on as they may want to be. As a result, parents may miss some of the key warning signs that their children are at risk for aggressive behaviors and activities.
This is an example of national laws and economic policies doing real harm within individual households. Parents working more than 40 hours a week and still struggling to stabilize their family’s income is a startling but all too real fact of our modern society.
These gaps have a real impact on the children growing up around them.
Access To Illegal Substances and Use of Drugs
Studies show that early abuse of alcohol and drugs is a risk factor associated with violence.
Engaging with the illegal drug market puts young people at risk for harmful or dangerous situations. Once they access illicit substances, tobacco, drugs, and alcohol, their inhibitions can be diminished to such an extent that they may participate in violent behavior and activities.
What’s even more troubling is that violence can perpetuate a cycle of child abuse and neglect, which continues on after a trauma has occurred. As any addict will tell you, this can be an exceedingly difficult burden and cycle to break.
Access To Weapons
Another example of how regulation perpetuates youth violence is just how available weapons are in our communities.
The more guns and gun violence there is in an area, then the more concerned and afraid young people are about being shot. As a result, they may carry guns on them as a means of self-defense.
The logic makes sense, but the statistics tell a different story. Time and time again, studies show that the presence of a firearm in the home increases the risk of someone getting injured.
Again, we’re talking about cycles that are difficult to break. Exposure to violence makes young people more likely to become perpetrators of violence.
Lack of Positive Examples
As we’ve mentioned, the environment around a young person plays a big role in the decisions that person will make. We cannot expect every young person to break free of the cycle of violence when lacking the protective factors of violence rates.
For middle and high school students, at those ages when they're already concerned with fitting in and making friends, going against the grain can be a tall order. That problem becomes even bigger when we’re talking about bullying and violence.
A lack of positive examples from an early age — calm, non-violent peers and adults that withstand the influences of peer pressure — can seriously contribute to a person’s likelihood to participate in violent behavior.
An Abundance of Negative Examples
The inverse situation is just as impactful, especially in terms of gang membership.
For young people who lack familial structure and social stability, joining a gang may present itself as a viable option for attaining security. Often a reaction to police abuse and injustice, turf wars, and street justice are a means of young people asserting control over their community.
Alongside the effects of peer pressure, the group mentality at play in a gang is a dangerous recipe for youth violence. Bullying, beating people up, and even carrying a weapon, can be justified as a means of fitting in and managing a reputation within a gang.
Too many families know all too well how damaging gang violence can be.
Untreated Trauma and Illness
Everyone processes trauma and mental illness differently. It’s an unfortunate side effect of trauma that those who have been the victim of violence are more likely to act out in violence.
Teens who suffer from behavioral disorders are also more likely to be physically aggressive.
This is why counseling and mental health therapy are such critical steps in youth violence prevention. Therapists and mentors can help young people understand their options when it comes to de-escalating violent situations and managing their anger.
They can also help victims of trauma and PTSD understand what happened to them and what they can do to process the damage without hurting other people. This type of positive intervention can promote healthy life skills and social skills that last well into adulthood.
Last Thoughts on Youth Violence: A Comprehensive Approach
These are only a handful of reasons why a young person may engage in violent and dangerous behavior, but as you can see, there are more than enough issues on the table for us to work on.
It will take a village to help reduce youth violence and address these root causes, but we owe young people safe and protected environments to grow up in. For the future adults and leaders, it’s the very least we can do.
Sources:
Youth Violence | World Health Organization
Causes of Youth Violence | Very Well Family
Preventing Youth Violence | CDC
Gun Violence and Youth | Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention