Youth Violence: Sex and Race Differences in Offending, Victimization, and Gang Membership

by Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, Terrance J. Taylor, Adrienne Freng

Overview

Violence by and against youth continues to be one of the most challenging subjects facing criminologists.  In this comprehensive and integrated analysis of the interrelationships of youth violence, violent victimization, and gang membership, Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, Terrance J. Taylor and Adrienne Freng seek to understand what causes youth violence and what can be done about it. Using the results from an inclusive study they conducted of eighth-graders in eleven American cities, the authors examine how the nature, etiology, and intersections of youth violence are structured by both sex and race/ethnicity.  

Youth Violence is pertinent to juvenile justice policy considerations. The authors frame their discussion within the public health perspective, focusing on risk factors associated with violent behavior. Thefindings address prevalence and incidence, as well as the demographic correlates and cumulative effects of the risk factors associated with engagement in violence.  Ultimately, the theories and research methodologies here are essential for understanding the dynamics of youth violence.   

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781439900734
Publisher:	Temple University Press
Publication date:	08/06/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	232
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Finn-Aage Esbensen is the E. Desmond Lee Professor of Youth Crime and Violence in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. 

Dana Peterson, is an Associate Professor in the School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany.

Terrance J. Taylor is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

 

Adrienne Freng is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Wyoming.

Table of Contents

List of Figures and Tables 
Preface 
1. Introduction

PART I: Understanding Youth Violence 
2. Conceptual Framework 
3. Research Design and Methodological Issues

PART II: Types of Youth Violence 
4. Youth Violence 
5. Gang Membership 
6. Violent Victimization 
7. The Co-occurrence of Violence and the Cumulative Effect of Multiple Risk Factors

PART III: Understanding and Responding to Youth Violence 
8. Putting It All Together: A Theoretical Framework 
9. Responding to Youth Violence 
Appendix: Demographic and Risk Factor Measures 
References 
Index

Editorial Reviews

"Youth Violence is a thorough and clearly written analysis. There is no other work that systematically examines the intersection of violent offending, victimization, and gang membership with original empirical analyses. This is a compelling policy concern because it is crucial to understand whether we need customized prevention and intervention programs to address these different phenomena." 
—Cheryl L. Maxson, Associate Professor, Department of Criminology, Law, and Society, University of California, Irvine

"Youth Violence fills a clear void in the literature. The major strength of this book is its exhaustive analysis of the GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training Program) data in reporting the distribution and nature of violence among teenagers and gang members. The authors have written a useful book that provides a unique big picture view of gang violence and victimization. As such, it should be required reading among those who seek to understand the factors responsible for gang membership, violence, and violent victimization." 
—Chris Schreck, Department of Criminal Justice, Rochester Institute of Technology

From the Publisher