Violence is a problem which concerns people’s amorality and criminal actions. Society is not protected from it totally following the proverb “every bean has its black”. However, in the United States cases of violence done to adolescent category of the society aging fewer than 18 is one of the most burning issues in present times. The statistics terrifies a single observer with the total number of cases of violent attitude within youth in the US. In accordance with the Journal of Social Work Education: “… youths 18 and under represent 26 percent of the U.S. population, but account for approximately 50 percent of the witnesses and victims of violent acts.” (JSWE, 2007) Many social figures and policemen blend such statistics to the content of American society full of multinationals. Such coloring tends to behave several prejudices as for the attitude of one racial group towards another. In return this leads to formation of gangs varying in number of representatives. In fact, the harmful effect of violence reflects on the surviving ability of the society. “Violence is among the leading causes of death for people aged 15-44 years worldwide, accounting for 14% of deaths among males and 7% of deaths among females.” (World Health Organization, p. 2009) Furthermore, the violence has its biological and physiological roots inside peoples’ minds: “…a human psychic imbalance (which includes violence and criminality) stem from an acute frustration of pleasure drives, initiated by a pleasure-fearing social system.” (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, p. 4).
Another source shows that the cases of violence among youth fall into three categories of their implementation: “child maltreatment, community violence, and interparental violence.” (Annual Review of Psychology, 2000). Thus, children are not protected from each of offences lying in wait for them every now and then. The situation is more emphasized when listening to news. This can be made out adhering to one of the biologically grounded theory on facts of domestic violence, which states that both genders can violate and be violated, but men due to the higher level of testosterone are designated as those who make far more violent actions than women (Buzawa, p. 39). Such a harmful effect of this very horme is similar to appearance of rage and hatred within men.
For the US it is not surprising when a pupil takes a gun and begins shooting his peers. Of course it is because of the fact that America is the most armed country in the world. Still should not we stand for weapon’s reduction in every family and other communities on a voluntary basis supported by the governmental guidelines? Or are we to work out some effective strategies immediately concerning the morality and social benefits which America possess? According to the report of Rachel Blash the roots of maintaining strategies fall into three: “individual-level interventions, neighborhood-level interventions, and gun and police strategies.” (Brash, p. 2). To make out these three concept one should estimate all spheres of youth’s possible location and communication as well. These three prospects fully encompass the ways of designing the right strategies due to people’s and governmental social activity.
Thus, the cases of violence within youth are still a dramatic issue which needs to be resolved immediately. The government and social figures along with officials from different departments representing authority should find out and realize the programs aimed at the reduction of adolescent violence provided in three areas of youth’s activity: peers, family, community.
Works cited
- Brash, Rachel. Youth Violence Prevention and Reduction: Strategies for a Safer Baltimore. 2004.
- Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Vol. 32; № 2, 1976, p. 4
- Buzawa, Carl G. Domestic violence: the criminal justice response. Edition 3, SAGE, 2002.
- Margolin, Gayla & Gordis, Elana. The Effects of Family and Community Violence on Children. Annual Review of Psychology. Vol. 51: 445-47, 2000.
- Schwartz, Wendy. An Overview of Strategies To Reduce School Violence. ERIC/CUE Digest No. 115. ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education New York NY, 1996.
- Violence and Injury Prevention and Disability (VIP). Web.
- Voisin, Dexter R. The effects of family and community violence exposure among youth: recommendations for practice and policy. Journal of Social Work Education. 2007.