Youth Violence Prevention
Youth violence is a serious problem that can have lasting harmful effects on victims and their family, friends, and communities. The goal for youth violence prevention is simple—to stop youth violence from happening in the first place. Effective prevention strategies are necessary to promote awareness about youth violence and to foster the commitment to social change. This Web site is dedicated to youth violence prevention efforts.
Violence Prevention Research-Based Curriculum
A list of research-based violence prevention programs examined and approved by federal agencies has been provided in the Web site below.
Violence Prevention Curriculum
Violence Prevention Resources
There are many reliable Web sites with violence prevention information and resources. A list of helpful resources for parents, students, and staff has been provided in the Web site below.
Violence Prevention Trainings
- The Striving To Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere (STRYVE) is a free online program designed to help individuals, groups, organizations, and communities become acquainted with the key concepts and strategies of youth violence prevention. Concepts include warning signs, understanding youth violence, and how to protect your community.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created Principle of Prevention for everyone interested in learning about violence prevention, the burden violence places on our society, and effective prevention efforts. At the end of this training, you will be able to define violence, describe the burden of violence in the United States, distinguish primary prevention from secondary and tertiary prevention, identify the 4 levels of the Social Ecological Model, and describe the public health approach to violence prevention.
- The Oklahoma City National Memorial offers workshops on a variety of topics to enhance educators understanding of the bombing. In addition, participants learn how to use the resources and educational materials available here to impact school climate and teach students to make good choices – to act with respect, resilience and responsibility. School districts and individual schools can also request professional development designed specifically for their staff – including a Museum tour, First Person program, activities using lesson plans and resources available from the Memorial, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is at risk of youth violence?
A number of factors can increase the risk of a youth engaging in violence. However, the presence of these factors does not always mean that a young person will become an offender. Risk factors for youth violence include:
- Prior history of violence
- Drug, alcohol, or tobacco use
- Association with delinquent peers
- Poor family functioning
- Poor grades in school
- Poverty in the community
How can we prevent youth violence?
The ultimate goal is to stop youth violence before it starts. Several prevention strategies have been identified.
- Parent- and family-based programs improve family relations. Parents receive training on child development. They also learn skills for talking with their kids and solving problems in nonviolent ways.
- Social-development strategies teach children how to handle tough social situations. They learn how to resolve problems without using violence.
- Mentoring programs pair an adult with a young person. The adult serves as a positive role model and helps guide the young person’s behavior.
- Changes can be made to the physical and social environment. These changes address the social and economic causes of violence.
Youth Violence Statistics in Oklahoma
The web sites listed below include Superintendent-reported substance related incidents by each Oklahoma school district, Oklahoma Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Data and Reports, and the Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment (OPNA) Survey Results.
Annual Incident Report Totals - Coming Soon
Documents
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A manual for schools and communities by the United States Department of Education on preventing hate crime. |
Preventing Youth Hate Crime (pdf) |
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A program activities guide by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on preventing youth violence. |
Preventing Youth Violence (pdf) |
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Early Warning, Timely Response, A Guide to Safe Schools. |
Early Warning Timely Response (pdf) |
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Reproducible brochure by the National Crime Prevention Council. |
The Reality of Gangs (pdf) |
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A Guide for the Community by the Oklahoma Gang Investigators Association. |
Gangs (pdf) |
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This guide is designed to provide parents with information in order to recognize and prevent gang involvement. Reproducible brochure by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. |
Parents' Guide to Gangs (pdf) |
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Study results, by the United States Secret Service and United States Department of Education, show information that students learn which may prevent a targeted attack. |
Prior Knowledge of Potential School-Based Violence (pdf) |
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State Department of Education's Checkout Library with resources on Youth Violence Prevention. |
Resource Library (pdf) |
