The youths urged the governors to establish more recreational programs for adolescents, add conflict resolution programs to school curricula, support mentoring and youth service programs, and set strict rules and penalties for violence in the schools. They said that violence must be addressed now, because it is becoming a norm for today's youth. They also noted the importance of job opportunities in motivating youth to avoid violence and supported stricter punishments for youthful offenders. A background paper notes that the nine significant risk factors for violent behavior include chronic parental unemployment, drug abuse, early onset of aggression and antisocial behavior, family characteristics such as poor parenting skills, inappropriate peer relationships, victimization, poor school performance, other problem behaviors, and living in socially isolated neighborhoods. State strategies to prevent violence address gun possession by juveniles, drug abuse, aggressive behavior, skill development, family dysfunction, peer pressure, community disintegration, and juvenile offender recidivism. Case examples and source of further information