Government officials have called for policies and programs designed to combat youth violence, including adult punishment, more prisons, and boot camps. Such measures may be ineffective and amount to a campaign to incarcerate minority males. Further, some politicians focus on youth violence in order to divert attention from their failure to address underlying problems caused by poverty, racism, and child abuse. Policies of President Clinton and in California are cited that demonstrate "get tough" policies are not always effective. Despite tougher policies in California, youth homicide arrests increased from 350 in 1970 to 1,396 in 1992, a rate double the national average. A major factor contributing to youth violence is the pervasiveness of adult violence against children. For example, the Los Angeles Council on Child Abuse and Neglect reported 140,000 cases of beating, killing, rape, molestation, and criminal neglect inflicted on children and youth in the county in 1992. Although youth-targeted violence prevention efforts in general have not worked, there is no magic crime prevention formula to prevent youth violence. 20 references