The chapter: (1) examines the definitional and methodological difficulties surrounding the study of adolescent and violent behavior; (2) discusses the epidemiology of violent crime among adolescents; (3) reviews research findings pertaining to the precursors and course of aggressive and violent behavior among children and adolescents; (4) reviews recent empirical work on the correlates and causes of violent criminal behavior in adolescents; and (5) examines contemporary research on the evaluation of treatment and service program outcomes with adolescent violent offenders. The literature indicates that violent adolescent behavior is highly stable over time and is linked with deleterious psychological outcomes during adolescence and adulthood. There is some evidence suggesting that adolescent violent and nonviolent offenders may follow different developmental paths. Multidimensional causal models of violent antisocial behavior in adolescents point to a complex and reciprocal interplay between important characteristics of violent adolescents and the social systems in which they are embedded. Effective treatments must address a broad range of antisocial behaviors and the factors that maintain them, and be intensive and ecologically valid. References