A review of long-term trends in violent crime in the United States shows that violence is endemic in the United States and has increased over time. Despite these long-term trends in violence in the United States, however, surprisingly little has been learned about why it occurs and how it can be prevented. The chapter notes that of all the statistics on violence presented in this chapter, perhaps the most alarming statistic is the finding that the group at greatest risk for being a murder victim or offender, across all races, is the group of Americans who are 20- to 24-years-old. This is also the age at which many Americans attend a college or university. College students are at particular risk of violence because they are alone and without parental or familial supervision. They are also without the protection, emotional support, and wisdom that they are accustomed to receiving from their family members and the peers who have served as friends and classmates throughout high school. To make matters worse, the university is a highly stressful environment that puts high demands on students. For many students, college also brings the challenge of dealing with a heterogeneous population. The high stress of a college environment is further compounded by peer pressure and ethical and moral decisions about sexual relations and the use of alcohol and other mood-altering substances. The majority of American college students face these stressful and challenging issues at the very time in their lives when they are statistically at greatest risk for being a murder victim or perpetrator. 12 figures and 13 references