In 1995, the Vera Institute of Justice began a comprehensive ethnographic study on adolescent violence. The study examined the daily lives of adolescents and the ways they encountered and dealt with violence. The study explored how violence occurred, what form it took, where it happened, how effectively adults responded, and how teenagers coped. Three New York City middle schools, identified by fictional names (Fairhaven, Soulville, and El Dorado) were assigned ethnographers who tracked 25 students for 3 years. The ethnographers became immersed in the students' lives. Key findings were divided between the student and community's views and responses. Findings from student responses included: (1) while fighting was common, it was generally not serious; (2) both girls and boys fought; (3) to cope with violence, students relied first on their peers; (4) students often actively avoided relying on adults to help them cope with violence; (5) many adolescents coped with violence by altering how they lived their lives; and (6) around age 14, many students who were involved in fights began to settle down. Findings from community responses included: (1) Fairhaven, a diverse and changing community avoids the issue of violence; (2) Soulville, a neglected school, adds to the problems of a poor neighborhood; and (3) El Dorado, a poor immigrant community is committed to outreach and engagement. The findings show that violence is a real problem for many students. The most important way found to reduce youth violence is to give young people consistent and coordinated adult support.