U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Street Youth Violence and Victimization

NCJ Number
198642
Journal
Trauma, Violence, & Abuse: A Review Journal Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2003 Pages: 22-44
Author(s)
Stephen W. Baron
Date Published
January 2003
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the link between physical and sexual abuse and street youth violence.
Abstract
The author contends that a background of physical and sexual abuse informs the violence engaged in by street youth. The term “street youth” refers to young people who live on the streets because they have run away or been expelled from their homes. As the author reviews the research literature about violent backgrounds and street youth, he concludes that there is a definite link between the violence these youths suffered at home and the violence they engage in once they are out of their homes. The youths learn to resolve disputes through violence, which is only reinforced by the violence and abuse they encounter on the streets. After the author reviews the research literature on victimization and violent street youth, he discusses policy implications that arise from this literature. One of the key findings of this research is that violence begins in the home. Thus, to be effective, policy must first focus on relieving the violence children suffer in their own homes. References