Being victimized increases the likelihood of committing later offenses, as well as engaging in aggressive and violent behavior. It also increases the likelihood of being victimized again. There is much more that could be done to interrupt this cycle of violence and ensure the safe and successful transition from adolescence to adulthood. Protecting youth against violent victimization of all types needs to be a priority for communities, including policymakers. In preventing future problems, such as substance abuse, suicide, and mental health problems, as well as reducing rates of victimization and responding early to young victims in order to offset the adverse consequences of victimization, the severity of juvenile violence and crime may actually lessen in society as a whole. Adolescent victimization is common. Actually, teenagers experience rates of violent crime far higher than other age groups. While most adolescents survive victimization with relatively few adverse consequences, victimization can disrupt the course of child development in fundamental ways and contribute to problems over the course of a lifespan. Past research studies have provided support for this statement. While it is agreed that no single risk factor or experience leads a young person to delinquency, the chances of offending increase when a teenager is a witness to or a victim of violence and experiences traumatic stress as a result. References