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## Other Youth Topics

## Breadcrumb

            -  Youth Topics 
            -  Gang Involvement Prevention 
            -           Risk and Protective Factors      

# Risk and Protective Factors

The risk and protective factors of youth gang involvement can span multiple domains from the individual level (aggressiveness) to the peer (delinquent siblings), school (academic failure), and community levels (poverty). Risk factors encourage or increase the likelihood of youth participating in gangs; whereas a protective factor acts as a buffer in the presence of risk factors. Proper assessment of risk and protective factors for youth and gang involvement helps to inform the development and implementation of prevention and intervention strategies.1

Most youth who become affiliated with gangs lack positive supports from parents, schools, peers, and community.2 Research also indicates a close link between gang involvement and delinquent activity such as substance use. Findings indicate that youth who engage in delinquent activities, specifically illicit alcohol and drug use, are more likely to join gangs and that, as a result of gang involvement, youth are more likely to use illicit drugs and alcohol.3

Risk factors that significantly affect a youth’s chance for gang-involvement include the following:
                      - Aggressiveness,
                      - Early initiation of violent behavior,
                      - Parental criminality,
                      - Child maltreatment,
                      - Low levels of parental involvement,
                      - Parent-child separation,
                      - Academic failure,
                      - Lack of school connectedness,
                      - Truancy and school dropout,
                      - Frequent school transitions,
                      - Delinquent siblings and peers,
                      - Peer gang membership,
                      - Poverty,
                      - Substance use (e.g. illicit drugs and alcohol),
                      - Community disorganization,
                      - Availability of drugs and firearms, and
                      - Exposure to violence and racial prejudice. 4

Research suggests that the greater the number of risk factors that a youth experiences, the more likely he or she is to join a gang.5 It also shows that a youth’s risk for gang involvement significantly increases as he or she accrues more than two risk factors.6 Therefore, prevention programs that target risk factors can help mitigate youth gang involvement. Additionally, efforts to minimize youth gang involvement can be addressed through promoting protective factors. Research suggests that as youth accumulate more protective factors it lowers the risk of gang involvement.7

Protective factors that have been identified as influential to youth gang involvement include:
                      - Parental involvement and monitoring,
                      - Family support,
                      - Coping skills (interpersonal skills),
                      - Positive social connections,
                      - Peer support,
                      - Academic achievement, and
                      - Reducing delinquency, alcohol, and drug use. 8

## Resources

**Risk and Protective Factors Data Tool**This strategic planning tool developed by the OJJDP helps communities  assess the severity of their gang problems and plan their responses. The tools provided include: a *community resource inventory* to record community assets such as programs and services; *planning and implementation questions* to help assess what prevention and intervention programs match with their needs; *descriptions of risk factors* categorized by age and domain (individual, family, etc.); and a *program matrix* that lists appropriate programs and their descriptions.

**Predictors of Youth Violence** (PDF, 12 pages)This Juvenile Justice Bulletin from the OJJDP gives a comprehensive discussion of risk factors for youth violence, including gang membership, across the domains of individual, family, school, peer, and community factors. The Bulletin also gives a brief overview of a study that looked at predictors of violent or serious delinquency by age group and includes a discussion of what the results mean for implementing interventions and appropriately using the identified risk factors.

## References

1 Hawkins et al., 2000; National Gang Center, 20122 National Gang Center, 20123 McDaniel, 20124 McDaniel, 2012; Hill, Howell, Hawkins, & Battin-Pearson, 19995 Hill et al., 19996 Thornberry, Krohn, Lizotte, Smith, & Tobin, 2003; Hawkins et al., 20007 Thornberry et al., 2003; Hawkins et al., 20008 McDaniel, 2012; Hill et al., 1999

## Other Resources on this Topic

### Announcements 

                          - Literature Review: Hate Crimes and Youth
                          - National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims
                          - Parents’ Guide to Gangs: Now Available in Spanish
                          - Podcast: The Science of School Safety
                          - Report: Gun Carrying Among Youth
                          - Report: Patterns of Juvenile Court Referrals of Youth Born in 2000
                          - Report: Prevention with Purpose: A Resource for Campus Police and Public Safety Personnel
                          - Resource: A Law Enforcement Official’s Guide to the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model
                          - Resource: Association of County-Level Poverty and Inequities with Firearm-Related Mortality in U.S. Youth
                          - Resource: Data Snapshot: Youth Victims of Suicide and Homicide
                          - Resource: Fast Facts on Firearm Violence Prevention
                          - Resource: Firearm Deaths Grow, Disparities Widen: Comprehensive Strategies Can Prevent Violence and Help Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities
                          - Resource: Five Things About Juvenile Delinquency Intervention and Treatment
                          - Resource: Helping Victims of Mass Violence & Terrorism: Planning, Response, Recovery, and Resources
                          - Resource: Let's Talk Podcast - The Offical National Runaway Safeline Podcast
                          - Resource: Prevention and Early Intervention Efforts Seek to Reduce Violence by Youth and Youth Recruitment by Gangs
                          - Resource: Probation Reform: A Toolkit for State Advisory Groups (SAGs)
                          - Resource: Resilience, Opportunity, Safety, Education, Strength (ROSES) Program
                          - Resource: The Fight Against Rampant Gun Violence: Data-Driven Scientific Research Will Light the Way
                          - Resource: Trends in Youth Arrests for Violent Crimes
                          - Resource: Violence Prevention in Practice
                          - Resource: We Meet Them Where They Are: The Importance of Mentoring as a Component of Youth Gang Violence Intervention
                          - Second Chance Month: April 2023
                          - Student Reports of Bullying: Results from the 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey
                          - Webpage: Youth Violence Intervention Initiative
                          - Youth Voices Have Moved to YE4C

### Collaboration Profiles 

                          - Memphis Fast Forward
                          - National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention (NFYVP)

### Data Sources 

                          - National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)
                          - National Youth Gang Survey Analysis
                          - Uniform Crime Reports

### Feature Articles 

                          - Bryan Stevenson Delivers Five Key Messages During 2013 Summit Closing Remarks
                          - Cities Working Together to Reduce Youth Violence
                          - Gang Prevention: An Overview of Research and Programs
                          - Highlights from the 2012 Summit on Preventing Youth Violence
                          - Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C
                          - National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention Working Session 2011
                          - National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention Working Session 2012
                          - September 2013 Summit on Preventing Youth Violence

### Programs 

                          - Gang Resistance and Education Program

### Publications 

                          - 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment
                          - Best Practices to Address Community Gang Problems: OJJDP's Comprehensive Gang Model
                          - Changing Course: Preventing Gang Membership
                          - Growth of Youth Gang Problems in the United States: 1970-98
                          - Highlights of the 2010 National Youth Gang Survey
                          - Highlights of the 2012 National Youth Gang Survey
                          - Implementing the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model
                          - Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Gang Prevention
                          - Predictors of Youth Violence
                          - Prevalence and Implementation Fidelity of Research-Based Prevention Programs in Public Schools
                          - The Impact of Gangs on Communities
                          - Violence by Gang Members, 1993-2003

### Resources 

                          - Gender-Specific Programming
                          - Q&A: Robin Petering on Homeless Youth and Gangs
                          - Research and Evaluation Projects on Gangs
                          - Resource: Redesigned National Gang Center Website

### Tools & Guides 

                          - A Guide to Assessing Your Community’s Youth Gang Problem
                          - Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Strategic Planning Tool
                          - Parents’ Guide to Gangs
                          - Parents’ Guide to Gangs: Now Available in Spanish
                          - Risk and Protective Factors Data Tool

### Videos & Podcasts 

                          - Why Youth Join Gangs

### Websites 

                          - Federal Bureau of Prisons
                          - Gangs (Security Threat Groups)
                          - National Gang Center

### Youth Topics 

                          - Adverse Effects
                          - Gang Involvement Prevention
                          - Girls, Juvenile Delinquency, and Gangs
                          - Prevention Efforts
                          - References
                          - Violence Prevention

## Youth Briefs

How Individualized Education Program (IEP) Transition Planning Makes a Difference for Youth with Disabilities
Youth who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and especially young adults of transition age, should be involved in planning for life after high school as early as possible and no later than age 16. Transition services should stem from the individual youth’s needs and strengths, ensuring that planning takes into account his or her interests, preferences, and desires for the future.

Youth Transitioning to Adulthood: How Holding Early Leadership Positions Can Make a Difference
Research links early leadership with increased self-efficacy and suggests that leadership can help youth to develop decision making and interpersonal skills that support successes in the workforce and adulthood. In addition, young leaders tend to be more involved in their communities, and have lower dropout rates than their peers. Youth leaders also show considerable benefits for their communities, providing valuable insight into the needs and interests of young people

How Trained Service Professionals and Self-Advocacy Makes a Difference for Youth with Mental Health, Substance Abuse, or Co-occurring Issues
Statistics reflecting the number of youth suffering from mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders highlight the necessity for schools, families, support staff, and communities to work together to develop targeted, coordinated, and comprehensive transition plans for young people with a history of mental health needs and/or substance abuse.

Young Adults Formerly in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions
Nearly 30,000 youth aged out of foster care in Fiscal Year 2009, which represents nine percent of the young people involved in the foster care system that year. This transition can be challenging for youth, especially youth who have grown up in the child welfare system.

Coordinating Systems to Support Transition Age Youth with Mental Health Needs
Research has demonstrated that as many as one in five children/youth have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Read about how coordination between public service agencies can improve treatment for these youth.

Civic Engagement Strategies for Transition Age Youth
Civic engagement has the potential to empower young adults, increase their self-determination, and give them the skills and self-confidence they need to enter the workforce. Read about one youth’s experience in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC).

## Main navigation

- Gang Involvement Prevention
- Federal Data
- Risk & Protective Factors
- Adverse Effects
- Girls, Juvenile Delinquency, & Gangs
- Prevention Efforts
- References

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## Latest Resources

### Announcements

Second Chance Month: April 2023

Report: Prevention with Purpose: A Resource for Campus Police and Public Safety Personnel

Resource: We Meet Them Where They Are: The Importance of Mentoring as a Component of Youth Gang Violence Intervention

### Collaboration Profiles

National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention (NFYVP)

Memphis Fast Forward

### Feature Articles

Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C

Bryan Stevenson Delivers Five Key Messages During 2013 Summit Closing Remarks

Gang Prevention: An Overview of Research and Programs

### Publications

Violence by Gang Members, 1993-2003

The Impact of Gangs on Communities

Predictors of Youth Violence

### Resources

Resource: Redesigned National Gang Center Website

Research and Evaluation Projects on Gangs

Q&A: Robin Petering on Homeless Youth and Gangs

### Youth Topics

Adverse Effects

Prevention Efforts

References