These guidelines must describe shared interests, for example, We both need to be able to come to school. As each party suggests possible solutions to the problem, they can evaluate them by determining if they fall within the guidelines for shared interest. Gun violence education programs highlight the threats and consequences involved in the mishandling of guns and offer alternatives to solving problems with guns. Life skills training programs may not address violence directly, but they can help young people learn how to avoid violence. Life skills programs usually offer methods to resolve conflict and develop friendships with peers and adults.
Young people learn how to resist negative peer pressure and deal with issues of intergroup conflict.
Recreation programs cannot prevent youth violence by themselves, but they are attractive to young people and work well when linked up with other violence prevention programs. Sports are good outlets for stress and anger, teamwork teaches cooperation, and keep young people off the street and away from possible violence. Violence prevention programs work best when they are combined with other efforts. For example, efforts to keep weapons out of school can benefit from the support and understanding of parents, local government, the police, and of social or psychiatric services for at-risk youth. The whole community benefits the most when the whole community participates in dealing with the problem of youth violence.