Violence is preventable.
However, no single program or approach can prevent violence because no single factor is the sole cause of violence. Federal leadership in this area is imperative. Though essential to violence prevention efforts, reducing firearm availability and reducing alcohol consumption and distribution do not address the root causes of violence in our society. Societal violence is a consequence of oppressive environments and systems, within which an individual's or a group's fight for survival all too often erupts in interpersonal or self harm. School-based programs, skills training, deterrence through incarceration, and most other traditional violence prevention efforts primarily focus on the individual.