Just as risk factors exist in different contexts, so do protective factors. The following section offers a more detailed description of risk and resilience. The emphasis is on the risks to children who are direct witnesses of violence and those who are victims of abuse or neglect. It strongly suggests that the efforts to promote family wellness will also positively influence and support the prevention of youth violence. The reasons for the emergence of youth violence in our culture are many and interrelated.
Some risks have multiple sources.
Clearly, prevention programs need to address the complexity of the problem. In the following list, risk factors are grouped according to the context in which they occur. Note that these are only risk factors and not determinants of youth violence. School and Peers School can generate conflict and frustration. Depending on the location, population, and administration, school can also be a hostile and unsafe environment that generates fear.