Unlike in the adult criminal justice system, where domestic violence policies hold perpetrators accountable for their violence, the juvenile justice system rarely addresses teenage dating violence. Although the adult criminal justice system has pursued policies toward intimate partner violence grounded on a "zero tolerance" ideology, the juvenile…

Surveyed high school students (N=256) in Sacramento, California. Found that 35.1 percent had experienced some form of abuse in their dating relationships. Explored the severity of the violence and its intergenerational component. (Author/ABB)

Explores the manifestations and consequences of community violence in the lives of children and youth. Presents an assessment framework with which social workers may examine the impact of community violence in the lives of their young clients at risk and discusses psychosocial sequelae for young people exposed to community violence. (RJM)

Used a national survey (N=1,200) to explore social workers' perceptions of school violence. Results suggest that solitary incidents did not convince social workers that violence is a serious problem. Perceptions of a serious problem depended on the presence of multiple types of violence and the school's community setting. (RJM)

Compared client families that included maltreated adolescents with control families. Members of client families were more depressed than members of comparison families. However, both client and comparison adolescents were more depressed and had lower self-esteem than their parents. Discusses the relevance of research findings for theories of…

This article provides a historical and legal framework for defining peer sexual harassment from three perspectives: sex discrimination, mental health, and sexual violence. It also identifies sexism and heterosexism as a major social violence problem in U.S. education and argues that peer sexual harassment is sexual violence with considerable…

Most gang membership research studies males; few examine the etiology of female gang membership. Presents themes of female gang membership gathered from interviews with 15 young women. Examines demographic material, family structure, initiation rites, and criminal behaviors. Explores implications for social work practice and research. (FC)

Reviews recent research on the development of aggressive behavior in childhood and early adolescence using an ecological perspective focusing on social development in the family, school, peer group, and community. Asserts family processes and early childhood peer relations that appear to tip developmental trajectories toward social rejection at…

Discusses increased kinship care as a resilient response by the African American community. Strengths and resilience of the African American family can be attributed in part to a strong kinship network. In this manner, the African American community is preserving the family. Concludes this community needs support through imaginative social work…