Two waves of longitudinal data from 1,049 African American youth living in extreme poverty are used to examine the impact of exposure to violence (Time 1) and violent behavior (Time 1) on first time gun carrying (Time 2). Multivariate logistic regression results indicate that (a) violent behavior (Time 1) increased the likelihood of initiation of…

According to Fordham University's 1996 "Index of Social Health," our society's overall well-being is decreasing significantly. Today's children are not sufficiently shielded from adult economic, political, and sexual forces. Children's social world has become poisonous, due to escalating violence, the potentially lethal consequences of…

This paper describes a study of African-American families (N=10) that have one son in placement in a youth facility. The paper investigates the social context of behavioral problems among these Detroit youth, exploring the challenges faced by low-income minority families. Participants in the study described critical events in their lives, and…