As the official position statement of a committee of the National Mental Health Association, this paper advocates a national mindset that finds violence simply unacceptable and supports social, health care, and community support policies that promote healthy and secure communities that will ultimately prevent violence. (SLD)

More than 4,000 people responded to a survey about community efforts to reduce substance abuse and gun violence. Six major findings were identified from the responses of 1,608 people who identified themselves as leaders of community efforts in these areas. Community leaders want significant changes in long-standing public policies and a change in…

In the past few years, there has been a groundswell of community partnerships to prevent crime and drug abuse. This compilation presents prevention strategies, rather than programs, to help communities focus on adapting and tailoring program ideas and crime prevention techniques to local needs and circumstances. The strategies described are…

This report of the National Task Force on African-American Men and Boys is the beginning of an approach to repair society's breaches and restore the streets to safety. The Task Force, headed by Andrew J. Young and established in 1994, conceived its mission as one of reclamation. The Task Force made 61 specific recommendations, and three general…

In 1982 the Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation, with funding from the Ford Foundation and assistance from more than 60 local and national funders, began a neighborhood self-help crime-prevention program in 10 inner city communities. The program was based on reducing urban violence and drug abuse through youth empowerment, community revitalization,…

The escalation of youth violence is one of the major public health concerns of the United States. Many factors today make juveniles more likely to commit, or to become victims of, violent acts. Drugs, the availability of guns, and the emergence of gang problems in all regions of the country are among the causes of youth violence. Prevention of…

African Americans are experiencing extreme stress in the United States, and African-American males appear to suffer the most. The chapters in this volume examine some of the issues confronting African-American men today. They include: (1) "Introduction" (Dionne J. Jones); (2) "Reaffirming Young African American Males: Mentoring and…