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A Behavioral Checklist for Youth Violence

Youth violence can include a wide range of behaviors from bullying all the way up to murder. Other forms of youth violence include harassment, intimidation, threatening, stalking and all types of assault. Youth violence, while a serious problem in our society, comes with a multitude of other problems. Reviewing a behavioral checklist can help identify related issues that may impact the teen's actions.

  1. Substance Abuse

    • Violent youths often engage in substance use and abuse. Experimentation with tobacco and alcohol, which can lead to involvement with "harder" drugs, and the drugs themselves can precipitate violence. Youth violence is also linked to substance abuse-related crimes, such as drinking and driving or drug sales. In 2006, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that teens between the ages of 12 and 17 who used illegal drugs the previous year were almost twice as likely to have committed a violent act.

    School Delinquency

    • School-related delinquency and truant behaviors can offer some of the first indicators of youth violence. While school problems may begin at a relatively young age, behavioral issues will escalate in type, frequency and severity. Acting out at school can include breaking pencils or other objects, yelling at students or teachers and overall struggles in school.

    Mental Health

    • Mentally ill young people may abuse substances which can contribute to violence. All three behavioral issues are closely linked, which makes it difficult to distinguish the causes of each of these. Sometimes, mentally ill youths use substances in an attempt to self-medicate, which can complicate fragile emotional balance. A New York state survey indicated that the rate of violent offenders with mental health issues was double that of non violent offenders--28 percent compared to 13 or 14 percent. Additional related issues included compulsivity, obsessive-compulsive behavior, hyperactivity, difficulty with communication, abandonment issues, depression, aggression and social withdrawal.

    Gang Membership

    • Gang members have traditionally possessed weapons and been linked with violence. The deadliness of assaults, not just the numbers, continues to climb as well. The competitive rivalry between gangs leads to increasingly sophisticated weapons usage. Studies also closely link gang membership, weapon ownership and gun possession. While gangs look for members who own guns, violent children seek out gangs.

    Family Factors

    • While a juvenile's dysfunctional family does not make him violent, a variety of family factors can contribute to youth violence. Those who live with domestic violence at home can act out violently. Parental substance abuse models that behavior for children, who can abuse alcohol or illegal drugs themselves. Abuse or neglect may also contribute to juvenile violence.

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