Youth Violence ─ Sex and Race Differences in Offending, Victimization, and Gang Membership

"Youth Violence is a thorough and clearly written analysis. There is no other work that systematically examines the intersection of violent offending, victimization, and gang membership with original empirical analyses. This is a compelling policy concern because it is crucial to understand whether we need customized prevention and intervention programs to address these different phenomena."—Cheryl L. Maxson, Associate Professor, Department of Criminology, Law, and Society, University of California, Irvine

"Youth Violence fills a clear void in the literature. The major strength of this book is its exhaustive analysis of the Great (Gang Resistance Education and Training Program) data in reporting the distribution and nature of violence among teenagers and gang members. The authors have written a useful book that provides a unique big picture view of gang violence and victimization. As such, it should be required reading among those who seek to understand the factors responsible tiff gang membership,. Violence, and violent victimization—Chris Schreck, Department of Criminal Justice, Rochester Institute of Technology

Violence by and against youth continues to be one of the most challenging subjects facing criminologists. In this comprehensive and integrated analysis of the interrelationships of youth violence, violent victimization, and gange membership, Finn-Aage Esbensen, Dana Peterson, Terrance J. Taylor, and Adrienne Freng seek to understand what causes youth violence and what can be done about it. Using the results from an inclusive study they conducted of eight-graders in eleven American cities, the authors examine how the nature, etiology, and intersections of youth violence are structured by both sex and race/ethnicity.

Youth Violence is pertinent to juvenile justice policy considerations. The authors frame their discussion within the public health perspective, focusing on risk factors associated with violent behavior. The findings address prevalence and incidence, as well as the demographic correlates and cumulative effects of the risk factors associated with engagement in violence. Ultimately, the theories and research methodologies here are essential for understanding they dynamics of youth violence.

Finn-Aage Esbensen is the E. Desmond Lee Professor of Youth Crime and Violence in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Dana Peterson is an Associate Professor in the School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany, State University of New York.
Terrance J. Taylor is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Adrienne Freng is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Wyoming.