The Effects Of Violence On Public Health Policy Essay

Teenage murders may be unprecedented, but violence is not. The past has followed us right up to today. Several national magazines recently ran alarming stories about the epidemic of criminal and group violence. Rolling Stone in "A Pistol-Whipped Nation" and both Time and Newsweek ran alarming cover stories about the "virtual epidemic of youth violence." Newsweek's "Teen Violence: Wild in the Streets," decried the number of young people carrying guns, using them, being shot, and being killed. Accompanying all this was a casual if not blase attitude indicating that, as one expert quoted in Time put it, "Violence is hip right now."

Violence, one of the biggest problem in the world right now, especially in America, where the gun control law are barely enforced, every citizen is at constant risk, considering the amount of people in this country that own guns. Crime and violence are rapidly becoming the prime epidemic in the U.S today, but what can we do to ensure our future generation’s safety?

Today, homicide is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 24; when discussing youth violence the range is extended beyond 18 and in to the mid twenties (CDC). In addition to murder, non-fatal injuries are another large part of the picture of youth violence. In 2007, 668,000 young people between the ages of 10 and 14 were treated for violence related injuries at hospital emergency rooms (CDC). In 2007, a large representative sample of the country’s high school students were surveyed; 35.5% of students surveyed answered ‘yes’ when asked if “they had been in a physical fight in the previous twelve months”, and 4.2% of students surveyed answered ‘yes’ when asked if they had been “in a physical fight one or more times in the previous twelve months that resulted in injuries that had to be treated by a doctor or nurse (CDC). As this survey was conducted with a representative sample, it helps to give one a good picture of the aggregate youth violence problem in the United States of America.

This reading evaluate the trends for violence, crime, and abuse in the lives of children. This study provides updated estimates for exposure to a wide variety of offenses, including violence, crime, and abuse. This exposure is wide spread in the short term and over the developmental life course. Children and youth are exposed to violence, abuse, and crime in varied and extensive ways, which justifies continued monitoring and prevention

Teen Violence is a big dilemma in today’s society. Violent behaviors usually start from family and peers, as well as teens observing it at there neighborhoods or communities. These behaviors are reinforced by what youth see on television, on the Internet, in video games, movies, music videos, and what they hear in their music. When children are disciplined with severe corporal punishment or verbal abuse, or when they are physically or sexually abused, or when they witness such behavior in their home, it is not surprising that they behave violently toward others. Teen Violence has had such an impact in our youth today that it leads many destructive things and that’s why we have so much violence today.

Healthy people, 2020 has identified acts of violence against others is one of the top fifteen causes

Often communities are separated by socioeconomic status. Some of the problems that can lead to poor economic status include increased levels of unemployment, poverty, decreased levels of economic opportunities and a lack of education (Browne, Salomon, Bassuk, 1999). Browne, Salomon, and Bassuk (1999) concluded that individuals residing in households earning less than $10,000 a year had a greater possibility of experiencing violence, than individuals living in wealthier households. Furthermore, in 2005 “Health Zone 1 had the highest poverty level with 26% of the population living below poverty” (Duval County Health Department, 2008, pg. 4). There is an obvious correlation between violence and economic deprivation. Now that violence has been recognized as a progressive problem, let’s look at what interventions can be implemented to decrease these abnormally high violence rates in Health Zone 1.

Violence is a necessary proponent to history. Without violence we as human species would struggle to evolve and the United States would currently not exist. In the decade preceding the civil war, sectional and political tensions regarding the expansion of slavery into new territories grew larger. With the emergence of the Republican Party in the mid ninetieth century, the United States experienced a sectional pull between those who were pro-slavery Democrats, and those who were anti-slavery expansion Republicans. Emotions regarding the expansion of slavery yielded barbaric acts across the country including the canning of Charles Sumner, the hanging of John Brown, and the violence that construed in the Kansas territory. Each of the victims were white, were antislavery, and fell victim to the violence of a pro-slavery Democrat outraged by their actions. These acts of violence swayed many Democrats voters to the Republican Party setting the platform for success for Republican Presidential Candidate Abraham Lincoln who won the election of 1860 with 180 electoral votes to Southern Democratic candidate Breckenridge 's 72.

● James Q. Wilson, among others, warned of increased levels of juvenile violence. Wilson asserted that “by the end of the decade [i.e., by 2000] there will be a million more people between the ages of 14 and 17 than there are now. . .Six percent of them will become high rate, repeat offenders— 30,000 more young muggers, killers and thieves than we have now. Get ready” (Wilson, 1995, p. 507).

2013, 19.6 percent of high school students reported being bullied. Youth violence is the third leading cause of death for people of the age of 15-24. On average 13 people between 10-24 are killed every day. School health index helps schools find their strengths and weaknesses. SHI developed a plan for improving student’s health and safety. Youth violence is a serious problem in the United States.

The first point of view is presented by Sharyn Parks, Linda Johnson, Dawn McDaniel, and Matthew Gladden, who work at the Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC (except for Johnson who works in Acentia Corporation, Atlanta, Georgia). These authors work for the CDC which shows that they are experts and therefore credible. They state that “Approximately 67.0% of all

There are two forms of community violence identified as witnessing and victimization. Community violence may include acts such as homicides, sexual assaults, robberies, and weapon attacks. Community violence affects all ages and ethnic groups, however, some individuals are more at risk than others. Specifically, youth living in inner-cities are more likely to be exposed to violence at a higher rate than youth living in neighborhoods of higher socioeconomic status (Cooley-Strickland, et al., 2009). Some factors that increase one's chances of experiencing community violence include living in poor, inner-city neighborhoods, being in a gang, using alcohol or drugs, and belonging to a minority (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs,

Violent crimes are common issues facing the American communities. Latest statistics has indicated that U.S. is among leading countries in terms of high rates of incarceration and violent crimes. In 2013, violent crimes including rape, violent robbery, robbery as well as the serious attack happened at a rate of over 500 persons in every 100,000 persons (Benedict & Keteyian, 2013). While crimes have steadily decreased over the past few years, the U.S. still experience high prevalence. Majority of these anti-social issues mostly involve the young adults (Card & Dahl, 2011).

Homicides last year increased by 17% in America’s fifty largest cities. That’s the largest increase in 25 years. In our nation’s capital, killings have risen by 50 percent. They are up nearly 60% in nearby Baltimore.

Aggravated assault and even murder, which includes young people as victims and criminals, are often the result of events that trigger less serious offenses, transactions on seemingly trivial matters, which occur among people who do know. Young people who participate in the violence do not intend to obtain the result, however, suffer the consequences which include being suspended from class or getting injured. The greatest number of incidents takes place between people who knew each other, and in nor around the school. Each of the 250 incidents will include at least one physical indicator of force or violence and will include behaviors such as throwing something at the other person, pushing, grabbing, hit kicks, hit with the fist, being hit with an object, threatening with a gun or knife, or use a gun or knife.