Teen violence is on the rise. An average of 15 young people are killed every year, most of them with guns. In one high school that was recently surveyed, 17% of students admitted to bringing a weapon on campus for protection within the last month. Each year there are more than half a million violence related injuries involving teens. Bullying, fighting, and even threatening text messages occur throughout our U.S. school systems everyday. Why do these teens have so much anger and how do you keep yours from becoming violent?
There are several risk factors that can make individual teens more likely to become violent. One of the biggest risk factors in any kind of gang activity. Often, when a teen is associated with a gang, they are encouraged to participate in or initiate violent acts in order to be accepted by the other gang members. Also, teens who use drugs, particularly harder drugs like cocaine or heroin, are more likely to be perpetrators of misconduct. The intense highs and lows that are associated with drug use and withdrawal often cause feelings of irritability, paranoia, or invincibility. Plus, there are often disputes about drug deals among teens that don't go as planned. Violence in the home is also a contributing factor. Teens without a structured and supportive family may turn to violence, especially those who are often left unsupervised or physically abused themselves.
While the statistics for teen violence seem bleak, school seems to be the safest place for these kids. Less than 1% of violence related deaths occur inside of a school building. If your child is a victim or a perpetrator of violent activities, you should contact the school counselor and find out where to get help. Teens who are violent need to be counseled and taught ways to express their anger that are not harmful to themselves or others. Parents should be involved in their teen's lives. Know who their friends are and encourage positive activities. Communicate with them about non violent ways to solve problems from a young age and always ensure that they have a safe and violent free home.
