Violence Prevention

The root causes of and complex factors contributing to violence are found at the individual, family, community, and societal levels. All systems and disciplines can and must play a valuable role in preventing violence, reducing harm, and mitigating the lifelong effects of violence and trauma.

Research and action in preventing violence in schools and communities includes improving the environments in which young people live and learn; implementing policies and programs that establish new norms for nonviolent behaviors; equipping young people with competencies for positive development; and providing opportunities for employment, mentoring, substance abuse treatment, and access to health and mental health services, including trauma-informed care.

AIR applies a public health approach to violence prevention—concentrating primarily on preventing youth violence, intimate partner violence, and exposure to trauma—with research, evaluation, and training and technical assistance across many of society’s systems, such as schools, law enforcement and the courts, mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice agencies.

Related Topics

Child Welfare
Juvenile Justice
Mental Health
Mentoring and Re-entry

Latest Work

13 Apr 2017
Service

Content and Technical Expertise in Refugee and Migrant Initiatives

AIR offers a broad range of services in areas that support our human rights and refugee initiatives. We are committed to applying and producing the best evidence and the highest quality work. Our quality assurance process encompasses all stages of a project, from research design to evidence-based conclusions and recommendations, to implementation and scale-up.
Topic: 
Reading and Literacy, Social and Emotional Learning, Disability and Rehabilitation, Workforce Development, English Language Learners, School Crime and Safety, School Discipline, Trauma-Informed Care, Violence Prevention, Youth-Serving Systems, International, Refugee and Migrant Populations
Feb 2017
Project

Latin America and the Caribbean - Youth Violence Prevention

The Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region is home to less than 8% of the world’s population, but its rates of crime and violence are some of the highest in the world, with 37% of all homicides. The Latin America and the Caribbean-Youth Violence Prevention project’s overarching goal is to improve the capacity of USAID and its partners to successfully implement crime and violence prevention programming in the region.
5 Dec 2016
Spotlight

Spotlight on Native Nations

Contributing and working alongside Native Nations, AIR has a deep commitment to engaging communities, fostering shared vision and values, building capacity, and developing strategic alliances to achieve sustainable systems change in Indian Country.
Topic: 
P-12 Education and Social Development, Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, Violence Prevention
1 Dec 2016
Report

Report │Transitional Housing for Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence: A 2014-15 Snapshot

The 12 chapters of the Transitional Housing for Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence: A 2014-15 Snapshot report comprehensively explore the challenges facing transitional housing programs and the survivors of domestic and sexual violence they serve, the underlying issues and contributing factors, and the diverse approaches that programs take to address those challenges.
Topic: 
Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Housing and Homelessness, Trauma-Informed Care, Violence Prevention
10 Oct 2016
Toolkit

Safe Place to Learn Resource Kit: Preventing, Interceding, and Responding to Sexual Harassment of K-12 Students

The Safe Place to Learn resource package provides a range of materials to support school efforts to prevent and eliminate peer-to-peer sexual harassment and sexual violence. This resource package supports school district and school staff efforts to comply with Title IX sex discrimination prohibitions and create a positive school climate.
Topic: 
P-12 Education and Social Development, School Crime and Safety, School Climate and Safety, Violence Prevention
9 Mar 2016
Journal Article

Raising a Red Flag on Dating Violence Evaluation of a Low-Resource, College-Based Bystander Behavior Intervention Program

Encouraging bystanders to intervene safely and effectively in situations that could escalate to violence—known as bystander behavior programs—is a growing yet largely untested strategy to prevent dating violence. Findings showed an increase in bystander behaviors, such as encouraging a friend who may be in an abusive relationship to get help, after watching a 30-min presentation on dating violence.
Topic: 
Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Violence Prevention
12 Jan 2016
Spotlight

Reducing Gun Violence: What Can Be Done Now

Communities, schools, employers, and cities can act to reduce gun violence even while waiting for laws to be passed.

Topic: 
Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan, Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Violence Prevention
12 Jan 2016
Video

Long Story Short: How Do We Prevent Gun Violence?

The U.S. has more guns and more homicide deaths per capita than any other nation in the world. In this video interview, Patricia Campie, AIR principal researcher, talks about what everyone can do to prevent gun violence.
Topic: 
Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Violence Prevention
5 Jan 2016
Commentary

What Can We Do About Gun Violence While We Wait for Congress to Act?

What can be done right now to prevent firearms violence—from suicide, to rampages by those who are mentally ill, to acts of terrorism—without heavy reliance on the federal government? Patricia Campie suggests what states, cities, employers, and communities can do.
Topic: 
Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Trauma-Informed Care, Violence Prevention
18 Dec 2015
Video

Long Story Short: How Can We Improve Outcomes for Girls in the Juvenile Justice System?

Over the past two decades, the number of young women entering the juvenile justice system has steadily increased. In this video interview, Karen Francis, AIR principal researcher, talks about how the juvenile justice system can best respond to girls’ unique needs and experiences.
Topic: 
Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan, Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Juvenile Justice, Violence Prevention
Dec 2015
Project

Social Media Support for VetoViolence

Violence is a significant public health problem in the United States and around the world, affecting people from all walks of life. AIR supports the social media presence of the CDC project VetoViolence, which aims to stop violence before it starts.
13 Oct 2015
Toolkit

Safe Place Resource Kit: Trauma Sensitive Practice for Health Centers Serving Higher Education Students

Roughly one in five women nationally is sexually assaulted while in college. This diverse collection of tools uses trauma-informed care as a foundation for helping university health centers deal with this crisis.
Topic: 
Higher Education and Career Readiness, Higher Education, School Climate and Safety, Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Trauma-Informed Care, Violence Prevention
1 Oct 2015
Spotlight

Bullying Prevention

October is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that, during the 2012-2013 school year, about 22 percent of students ages 12–18 reported being bullied at school during the school year. As more is being learned about the negative psychological and physical effects of bullying, researchers are focusing on how to address the problem. The research and resources featured here relate to efforts to prevent violence in schools and help young people feel safe and supported.
Topic: 
P-12 Education and Social Development, School Crime and Safety, School Climate and Safety, Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Violence Prevention
Jan 2015
Project

Safe and Successful Youth Initiative in Massachusetts (SSYI)

Youth violence disrupts communities and businesses, increases health care costs, and decreases property values—not to mention the human impact. The Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) in Massachusetts combines health and safety approaches to eliminating serious violence among high-risk, urban youth. Does it work? Three new AIR evaluations, announced by MA former governor Patrick, showed youth not involved in SSYI were 42% more likely to be incarcerated than youth who were.
1 Oct 2014
Report

The Impact of the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative on City-Level Youth Crime Victimization Rates

To address serious youth violence, particularly that involving guns, Massachusetts initiated the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative in 2011, providing a comprehensive public health approach to addressing young men, between the ages of 14-24, believed to be at “proven risk” for being involved with firearms.
Topic: 
Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Juvenile Justice, Violence Prevention, Youth-Serving Systems
May 2014
Project

Understanding Community-Based Violence Prevention in Massachusetts

Between 2001 and 2010, Massachusetts recorded 639 homicide victims aged 14 to 24. In response, the state implemented a variety of violence reduction programs, most recently through the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative, which AIR and its partners are evaluating.
Mar 2014
Project

Striving to Reduce Violence in Neighborhoods through Community Engagement

Two out of every three children were expected to be exposed to violence in 2013, according to a report by the Attorney General’s National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence. To support communities in implementing evidence-based violence prevention, CDC contracted with AIR to deliver training and technical assistance using a public health approach that features sustainable community coalitions.
3 Sep 2013
Report

What Works to Prevent Urban Violence Among Proven Risk Young Men?

Youth violence presents significant challenges across the U.S., disrupts communities and economic development, increases health care costs, and decreases property values—not to mention the human impact. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services contracted with justice experts from AIR—along with WestEd and the Justice Resource Institute—to study the development and implementation of the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative in 11 of the most violent communities across the state.
Topic: 
Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Juvenile Justice, LGBTQ Youth, Trauma-Informed Care, Violence Prevention
19 Jun 2013 | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Event

National Center on Family Homelessness Hosts Congressional Briefing

On May 22, 2013, The National Center on Family Homelessness hosted a briefing with Congressional Caucus on Homelessness co-chairs—Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson and Alcee Hastings—and Senator Patty Murray. More than 100 people participated and learned about experiences, challenges, and solutions facing children, youth, families, veterans, and individuals who are homeless.

29 Mar 2013
Toolkit

Preventing, Assessing, and Intervening in Teen Dating Abuse

AIR’s National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments has released a training toolkit on teenage dating abuse for instructional support personnel, such as guidance counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses, and other professionals. Research shows that schools can make a difference in preventing interpersonal teen violence.

Topic: 
Social and Emotional Learning, P-12 Education and Social Development, Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Trauma-Informed Care, Violence Prevention
Feb 2013
Project

Domestic Violence and Homelessness

The National Center on Family Homelessness is supporting Transitional Housing grantees of the Office of Violence Against Women at the U.S. Department of Justice. The project supports the transition of domestic violence survivors from homelessness to safe, stable, permanent housing.
15 Apr 2011
Report

Key Strategies for Violence and Substance Abuse Prevention I: Working with Children and Families

Three National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention publications highlight key prevention strategies: one for children and their families, another that targets the role of classroom and school environments, and a third that explores ways in which community-based strategies can contribute to the prevention of school violence and substance abuse.
Topic: 
Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan, Mental Health, Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Substance Abuse Disorders, Violence Prevention
5 Sep 2007
Report

Public School Practices for Violence Prevention and Reduction: 2003–04

School violence can lead to a disruptive and threatening environment, physical injury, and emotional stress, all of which can be obstacles to student achievement (Elliott, Hamburg, and Williams 1998). Educators have responded to the perceived threat of school violence by implementing programs designed to prevent, deter, and respond to the potential for violence in schools (Peterson, Larson, and Skiba 2001). In addition, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-110) emphasizes the importance of safe learning environments by requiring schools to have a safety plan in place and to fund programs and practices intended to prevent and reduce violence in schools.  

Topic: 
Social and Emotional Learning, P-12 Education and Social Development, School Crime and Safety, Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Violence Prevention
21 Apr 2000
Guide

Safeguarding Our Children: An Action Guide

The purpose of this Action Guide is to help schools develop and implement a comprehensive violence prevention plan grounded in the principles of the Early Warning Guide. This Action Guide is based on evidence-based practices. Effective action plans are strategic, coordinated, and comprehensive. They involve schoolwide prevention, early intervention, and intensive services for students with significant emotional or behavioral needs, including those with disruptive, destructive, or violent behaviors.

Topic: 
Social and Emotional Learning, P-12 Education and Social Development, School Crime and Safety, Mental Health, Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Violence Prevention, Youth-Serving Systems
25 Aug 1998
Guide

Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools

A brief summary of the research on violence prevention and intervention and crisis response in schools.

Topic: 
Social and Emotional Learning, School Crime and Safety, Families, Communities, and Social Systems, Violence Prevention