Chicago

Reducing Impact of Violence Among Children

For years, research has shown that violence is learned behavior.  A decade ago, the Howard University Violence Prevention Project (HUVPP) found that children’s exposure to community violence can predict their social and emotional behavior, both in school and at home.  In other words, the more elementary school children are exposed to community violence, the more likely they will have adjustment problems. Unfortunately, while this probably not a revelation to most people, the HUVPP findings are just as valid today, chiefly because the underlying causes for violence have not changed.