Youth violence: Sources and solutions in South Africa thoroughly and carefully reviews the evidence for risk and protective factors that influence the likelihood of young people acting aggressively.  Layers of understanding are built by viewing the problem from a multitude of perspectives, including the current situation in which South African youth are growing up, perspectives from developmental psychology, the influences of race, class and gender, and of the media. 

 

The book then reviews the evidence for effective interventions in the contexts of young people’s lives – their homes, their schools, their leisure activities, their interactions with gangs, in the criminal justice system, in cities and neighbourhoods, and with sexual offenders.  In doing so, thoughtful suggestions are made for keeping an evidence-based perspective while (necessarily) adapting interventions for developing world contexts, such as South Africa. 

 

Youth violence: Sources and solutions in South Africa is a valuable addition to the library of anyone who has ever wondered about youth violence, or wanted to do something about it.

Foreword -  Dr Alex Butchart, Department of Violence and Injury Prevention and Disability, WHO

 

Youth Violence in South Africa: Setting the Scene – Catherine L. Ward, Andrew Dawes & Richard Matzopoulos

Gender, Class, ‘Race’ and Violence – Don Foster

The Development of Youth Violence: an Ecological Understanding – Amelia van der Merwe, Andrew Dawes & Catherine L. Ward
 
SECTION TWO
Chapter Four

The Situation of the Youth in South Africa – Saadhna Panday, Chitra Ranchod, Busani Ngcaweni & Soraya Seedat

Preventing the Development of Youth Violence in the Early Years: Implications for South African Practice – Mark Tomlinson, Andrew Dawes & Alan J. Flisher

School-based Youth Violence Prevention Interventions – Anik Gevers & Alan J. Flisher

Interventions for Out-of-School Contexts – Lisa Wegner & Linda Caldwell

Intervening with Youths in Gangs – Adam Cooper & Catherine L. Ward

Youth Sex Offending: The South African Context, Risks and Effective Management – Amelia van der Merwe, Ulrich Meys & Samantha Waterhouse

Screen Media Violence and the Socialisation of Young Viewers – Jane Stadler

Interventions for Young Offenders: What we Know about what ‘works’ in Diversion Programmes – Amelia van der Merwe & Andrew Dawes

Addressing Youth Violence in Cities and Neighbourhoods – Margaret Shaw

The South African Context: Future Directions in Research and Practice -  Amelia van der Merwe, Andrew Dawes & Catherine L. Ward

Academics, policy-makers, those who develop and manage violence prevention programmes. The Departments of Justice, Social Development and Correctional Services; the National Prosecuting Authority; Youth diversion service providers (e.g. NICRO); youth-oriented NGOs (e.g., RAPCAN); professional groups of public health practitioners, criminologists, psychologists

It specifically addresses youth (including adolescent) violence and crime in South Africa, which makes it novel in the South African market.