The teenage violence statistics in America -and all over the world- are higher than they have been in the past.
Some Teenage Violence Statistics
While the level of violence varies upon the area in which a teen lives, there are violent occurrences in just about every area of the country. Bigger cities have a reputation for having more teen violence than a small town, and while this is not always true, cities often have much more gang activity, which makes the amount of violence in an area increase. Violence is a very prominent topic in high schools, as well as in the homes of many teenagers.
Teenage violence statistics change from year to year, and from area to area. Parents might want to search online if they are moving their family into a new area to research the area so that they can see what the crime rate is like and which school would be safest for their child to attend. There are many government websites that post statistics of teenage violence each year, such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website. A few teenage violence statistics and facts are:
- About thirty percent of middle school and high school aged children are bullied or are a bully themselves.
- Boys are more likely than girls to carry a gun into a school.
- The second leading cause of death in teens and young adults is homicide.
- Young people were responsible for sixteen percent of all violent crime arrests in 2007.
- Adolescents and young adults are the most likely age group to be involved in a violent crime.
- Teen girls are less likely to be involved in teen violence.
- Each year, one in twelve teenagers has a threat made against another involving a weapon.
- Teens who are in gangs are more likely to be involved in violent acts.
- Teens who have abusive home lives are more likely to commit violent crimes
These statistics will vary, but are accurate when it comes to the majority of teenage crimes.
Reasons for Teen Violence
There can be many different reasons for teenage violence in a high school, or outside of school. These reasons can range from a mental disorder to severe bullying, and the severity of a teen's violence will depend on many different factors. Some of those might be home life, social life, and if the teen has a natural tendency towards violence. Some reasons for teenage violence include:
- Mental, physical or sexual abuse at home
- Bullying inside and outside of school
- Mental disorders
- Gang involvement
- Peer pressure
- Retaliation for some type of violence inflicted upon a teen beforehand
- Desire for attention from parents or other authority figures
There are many other reasons why a teen might choose to act out violently toward someone else.
Types of Violence
School shootings or fights might be the first thing that comes to a parent's mind when they think of school violence, but there are other forms of teen violence as well. Some of these might be:
- Teasing
- Harassment
- Vandalizing property
- Self-inflicted harm or suicide
- Attacking a peer
The punishment for teenage violence depends upon what the teen has done. If he gets into a fight with a classmate at school, then he might be suspended from school for several days, but probably will not go to jail if he is under eighteen. If he does something like bring a gun or other weapon into a school, then there are severe punishments that may include expulsion from the school district and in some cases, jail time.
