Social networks as a protective factor for youth violence

Interpersonal violence is the leading cause of death for all youth 15-24 years of age and for African American and Latino males 15-34 years of age. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the role of social networks of high school students in preventing youth violence. For the purpose of this study violence prevention was operationalized as safe places, caring adults/mentors, and job training/work opportunities. The primary hypothesis addressed by this study was that strong social networks associated with personal safety, caring adults, and job training/youth employment opportunities are independently associated with lower risk to youth for interpersonal violence. Study results build upon a previous data base of businesses, agencies, and churches that were identified by youth as community assets that serve as protective factors in preventing violence. Data collection includes integration of outcomes of youth surveys and secondary data sets. Study results allowed us to examine the relationship between risk of violence, other risk and protective factors, and the strength, density, and spatial proximity of their social networks. Social network analysis was used to assess the characteristics of their social networks, including strength, centrality, and density. Results also were geo-coded and pulled into ArcView/GIS program to provide a spatial depiction of the social networks of youth. Analyses provide a better understanding of the relationship of social networks of youth for safe places, mentors/caring adults, and job training/work opportunities and risk for youth violence.