Racial differences in youth violence associated with youth assets, demographics, and neighborhood characteristics: The youth asset study (YAS)

In 2007, murder claimed 5,764 youth; 32% of youth reported physical fighting in the past 12 months, a significant disruption to youth education. The YAS, a 5 wave longitudinal study followed 1117 youth/parent pairs to determine the impact of youth assets, demographics, and community concerns on youth risk behaviors, including violence. These analyses included 1001 youth: 53% female; 26% Black, 31% Hispanic, and 43% White; 50% with income <$5,000; and 69% in two-parent families. Mean age (SD) was Black 14.7 (1.6), Hispanic 14.1 (1.5), and White 14.4 (1.6). Seventeen assets were summed and divided at the median to form a high vs low asset variable. Assets at Waves 1-4 and Wave 1 neighborhood factors were used to predict outcomes at Waves 2–5 while controlling for gender, family structure, parental income and education, crowded house, federal poverty level, age, and wealth. No weapon-carrying in the past 30 days was related to a high asset level for all racial groups; however, for Blacks having better neighborhood conditions and fewer neighborhood services concerns were related to weapon-carrying. Fewer neighborhood concerns, both services and crime/safety, were significantly protective only for Whites. For no physical fighting, high assets were significant only for Whites and Hispanics and neighborhood concerns were not significantly related to outcomes. Conclusions: A high number of assets was protective against weapon-carrying for all races while the relationship with physical fighting was significant only for Whites and Hispanics. Fewer neighborhood concerns were protective for youth weapon-carrying, but not physical fighting.