A systematic review of urban youth violence prevention programs nationwide to identify best practice program components

background: Violence is a major cause of fatal and non-fatal injury among youth in urban communities. The current challenge is to identify evidence based programs that are effective in preventing youth violence. Evaluations of youth violence prevention programs (YVPPs) are well documented. However, few have documented “best practice components” which can be used to guide policy and program formation. The aim of this study is to review YVPPs to assess characteristics that could be identified as best practice components. Because a multidisciplinary approach is generally associated with YVPPs, ensuring that these programs include policies that address behavioral, mental, physical, and public health could improve their effectiveness. methods: A systematic review of the literature on current and former YVPPs from 2000 was conducted using 7 scholarly databases. English language studies and reports were included for programs targeting youth aged 10 to 25 in urban communities. A programmatic element was deemed a best practice component if it was observed in 80% of programs. results: After screening 55 abstracts, a total of 8 programs met the established criteria. Seven out of eight programs (88%) revealed the use of community outreach workers (COWs) as a best practice component in urban youth violence prevention programs nationwide. conclusions:  A review of YVPPs identified the use of COWs as a crucial component in urban YVPPs. This study discusses the use of COWs and why they were central to each of the seven programs studied.  Additionally, the impact of COWs on the health of program participants was explored.