Inequality and adolescent violence: an exploration of community, family, and individual factors

Abstract

Purpose: The study seeks to examine whether the relationships among community, family, individual factors, and violent behavior are parallel across race- and gender-specific segments of the adolescent population.

Methods: Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health are analyzed to highlight the complex relationships between inequality, community, family, individual behavior, and violence.

Results: The results from robust regression analysis provide evidence that social environmental factors can influence adolescent violence in race- and gender-specific ways.

Conclusions: Findings from this study establish the plausibility of multidimensional models that specify a complex relationship between inequality and adolescent violence.