Youth Violence Risk Assessment: Gaps in Local Knowledge and Directions for Future Research

There is a lack of research on violence risk assessment in South Africa; particularly on the assessment of risk for violence in children and adolescents. This is problematic; because of the strong association between conducting sound assessments and the appropriate referral of youths to intervention programmes. Considering the very high levels of violence in our country; the effective treatment of violent youths is imperative. International literature on violence risk assessment indicates that although a number of instruments designed to assess youth violence risk exist; many primarily focus on identifying psychopathic tendencies in young people; which has stimulated much debate amongst scholars. In addition to paying careful attention to the content of youth violence risk instruments; their administration should be monitored; to ensure that assessment practice is up to standard. Future research efforts in South Africa should be dedicated towards testing the applicability of instruments developed internationally in local settings; and towards the development and testing of local instruments

Youth violence: a review of risk factors, causal pathways and effective intervention

This paper presents a review of theoretical and empirical research on risk factors for: 1) the development of violent and other antisocial behaviour; 2) international interventions targeting antisocial; including violent youths; and 3) outcome evaluations and meta-analyses of interventions targeting antisocial; including violent youths. Taken together; the international literature indicates that interventions which effectively reduce violent and other antisocial behaviours are informed by a number of generic principles which should guide the development and implementation of South African violence-prevention programmes. Common characteristics of interventions which effectively reduce youth violence are presented; with the aim of informing the design and delivery of local interventions. In light of the alarmingly high levels of violence in South Africa; there is an urgent need to develop intensive; multi-modal; evidence-based; structured; cognitive-behavioural programmes for violent adolescents and young adults. Furthermore; it is imperative that efforts are directed at developing a reliable local evidence base of 'what works' for young offenders generally; and violent young offenders specifically