Youth Violence Prevention through Asset-based Community Development (Criminal Justice, Recent Scholarship)

Payne has written a comprehensive study of the planning, implementation, and evaluation of a local youth violence prevention project in Riverside, California. We know local governments are accountable for the effective management of tax funds. As such, the proper planning and implementation of long-term youth violence prevention efforts takes on added significance. This project represents the first effort on the part of the City of Riverside, California to implement a preventive model based on social disorganization theory. The basic premise of the model combines long-term and short-term goals. That is, increased social capital for youths and collective efficacy among adults in the community combined with acute intervention and suppression efforts help to mitigate the risks associated with youth violence. It is hoped that this analysis may serve to inform other local governments on the most effective strategy in the prevention of youth violence.