What works to prevent youth violence: evidence summary

This report draws together high-quality international evidence about what works to prevent youth violence, to inform policymakers and practitioners about the evidence base and effectiveness associated with different approaches and interventions.


References

Baldry, A. C., & Farrington, D. P. (2007). Effectiveness of programs to prevent school bullying. Victims and Offenders, 2(2), 183–204

Batchelor, S. Armstrong, S. and MacLellan, D. (2019) Taking Stock of Violence in Scotland. Glasgow: SCCJR.

Bellis, M. A., Hughes, K., Perkins, C., & Bennett, A. (2012). Protecting people, promoting health: a public health approach to violence prevention for England. Public Health England.

Bellis, M. A. (2017). Preventing violence, promoting peace: a policy toolkit for preventing interpersonal, collective and extremist violence. Commonwealth Secretariat

Breitenstein, S. M., Gross, D., Garvey, C. A., Hill, C., Fogg, L., & Resnick, B. (2010). Implementation fidelity in community‐based interventions. Research in nursing & health, 33(2), 164-173.

Botvin, G. J., Griffin, K. W., & Nichols, T. D. (2006). Preventing youth violence and delinquency through a universal school-based prevention approach. Prevention science, 7(4), 403-408.

Bowles, T., Jimerson, S., Haddock, A., Nolan, J., Jablonski, S., Czub, M., & Coelho, V. (2017). A review of the provision of social and emotional learning in Australia, the United States, Poland, and Portugal. Journal of Relationships Research, 8.

Brisson, J., Pekelny, I., & Ungar, M. (2020). Methodological strategies for evaluating youth gang prevention programs. Evaluation and program planning, 79, 101747.

Campbell, M. (2019). Specific interventions against cyberbullying. Making an impact on school bullying: Interventions and recommendations (Routledge Psychological Impacts), 176-201.

Clarkson, S., Charles, J. M., Saville, C. W., Bjornstad, G. J., & Hutchings, J. (2019). Introducing KiVa school-based antibullying programme to the UK: A preliminary examination of effectiveness and programme cost. School psychology international, 40(4), 347-365.

Clarke, A. M., Morreale, S., Field, C. A., Hussein, Y., & Barry, M. M. (2015). What works in enhancing social and emotional skills development during childhood and adolescence. A review of the evidence on the effectiveness of school-based and out-of-school programmes in the UK. A report produced by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Health Promotion Research, National University of Ireland Galway.

Clarkson, S., Charles, J. M., Saville, C. W., Bjornstad, G. J., & Hutchings, J. (2019). Introducing KiVa school-based antibullying programme to the UK: A preliminary examination of effectiveness and programme cost. School psychology international, 40(4), 347-365.

Cleaver, K., Maras, P., Oram, C., McCallum, K. (2019): A review of UK based multi-agency approaches to early intervention in domestic abuse: Lessons to be learnt from existing evaluation studies, Aggression and Violent Behavior, 46, 140-155

Cohen, R. I. S., & Bosk, E. A. (2020). Vulnerable youth and the COVID-19 pandemic. Pediatrics, 146(1).

Crow, I. (2004). Does Communities That Care work?: An evaluation of a community-based risk prevention programme in three neighbourhoods. Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

David-Ferdon, C., & Simon, T. R. (2014). Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

David-Ferdon, C., Vivolo-Kantor, A. M., Dahlberg, L. L., Marshall, K. J., Rainford, N., & Hall, J. E. (2016). A comprehensive technical package for the prevention of youth violence and associated risk behaviors.

De La Rue, L., Polanin, J. R., Espelage, D. L., & Pigott, T. D. (2017). A meta-analysis of school-based interventions aimed to prevent or reduce violence in teen dating relationships. Review of Educational Research, 87(1), 7–34

De Koker, P., Mathews, C., Zuch, M., Bastien, S., & Mason-Jones, A. J. (2014). A systematic review of interventions for preventing adolescent intimate partner violence. Journal of Adolescent Health, 54(1), 3–13.

Dishion, T. J., McCord, J., & Poulin, F. (1999). When interventions harm: Peer groups and problem behavior. American psychologist, 54(9), 755.

Eriksen, S. (2015): ‘Programme Evaulation: The Mentors in Violence Prevention Leadership Training at California State University, Long Beach. (accessed 08.07.019)

Esbensen, F. A., Peterson, D., Taylor, T. J., & Osgood, D. W. (2012). Results from a multi-site evaluation of the GREAT program. Justice Quarterly, 29(1), 125-151.

Fagan, A. A., & Catalano, R. F. (2013). What works in youth violence prevention: A review of the literature. Research on social work practice, 23(2), 141-156.

Faggiano, F., Allara, E., Giannotta, F., Molinar, R., Sumnall, H., Wiers, R., ... & Conrod, P. (2014). Europe needs a central, transparent, and evidence-based approval process for behavioural prevention interventions. PLoS Med, 11(10), e1001740.

Farrington, D. P. (2007). Childhood risk factors and risk-focused prevention. The Oxford handbook of criminology, 4, 602-640.

Fellmeth, G. L. T., Heffernan, C., Nurse, J., Habibula, S., & Sethi, D. Campbell Collaboration. (2013). Educational and skills-based interventions for preventing relationship and dating violence in adolescents and young adults. A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews 2013:14 (ED557997). ERIC.

Fox, C.L., Hale, R., Gadd, D. (2014): ‘Domestic abuse prevention education: listening to the views of young people’, Sex Education, 14(1), 28-41

Fulu, E., Kerr-Wilson, A., and Lang, J. (2014). What works to prevent violence against women and girls? Evidence review of interventions to prevent violence against women and girls, Annex F. Accessed from:

Gaffney, H., Farrington, D. P., Espelage, D. L., & Ttofi, M. M. (2019a). Are cyberbullying intervention and prevention programs effective? A systematic and meta-analytical review. Aggression and violent behavior, 45, 134-153.

Gaffney, H., Farrington, D. P., & Ttofi, M. M. (2019b). Examining the effectiveness of school-bullying intervention programs globally: a meta-analysis. International Journal of Bullying Prevention, 1(1), 14-31.

Gainsbury, A. N., Fenton, R. A., & Jones, C. A. (2020). From campus to communities: evaluation of the first UK-based bystander programme for the prevention of domestic violence and abuse in general communities. BMC public health, 20, 1-11.

Goldschmidt, P., Huang, D., & Chinen, M. (2007). The long-term effects of after-school programming on educational adjustment and juvenile crime: A study of the LA’s BEST after-school program. National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing and University of California Los Angeles, 5.

Gravel, J., Bouchard, M., Descormiers, K., Wong, J. S., & Morselli, C. (2013). Keeping promises: A systematic review and a new classification of gang control strategies. Journal of Criminal Justice, 41(4), 228-242.

Green, B. L., Ayoub, C., Bartlett, J. D., Von Ende, A., Furrer, C., Chazan-Cohen, R., ... & Klevens, J. (2014). The effect of Early Head Start on child welfare system involvement: A first look at longitudinal child maltreatment outcomes. Children and Youth Services Review, 42, 127-135.

Grossman, J. B., & Tierney, J. P. (1998). Does mentoring work? An impact study of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Evaluation review, 22(3), 403-426.

Hawkins JD et al. Preventing adolescent health-risk behaviours by strengthening protection during childhood. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 1999, 153:226-234.

Hawkins, J. D., Oesterle, S., Brown, E. C., Monahan, K. C., Abbott, R. D., Arthur, M. W., & Catalano, R. F. (2012). Sustained decreases in risk exposure and youth problem behaviors after installation of the Communities That Care prevention system in a randomized trial. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 166(2), 141-148.

Home Office (2013). Preventing youth violence and gang involvement.

Home Office (2018). Serious Violence Strategy.

Howard, K. A., Flora, J., & Griffin, M. (1999). Violence-prevention programs in schools: State of the science and implications for future research. Applied and Preventive Psychology, 8(3), 197–215.

Irwin-Rogers,K., Muthoo, A., & Billingham, L. (2020) Youth Violence Commission Final Report.

Jimerson, S.R., Nickerson, A.B., Mayer, M.J., & Furlong, M.J. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of school violence and school safety: International research and practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Jimerson, S.R., Swearer, S.M., & Espelage, D.L. (Eds.). (2010). The handbook of bullying in schools: An international perspective. New York, NY: Routledge

Jimerson, S.R., Burns, M.K., & VanDerHeyden, A.M. (2016). Handbook of response to intervention: The science and practice of multi-tiered systems of support. Springer Science & Business Media

Jones, L., , Lewis, C., Ubido, J., Hefferon, C.,  Baird, S., McAteer, S., &Watson, J. (2020) Direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on health and wellbeing

Kärnä, A., Voeten, M., Little, T. D., Poskiparta, E., Kaljonen, A., & Salmivalli, C. (2011). A large‐scale evaluation of the KiVa antibullying program: Grades 4–6. Child development, 82(1), 311-330.

Kärnä, A., Voeten, M., Little, T. D., Poskiparta, E., Alanen, E., & Salmivalli, C. (2011). Going to scale: A nonrandomized nationwide trial of the KiVa antibullying program for grades 1–9. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 79(6), 796.

Kovalenko, A. G., Abraham, C., Graham-Rowe, E., Levine, M., & O’Dwyer, S. (2020). What Works in Violence Prevention Among Young People?: A Systematic Review of Reviews. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 1524838020939130.

Lester, S., Lawrence, C., & Ward, C. L. (2017). What do we know about preventing school violence? A systematic review of systematic reviews. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 22(sup1), 187-223.

Limber, S. P., Olweus, D., Wang, W., Masiello, M., & Breivik, K. (2018). Evaluation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program: A large scale study of US students in grades 3–11. Journal of school psychology, 69, 56-72.

Lipsey, M. W. (2009). The primary factors that characterize effective interventions with juvenile offenders: A meta-analytic overview. Victims and Offenders, 4(2), 124–147.

Local Government Association. (2018). Public health approaches to reducing violence.

Love, J. M., Kisker, E. E., Ross, C., Raikes, H., Constantine, J., Boller, K., ... & Fuligni, A. S. (2005). The effectiveness of early head start for 3-year-old children and their parents: lessons for policy and programs. Developmental psychology, 41(6), 885.

Lundgren, R. and Amin, A. (2015): ‘Addressing Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence Among Adolescents: Emerging Evidence of Effectiveness’, Journal of Adolescent Health, 56, 542-550

McMahon, S., & Belur, J. (2013). Sports-based programmes and reducing youth violence and crime. London: Project Oracle.

Melhuish, E. , Phan, M. , Sylva, K. , Sammons, P. , Siraj-Blatchford, I. , & Taggart, B. (2008). Effects of the home learning environment and preschool center experience upon literacy and numeracy development in early primary school. Journal of Social Issues , 64(1), 95–114. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.2008.00550.x

Mihalic, S., Irwin, K., Elliott, D., Fagan, A., & Hansen, D. (2001). Blueprints for Violence Prevention. Juvenile Justice Bulletin.

Nocentini, A., & Menesini, E. (2016). KiVa anti-bullying program in Italy: Evidence of effectiveness in a randomized control trial. Prevention science, 17(8), 1012-1023.

Niolon, P. H., Vivolo-Kantor, A. M., Tracy, A. J., Latzman, N. E., Little, T. D., DeGue, S., ... & Tharp, A. T. (2019). An RCT of dating matters: Effects on teen dating violence and relationship behaviors. American journal of preventive medicine, 57(1), 13-23.

Nocentini, A., Zambuto, V., & Menesini, E. (2015). Anti-bullying programs and information and communication technologies (ICTs): A systematic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 23, 52–60.

O’Connor, R. M., & Waddell, S. (2015).What works to prevent gang involvement, youth violence and crime. A Rapid Review of Interventions Delivered in the UK and Abroad, Early Intervention Foundation, London.

O’Connor, R. M., & Waddell, S. (2015). Preventing gang involvement and youth violence. Advice for those commissioning mentoring programmes, Early Intervention Foundation, London.

Olweus, D., & Limber, S. P. (2010). Bullying in school: evaluation and dissemination of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. American journal of Orthopsychiatry, 80(1), 124.

Olweus, D., Limber, S. P., & Breivik, K. (2019). Addressing specific forms of bullying: A large-scale evaluation of the Olweus bullying prevention program. International Journal of Bullying Prevention, 1(1), 70-84.

Petrosino, A., Turpin‐Petrosino, C., Hollis‐Peel, M. E., & Lavenberg, J. G. (2013). 'Scared Straight 'and other juvenile awareness programs for preventing juvenile delinquency. Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (4).

Polanin, J. R., Espelage, D. L., & Pigott, T. D. (2012). A metaanalysis of school-based bullying prevention programs’ effects on bystander intervention behavior. School Psychology Review, 41(1), 47–65.

Powell, A. (2011) Review of Bystander Approaches in Support of Preventing Violence Against Women [online]. Victoria, New South Wales: Victoria Health Promotion Foundation. Publication P-052-V B.

Public Health England (2019). Approaches to prevent or reduce violence with a focus on youth, knife and gang-related violence. PHE Publications.

Reynolds, A. J., Temple, J. A., White. B. A. B., Ou, S., & Robertson, D. L. (2011). Age-26 cost-benefit analysis of the Child-Parent Early Education Program. Child Development, 82(1), 379-404

Reynolds, AJ, Temple, JA, Ou, SR et al. (2007), ‘Effects of a school-based, early childhood intervention on adult health and well-being’, Archives of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Vol. 161, 730–39.

Robson, L.S., Shannon, H.S., Goldenhar, L.M., & Hale, A.R. (2001). Guide to evaluating the effectiveness of strategies for preventing work injuries: How to show whether a safety intervention really works.

Saarento, S., Boulton, A. J., & Salmivalli, C. (2015). Reducing bullying and victimization: Student-and classroom-level mechanisms of change. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 43(1), 61-76.

Salmivalli, C., Kärnä, A., & Poskiparta, E. (2011). Counteracting bullying in Finland: The KiVa program and its effects on different forms of being bullied. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 35(5), 405-411.

Scottish Government. (2015). What Works to Reduce Reoffending: A Summary of the Evidence.

ScotPHN report (June, 2019): ‘Violence Prevention Framework

Stoto, M.A., & Cosler, E. (2008). Evaluation of public health interventions. In L.F. Novick, C.B. Morrow, & G.P. Mays (Eds.), Public health administration: Principles for populationbased management (pp. 495–544) (2nd ed.). London: Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Ttofi, M. M., & Farrington, D. P. (2011). Effectiveness of school-based programs to reduce bullying: A systematic and meta-analytic review. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 7(1), 27–56.

Vreeman, R. C., & Carroll, A. E. (2007). A systematic review of school-based interventions to prevent bullying. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 161(1), 78–88.

Whitaker, D. J., Murphy, C. M., Eckhardt, C. I., Hodges, A. E., & Cowart, M. (2013). Effectiveness of primary prevention efforts for intimate partner violence. Special Issue: The Partner Abuse State of Knowledge Project Part 5, 4(2), 175–195.

White, Jane. "Addressing school violence and bullying: Evidence review." (2019).

Williams, D. J., Currie, D., Linden, W., & Donnelly, P. D. (2014). Addressing gang-related violence in Glasgow: A preliminary pragmatic quasi-experimental evaluation of the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV). Aggression and violent behavior, 19(6), 686-691.

Williams, D. J., & Neville, F. G. (2017). Qualitative evaluation of the mentors in violence prevention pilot in Scottish high schools. Psychology of violence, 7(2), 213.

World Health Organisation (2002): World Report on Violence and Health, Report 6: Sexual Violence.

World Health Organization. (2009). Preventing violence by developing life skills in children and adolescents.

World Health Organization. (2010a). Violence prevention: the evidence.

World Health Organisation (2010b.): Preventing intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women.

World Health Organization (2013). Preventing violence: Evaluating outcomes of parenting programmes.

World Health Organization. (2015). Preventing youth violence: an overview of the evidence.

World Health Organization. (2016). INSPIRE: seven strategies for ending violence against children. World Health Organization.

World Health Organization. (2019). School-based violence prevention: a practical handbook.

World Health Organization (2020). Youth Violence: Key Facts.

Zych, I., Ortega-Ruiz, R., & Del Rey, R. (2015). Systematic review of theoretical studies on bullying and cyberbullying: Facts, knowledge, prevention, and intervention. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 23, 1-21.

Contact

Email: Frances.warren@gov.scot

Back to top