ABSTRACT
What You Need to Know
■ Victimization of youths is a very common occurrence and a problem that needs to be addressed by the juvenile justice system.
■ According to the NCVS, between 4 and 6 percent of all youths are victims of a violent crime each year, with a very large portion of that crime taking place at school.
■ Counter to popular belief, the killing of students at school is an extremely rare event.
■ Youths are also victimized within family settings. Child maltreatment, either as abuse or neglect, is a major problem.
■ Youths may adopt an array of responses to victimization, ranging from fear, to avoidance, to carrying weapons and joining a gang.
■ Formal agencies that respond to child maltreatment include child protective services, the juvenile court, family court, and the adult criminal justice system.
