Greenwood Press (This book and the previous one are part of a series published by Greenwood to provide information on social issues being faced by individuals and societies around the world. There are volumes concerned with poverty and homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction, HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy, women's rights, and other issues.) Teen violence in fourteen countries is discussed in individual chapters. Each chapter presents information on incidence and prevalence, any changes or developments, and suggests factors which may be causative. Factors which appear to have some impact include association with teen gangs, racketeering by teens, breakdown of family cohesiveness, lack of employment opportunities for teens, poor quality of education, victimization, and drug trafficking and abuse, individual pathology, and changes in the political system. If there are any efforts to alleviate or control teen violence in the country, they are briefly described. To date there is not much that seems to be working very well but there are a number of distinct approaches in the different countries. Some appear to have some promise but require further study and understanding. The overall picture is that teen violence is increasing around the world and is perceived to be a serious problem in many different cultures and traditions. This book provides good information and data on the world wide incidence and the efforts to control teen violence. Reviewed by Ralph Underwager, Institute for Psychological Therapies.
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