The Problem of Mass Incarceration

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 19.02.06

  1. Unit Guide
  1. The Unit
  2. Violent Crime in the United States
  3. Trauma
  4. Risk and Protective Factors
  5. Protective Factors
  6. Schools and Their Place in Empowering and Protecting Students
  7. School, Community, Business, and Neighborhood Partnerships
  8. Specific Prevention Strategies
  9. Teaching Strategies
  10. Standards
  11. Notes

Equipping Students with Tools for Positive Change

Trace Lynne Ragland

Published September 2019

Tools for this Unit:

Risk and Protective Factors

Central to the problem of violence and trauma is the concept that each person has factors which influence the likelihood that they will experience trauma. We must do everything possible to decrease risk factors and increase protective factors.  A risk factor can be defined as “a characteristic at the biological, psychological, family, community, or cultural level that precedes and is associated with a higher likelihood of problem outcomes.  Conversely, a protective factor can be defined as “a characteristic at the biological, psychological, family, or community (including peers and culture) level that is associated with a lower likelihood of problem outcomes or that reduces the negative impact of a risk factor on problem outcomes.” 11

Youth violence is influenced by or associated with many risk factors, including: personal characteristics/experiences, relationships, neighborhood/community, and surrounding society.  The presence of risk factors does not always mean that a young person will experience violence, but the more risk factors experienced, the higher the likelihood of violent exposure and associated trauma. 

Individual Risk Factors

Individual risks that often lead to being violent and/or experiencing violence include: substance use, impulsiveness, aggression, poor grades, weak feelings of belonging in school, abuse, neglect, home or community exposure to violence, delinquent peers or friends, parental involvement with drugs, harsh discipline, depression, anxiety, chronic stress, conflict, rejection.  In addition, youth who are arrested have an increased risk for school dropout, substance abuse, and future acts of violence and crime. 

Community Risk Factors

Community factors can also contribute to increased likelihood of exposure to violence: crowded and poor housing conditions, residential instability, the number of alcohol-related businesses, high levels of unemployment, concentrated poverty, neighborhood violence, few positive interactions among residents, and acceptance/normalization of drug use/violence.12

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