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Serious and Violent Juvenile Offenders: Gaps in Knowledge and Research Priorities (From Serious and Violent Juvenile Offenders: Risk Factors and Successful Interventions, P 389-404, 1998, Rolf Loeber, David P. Farrington, eds. - See NCJ-171234)

NCJ Number
171250
Author(s)
N G Guerra
Date Published
1998
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This chapter discusses knowledge gaps and research priorities in the subject of serious and violent juvenile (SVJ) offenders.
Abstract
The chapter suggests that understanding the problem of SVJ offenders requires: (1) a specific focus on SVJ offenders that incorporates issues of definition, heterogeneity, and co-occurrence with other behavior problems; (2) an understanding of the social ecology of serious juvenile crime in terms of the complex interaction between individual, situational, and contextual influences over time; and (3) an awareness of the relevance of research to services, systems, and policies that must include an appreciation of how research can be informed by the daily lives of people who experience or address problems of serious juvenile crime. The overarching theme of the chapter is that research and practice must be interconnected in a feedback loop that allows each to inform the other. The research endeavor must be collaborative, and the common goal must be to forge an understanding of the dynamics of SVJ offending that will lead to promising action strategies and responsive policies. Table