What is Youth Violence?

Youth violence is a significant public health problem that affects thousands of young people each day, and in turn, their families, schools, and communities. Youth violence is widespread in the United States and is the third leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24. Public health and violence prevention practitioners and researchers are united by a common goal: stop youth violence from happening in the first place. To help amplify their impact, CDC is working to encourage the use of youth violence prevention strategies that work. These efforts help assure an understanding of the issue which contributes to accurate reporting and surveillance, adherence to proven prevention strategies, and opportunities to enhance existing prevention strategies and develop new ones.