OJJDP Bulletin, September 2015, Highlights

Second National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence

OJJDP has released “Children’s Exposure to Violence, Crime, and Abuse: An Update.” This bulletin, cosponsored by OJJDP and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, presents findings from the second National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV II), which was conducted in 2011. NatSCEV II gathered data about exposure to violence among a new group of 4,500 children ages 1 month to 17 years. In addition to the types of exposure to violence, crime, and abuse covered in the original survey, NatSCEV II added the categories of conventional crime, child maltreatment, peer and sibling victimization, and Internet/cell phone victimization. NatSCEV II confirmed the first NatSCEV’s finding that children’s exposure to violence is common; nearly 60 percent had been exposed to violence in the past year, and more than 1 in 10 reported 5 or more exposures.

Resources:

Learn more about NatSCEV II at the OJJDP-funded Safe Start Center website.
Access OJJDP’s NatSCEV publications.
Learn more about the Attorney General’s Defending Childhood Initiative