System of Care and Youth Violence

• In Event: 61.086 - Roundtable Session 21
  In Roundtable Session: 61.086-10 - Community-Based Critical Education for Social Justice

Abstract

This paper examines the utility of the systems of care approach to address youth cultural violence in urban schools. Exposure to violence places youth at risk for Post-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related conditions that affect behavior and learning in school. Over-reliance on out of school suspensions has served to disproportionately marginalize these traumatized youths. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping was used to demonstrate the magnitude and spatial extent of mental health and youth violence issues. Conceptual analysis of systems of care explored their suitability for addressing these issues in U.S. urban schools. A transformative system of care is recommended to empower liberation from the oppressive nature of youth cultural violence and to reduce the injustice of discipline disparity.

Authors

• Nakeshia N Williams, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Laurie A. Garo, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Tiffany Hollis, University of North Carolina - Charlotte