What works to prevent youth violence: key findings

Directions for Future Research

• Further evaluations of interventions, both in Scotland and elsewhere, are necessary to understand 'what works'. For interventions classified as 'inconclusive', evaluative evidence would be beneficial for understanding the impacts of these interventions on preventing youth violence over time. Evaluations should include both quantitative and qualitative approaches to better understand the impacts and effects of each intervention.
• Evaluation research should incorporate validated measures of behaviour change and associated risk factors.
• Education based approaches have been shown to be effective when delivered within school settings. Further research could investigate the impact of these interventions when delivered in alternative community-based settings and with those who do not attend school and when implemented in those who are not of school age.
• Improved evaluation efforts are necessary to better understand what works for whom and under what circumstances, as well as why certain approaches are effective, when others are not.
• Strengthening this evidence base will require longitudinal evaluations of effectiveness across different population groups and communities, using validated measures of violence related outcomes and relevant associated risk factors.