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Rates of youth firearm exposure and carriage are well-established, but less work has examined how exposure to police violence and firearm violence, as victim or witness, may be associated with beliefs in gun ownership for society or access to guns. This study used survey data from a multiracial sample of 276 youth living in New Orleans, Louisiana (M age = 17.76) to examine these associations. Results from binary logistic regressions confirmed a significant association between higher belief in gun ownership for safety and all violence exposures, directly and indirectly. We did not find support for an association between gun access and any violence exposures. The findings shed light on pathways to firearm violence risk and provide critical information on youth firearm attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero tolerance policies in urban schools increased the disparities in urban school discipline for Black youth in comparison to white youth. Restorative interventions continue to be a popular response to deviant student behaviors; however, exploring the impact of restorative interventions in reducing harsh discipline on Black youth should be a continued focal point for scholars. This study used a scoping review to explore the breadth of knowledge available regarding using restorative interventions in urban schools. Five databases were used to identify relevant literature. Seven pieces of literature met the criteria for inclusion in this review. Findings revealed that restorative interventions do not have substantially positive impact on Black youth's suspension rates; yet racial inequities in school and perceived negative thoughts about Black youth are among chief reasons Black youth are more likely suspended. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how Black and Latinx youth organizers navigate intersectionality and positionality as they campaigned for community and educational justice. Studies have shown the value of youth organizing for Black and Latinx populations but there is limited knowledge of how members navigate their differences to deepen solidarity efforts. The research questions are (1) how do youth organizers negotiate their positionality in terms of privileges and vulnerabilities? and (2) how do youth organizers show up for each other when addressing issues that do not affect everyone the same? We draw on a longitudinal, mixed-methods study that follows multiple cohorts of youth organizers, which revealed that young people in youth organizing spaces had a sophisticated understanding of their own identities and positionality in relation to their campaigns and other youth who did not share the same identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to community adversities and violence can be associated with a cascade of neurocognitive, mental health, and behavioral challenges among urban adolescents. Influenced by the bio-ecological framework, this study examines if problems with executive functioning (EF) exacerbate the relation between exposure to community adversity and violence and internalizing symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms) and externalizing behaviors (e.g., hyperactivity and attention problems) for males and females. Participants included 300 primarily African American and Latine adolescents (M age = 15.42, SD = 1.21; 51% female) who reside in 30 census tracts from urban neighborhoods historically and systematically divested from, located on the West and South sides of Chicago. Pending the radical reconfiguration of power, systems, and community to fundamentally challenge the systemic policies and processes that contribute to these adverse experiences, findings from this study provide important implications for clinical practice and school-based interventions that could support adolescents' psychological, behavioral, and emotional needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community violence and its physical health consequences are well known among youth living in urban settings. However, less is known about the cumulative effect of contextual and demographic risk factors on posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among vulnerable youth. Longitudinal data (baseline, 9-month, 21-month) were analyzed to investigate trajectories of PTSS, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms among 188 youth (M age 12.87, 60.6% male) treated for an assault injury in an emergency department. Youth exhibited decreased mental health problems over time. Higher levels of internalizing symptoms related to decreased PTSS over time, while higher levels of PTSS predicted increased externalizing symptoms over time, thus underscoring the importance of understanding comorbidity. Gender and stressful life events were significantly associated with initial levels of symptoms and trajectories. These findings suggest the importance of understanding PTSS in the context of environments and personal factors to support appropriate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positive youth development (PYD), while embraced in many sectors of youth work, has faced criticism for its primary emphasis on positive personal change and adaptation, without a strong emphasis on social justice and culture, especially relevant for African Americans. Additional models of PYD addressing these conceptual gaps have emerged, however few explicitly address anti-Black racism and historical trauma impacting African American youth development. In this paper, expanded models of PYD, specifically Empowerment-Based Positive Youth Development (EBPYD) and Critical Positive Youth Development (CPYD) will be examined for their strengths and limitations in responding to (1) anti-Black racism and (2) historical trauma among African American youth. Key strategies of these models, such as promoting prosocial behavior and civic engagement will be reconceptualized and expanded to account for developmental needs imposed by historical oppression and contemporary racism against African American youth. Implications for PYD programing will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies show that environmental noise in urban environments continues to be a great health risk. This noise is especially further transmitted by the hard materials that are mostly used for façades. To predict these effects it is desirable to have a reliable prediction method. There are already several ways to predict sound levels in an urban context. This paper investigates two while focusing specifically on a practical approach to show that the methods are suitable to use during an actual design project. The impact of changing a façade at a specific location is investigated using both prediction methods. A façade which reflects sound to a location where it has a smaller impact, a sound absorbing façade, and a façade which combines both are taken into consideration. These façade adaptions have the potential to improve the sound levels in the investigated area from 1.7 up to 9.3 dB(A). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School belonging is a topic of growing interest given its connection with school dropout, academic achievement, students' behavior, and adolescent well-being. Until recently, most of this literature came from Anglo-Saxon contexts, mainstream schools, and quantitative analysis. As a result, there is still a research gap on this issue in different cultural contexts, social classes, and minority groups. This article makes a contribution exploring school belonging among adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds, in an emerging economy (Mexico), and using a qualitative methodology that prioritize meanings and experiences of individuals. Focusing on three dimensions (stigmatization processes, school climate, and social relations with teacher and peers), we capture how the engagement of adolescents with their schooling process is shaped by institutional as well as sociocultural aspects. The study provides significant implications for a continuous professional development of high schools in disadvantaged contexts regarding student involvement, teacher support, and social recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the negative adult characteristics and practices that prohibit connection between youth and nonparental adults. Racially/ethnically diverse youth from five community-based out-of-school-time programs participated in focus groups on youth–adult relationships. Analyses revealed that the following adult characteristics and practices prohibited connection: (a) unengaging communication styles, (b) inappropriate behavior, (c) lack of respect, (d) contradictory expectations, and (e) adult-driven approaches. Participants also reported the negative psychological consequences of these practices: (a) decreased self-esteem, (b) decreased motivation, and (c) disconnect from adults. This study provides a unique contribution to the literature on negative youth–adult interactions and has implications for training programs for adults who work with youth to improve relationships and promote positive youth outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent sleep deprivation is a pressing public health issue in the United States as well as other countries. The contexts of adolescents' lives are changing rapidly, but little is known about the factors that adolescents themselves believe affect their sleep. This study uses a social-ecological framework to investigate multiple levels of perceived influence on sleep patterns of urban adolescents. Data were drawn from interviews and surveys conducted in three California public high schools. Most participants identified homework as their primary barrier to sleep, particularly those engaged in procrastinating, multitasking, or those with extracurricular demands. Results indicate that the home context has important implications for adolescent sleep, including noise, household rules, and perceived parent values. These findings identify important areas for future research and intervention, particularly regarding the roles of parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential mobility is associated with negative education outcomes for urban students, but there is little empirical evidence for school factors that may ameliorate these effects. One such factor may be civic engagement at school. This study analyzed data from 2,000 urban middle school students to examine the interplay of residential mobility, education outcomes, and school civic engagement. Findings show that students who change residences have lower academic achievement and rates of attendance and that mobile students who are leaders in school groups and attend afterschool programs have more positive education outcomes compared with their mobile peers who are uninvolved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gang members are exposed to unique sexual risks, yet little work has explored the influence of gang social norms. This study examines the functions and meanings of sex within gangs, with a specific focus on the ways in which sex is used to reinforce gang membership and norms, gender roles, and group cohesion. We conducted 58 semi-structured interviews with adolescent members of six gangs. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis and constant comparative method in MAXQDA. Sexual risk behaviors within gangs are upheld and reinforced through unspoken norms and expectations. These high-risk sexual practices increase group cohesion and reinforce gender norms and power differences. Despite the prevalence of such practices, many gang members felt regret and remorse over their participation but noted it was just part of "the life." Our findings highlight the need for interventions to address the norms of the gang that reinforce sexual risk behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluates adolescent gang involvement using cross-sectional survey data from 1,475 adolescents living in a disadvantaged Comuna in Medellin, Colombia. Specifically, we examine the prevalence of former and current gang membership, affiliation with gang members, and lives untouched by any gang association. Once these groups are established, we identify variation in membership on the basis of demographic and theoretical variables, and determine whether such variation can be described by using the selection, facilitation, and enhancement models developed by Thornberry et al. While our results, consistent with many prior findings using North American samples, support the selection model for most theoretical variables and enhancement for behavioral outcomes, our strongest contribution is our study’s ability to demonstrate the temporal impact of gang involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black parents have long faced the task of explaining the meaning of race to their children and preparing them for racist experiences. This qualitative study examines racial socialization practices in the context of a specific racialized event: the shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri. Data were gathered from 18 Black parents and adolescents living in the St. Louis region in the weeks immediately following the event. Four types of practices were identified: Parents taught their children about the racial context from which the events emerged; they taught their sons strategies to avoid danger and that their lives are valued; they emphasized dissimilarity between their children and those engaging in violent protest; and they encouraged their children to overcome discrimination through individual achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the concept of cultural safety in relation with the diversity of cultural identities experienced by urban Indigenous youth. While the existing literature focuses on educating health care providers on the historical context and resultant disparities in social determinants of health among Indigenous Peoples, little attention has been given to how these histories have impacted the ways in which urban Indigenous Peoples have negotiated their identities. We contend that the numerous ways in which urban Indigenous identities have been impacted by colonial policies have many implications for urban service providers and policy-makers, and for the meaning of cultural safety in this context. Drawing on participatory research that employed Indigenous methodologies, with 20 urban Indigenous youth living in Montreal, we outline some guiding principles in addressing questions of Indigenous identity among urban youth, and their relevance to the definition and application of cultural safety concept and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an education system marred by inequity, urban schools in the United States are faced with the challenge of helping students from marginalized groups succeed. While many strategies have been tried, most are built on deficit-based models that blame students and teachers for a lack of achievement and ignore the role of power within the school setting. Building on the body of research on school climate, critical pedagogy, and empowering settings, the present study developed a model of student empowerment using a case study of an ethnically diverse urban high school in the midwestern United States. Participant observation, focus groups, and interviews were utilized to identify classroom and school characteristics related to student empowerment. Students reported equitable teacher–student relationships, integrated student leadership, and shared decision making. Similarly, school staff reported high staff empowerment and sense of community. The Student Empowerment Model is a useful framework for school improvement, adding “power” to the broader literature on school climate and extending the work on empowering settings to schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing number of homeless youth in the United States presents many social justice concerns, including issues of educational access, stigma, and self-advocacy. These problems become even more apparent when homelessness and educational attainment intersect. The McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 was enacted to address these concerns. While some schools attempt to implement the law to benefit homeless youth, clear limitations in service delivery remain. This article explores the perspectives of homeless youth who were trying to remain in high school. From a social justice framework using qualitative analyses, three focus groups were conducted at a transitional living program in a large urban area. Focus group transcripts were coded to capture key themes identified by youth. These include knowledge of McKinney–Vento rights, self-disclosure of homelessness, the negative effects of homelessness, and factors that protect youth from dropping out. Finally, the authors explore implications for school-based service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of downward assimilation warns that second-generation Mexican-origin youth in the inner city are at great risk of developing a “reactive” identity and acculturating into chronic poverty through socialization with third-plus generation racial minorities. I test this proposition by examining and comparing ethnic boundary formation for 42 second-generation Latinos from two disadvantaged neighborhoods in Los Angeles: one predominantly Mexican immigrant and the other with a sizeable representation of a racial minority group, African Americans. I find that urban conditions influence ethnic identity but not as proposed by downward assimilation. Social isolation from white Americans in urban neighborhoods means that the Mexican second-generation rarely embraces a “reactive” identity but instead adopts and expresses various and competing ethnic labels, holding strongly to an immigrant identity. Latino young men experience the Black/Latino urban neighborhood as a contested space and urban violence as racially charged. These urban conditions strain race relations and “brighten” rather than “blur” ethnic and racial boundaries and identities between the Mexican second-generation and Blacks. This study suggests that to understand identity formation and acculturation processes in central cities, it is essential to consider how structural conditions impact social interaction in urban space. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research indicates that men and women commonly express different amounts of fear about crime. This article explores the sex difference in fear of crime levels by assessing differences in fear of crime in relation to urban environments. Using data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics Criminal Victimization and Perceptions of Community Safety, the present analysis employs multinomial logistic regressions to examine gradations in two measures of fear of crime. Some aspects of the neighborhood environment do differentially influence men and women’s fear of crime levels, including serious crime in the neighborhood, physical and social disorder. Findings highlight that women’s greater fear of crime is partially due to higher perceived risks through signals of neighborhood conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At a time when many young Americans have reduced their civic engagement, and public schools have de-emphasized their civic mission, some youth are taking initiative at the community level, and some community-based organizations are establishing educational programs to promote their participation. These programs originate in economically disinvested and racially segregated areas whose young people require and receive “education for democracy” appropriate for their situation. This article provides perspectives on these programs, including their social purpose, curricular content, pedagogical methods, and implications for a new civics that contrasts with traditionalapproaches. It draws on analysis of educational efforts by organizations affiliated with a national project designed to increase youth participation in the South Bronx, Mississippi Delta, Albuquerque, East Oakland, and other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth’s perceptions of violence within their social environments can provide relevant insights into the gender-based interpersonal violence epidemic in inner-city communities. To explore this issue, we examined two sets of narratives with young men and women, aged 15 to 21, involved in hip-hop culture in New York City. In the analysis, we reveal youth accounts of street and interpersonal violence, examining the interconnections with gender and hip-hop culture. Our findings suggest that youth involved in hip-hop culture vary in the comprehensiveness of their definitions of violence and viewed violence as entertainment or as a way to gain or maintain respect. Moreover, many respondents described episodes of interpersonal violence but failed to classify the behavior as violent, which suggests that dialogue with youth is needed to deconstruct diverse cultural understandings and more effectively address violence among youth. We recommend using hip-hop as a tool for reform in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this article the author reflects upon the factors influencing urban education. The author mentions various external factors that influence students outside the school which include physical or psychological abuse at home, nutritional problems, and poor family background and stresses on the dependence of students on their schools, that plays a crucial role in their development.

Reconstruction work on more than twenty synagogues in Vienna has been ongoing for more than a decade. The fact that these sacred buildings no longer exist is a pivotal aspect in this undertaking. Research revealed archived material, however, which served as reliable basis for the reconstruction work. The authors discuss details of the process of handling archival research as well as the decision-making process during reconstruction. The paper focuses on the possibilities and limits of this exploration and discusses the long-term options of handling 3D models, also in the light of continuous changes in the software environments used. The dissemination of results to a large audience and the appropriate illustration of spatial contexts is another aspect that has been explored. The publication of results in the form of a city guide is in line with the objective of conveying the reconstruction results to a large audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]