Teen Violence and Peer Pressure This article discusses peer pressure and problems of teenage violence. It will also try to define the sources of the problems and the solutions to them. Violence. Mentioning the word conjures up images of assault, abuse, and even murder. It’s the act of purposefully hurting someone. And it’s a major issue facing today’s young adults. In today’s American society, violence is more prevalent now then ever. Annually, one in twelve highschoolers is threatened or injured with a weapon each year. Each year one person out of every forty is a victim of a violent crime. At the same time, statistics show that by the early 1990’s the incidence of violence cause by young people reached unparalleled levels in American society. Everyone wants to find an answer to a problem that is in a great need of solving. But where do we look to find the answer? What causes people to behave in a violent fashion? Maybe if we explore the reasons for behavior, and address these issues, we will win our battle with violence. There is no single explanation for the overall rise in youth violence. Many different factors cause violent behavior. The more these factors are present in our life, the more likely people are to commit an act of violence. What causes someone to punch, kick, stab or fire a gun at someone else or even him/herself? There is never a simple answer to that question. But people often commit violence because of one or more of the following:Expression.Some people use violence to release feeling of anger or frustration. They think there are no answers to their problems and turn to violence to express their out of control emotions.Manipulation.Violence is used, as a way to control others or get something one wants.Retaliation.Violence is used to retail against those who have hurt them or someone they care about. Violence is a learned behavior. Like all learned behaviors, it can be changed....
