Examining School Survey Data on Domestic Violence and Gang Participation as Risk Factors

The University of Delaware Center for Drug and Alcohol Studies (CDAS) and its key staff has been responsible for much of the past and current needs assessment and evaluation of youth prevention programming in Delaware. The purpose of this project is to develop a model at the state level for collection, analysis, and integration of data pertaining to youth exposure to domestic violence and youth self-reported gang participation. These are considered as factors contributing to juvenile self-reported drug use and delinquency and to identify patterns of risk factors and behaviors associated with domestic violence and self-reported gang membership which might be amenable to intervention. The project will target three grade levels 5, 8 and 11 in the Delaware public school system as well as alternative schools and detention centers. The areas of delinquency to be included are substance use, gambling, personal and property offenses and truancy. Also, analyses will include descriptive analyses, cross-referencing of variables to identify significant associations, and higher-level analyses to determine behavioral patterns. Findings from these analyses will inform meetings with state and community partners to develop, with the added perspective of research from national survey question banks, sets of more in-depth questions on the experiencing and participation in domestic violence, and participation in gang-related activities. Reports will be produced from data findings. NCA/NCF