J. David Hawkins, Ph.D., is Director of the Social Development Research Group and Professor of Social Work at the University of Washington, Seattle, and a founder of Developmental Research and Programs.

Todd I. Herrenkohl, Ph.D., is a Research Analyst with the Social Development Research Group and Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of OJJDP or the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime.

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From the Administrator If we could confidently predict which youth would be prone to commit violent acts and at which stage in their development such delinquency was most likely to erupt, it would significantly strengthen our efforts to prevent juvenile violence. Accordingly, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP's) Study Group on Serious and Violent Juvenile Offenders devoted 2 years to analyzing the research on risk and protective factors for serious and violent juvenile offending, including predictors of juvenile violence derived from the findings of long-term studies. This Bulletin describes a number of such risk and protective factors, including individual, family, school, peer-related, community/neighborhood, and situational factors. Although we need additional research on juvenile violence, the information this Bulletin provides will enhance our understanding of the predictors of youth violence. I would also call your attention to the Study Group Report and to the Bulletin summarizing it, both of which may be obtained from OJJDP's Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse. John J. Wilson Acting Administrator