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National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center

A Federal resource for professionals, parents and youth working to prevent violence committed by and against young people.

After School Programs Reduce the Potential for Violence  
(Printable Version)

The Census Department estimates that almost 7 million children 5 to 14 years old (or 18 percent of children in this age group) care for themselves on a regular basis. While only 8% of 8 year olds care for themselves, 14% of 10 year olds, 33% of 12 year olds, and 48% of 14 year olds care for themselves regularly before and/or after school. Reliable data are not available for high school students, but the numbers are certainly much higher.

During after-school hours, children and teens are more likely to become victims of violent crime than at other times. For teens ages 12 to 17, this risk peaks at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the end of the school day.[1]

Violence by teens also peaks in the hours immediately after school. While crimes by adults peak at 11 o'clock at night, violent crimes by juveniles peak between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on school days. In fact, juveniles injure more victims in the hours around the close of school than any other time of the day. [2]

Many teens get involved in dangerous and risky activities during the after-school hours. Millions of children and teens spend the hours after school unsupervised.[3]  Unfortunately, children and teens that are not supervised by adults or involved in structured activities after school are much more likely to:

After school programs keep children and teens safe and give them the opportunity to build on what they have learned during the regular school day, explore new interests, and to develop relationships with caring adults.[15]

Evaluations have shown that quality after school programs can:

  1. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (1999). Juvenile Offenders and Victims: A National Report, pp. 34-35.
  2. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (1999). Juvenile Offenders and Victims: A National Report, pp. 64-66.
  3. U.S. Departments of Education and Justice. (2000). Working for Children and Families: Safe and Smart After-School Programs, p. 1.
  4. After School for America's Teens Survey (2001). See Ericson, N. (2001). The YMCA's Teen Action Agenda. Fact Sheet. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
  5. Zill, N., Nord, C.W., Loomis, L.S., (1995).  Adolescent Time Use, Risky Behavior and Outcomes: An Analysis of National Data, A report by Westat, Inc. for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
  6. Richardson, J.L. et al. (1989). Substance Use Among Eighth-Grade Students Who Take Care of Themselves after School, Pediatrics 84 (3), 556-566.
  7. Richardson, J.L. et al. (1993). Relationship Between After-School Care of Adolescents and Substance Use, Risk Taking, Depressed Mood, and Academic Achievement, Pediatrics, 92(1). 146-148.
  8. PRIDE (1997). Questionnaire Report: 1996-97 National Summary, Grades 6-12.
  9. After School for America's Teens Survey (2001). See Ericson, N. (2001). The YMCA's Teen Action Agenda. Fact Sheet. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
  10. Richardson, J.L. et al. (1993). Relationship Between After-School Care of Adolescents and Substance Use, Risk Taking, Depressed Mood, and Academic Achievement, Pediatrics, 92(1). 146-148.
  11. After School for America's Teens Survey (2001). See Ericson, N. (2001). The YMCA's Teen Action Agenda. Fact Sheet. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
  12. Zill, N., Nord, C.W., Loomis, L.S., (1995).  Adolescent Time Use, Risky Behavior and Outcomes: An Analysis of National Data, A report by Westat, Inc. for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
  13. Zill, N., Nord, C.W., Loomis, L.S., (1995).  Adolescent Time Use, Risky Behavior and Outcomes: An Analysis of National Data, A report by Westat, Inc. for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
  14. After School for America's Teens Survey (2001). See Ericson, N. (2001). The YMCA's Teen Action Agenda. Fact Sheet. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
  15. U.S. Departments of Education and Justice. (2000). Working for Children and Families: Safe and Smart After-School Programs, p. 7.
  16. Fox, J.A., & Newman, S.A. (1997). After-School Crime or After-School Programs: Tuning in the Prime Time for Violent Juvenile Crime and Implications for National Policy. Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, pp. 10-12.
  17. McLennan Youth Collaboration, Inc. (1997). Communities in School Case Management Staff Evaluation. Waco, TX: Lighted Schools.
  18. P. Schinke, M. Orlandi, and K. Cole. (1992). Boys and Girls Clubs in Public Housing Developments: Prevention Services for Youth at Risk. Journal of Community Psychology, OSAP Special.
  19. Baltimore Police Department Division of Planning and Research. (1998). Juvenile Victimizations Comparison for Goodnow PAL Center Area.  Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Police Athletic League.
  20. P. Schinke, M. Orlandi, and K. Cole. (1992). Boys and Girls Clubs in Public Housing Developments: Prevention Services for Youth at Risk. Journal of Community Psychology, OSAP Special.
  21. C. Smith and S.D. Kennedy. (1991). Final Impact Evaluation of the Friendly PEERsuasion Program for Girls Incorporated. New York: Girls Incorporated.
  22. Gregory, P. J. (1996). Youth Opportunities Unlimited: Improving Outcomes for Youth Through After-School Care. Manchester, NH: University of New Hampshire.
  23. Gregory, P. J. (1996). Youth Opportunities Unlimited: Improving Outcomes for Youth Through After-School Care. Manchester, NH: University of New Hampshire.
  24. Clark, R.M. (1988). Critical Factors in Why Disadvantaged Children Succeed or Fail in School  New York: Academy for Educational Development.
  25. Tierney, J.P., et al. (1995). Making a Difference: An Impact Study of Big Brothers-Big Sisters. Philadelphia, PA: Public-Private Ventures, pp. 23-25.
  26. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (1995). Extracurricular Participation and Student Engagement.
  27. The Shell Education Survey Poll, August 25,1999. Peter D. Hart Research Associates. Funded by the Shell Oil Company in Houston.
  28. Heath, S.B. (1994). The Project of Learning from the Inner-City Youth Perspective. New Directions for Child Development, 63, 25-34.
  29. Hahn, A. Leavitt, T., and Aaron, P. (1994).  Evaluation of Quantum Opportunities Program (QOP): Did the Program Work? Waltham, MA: Center for Human Resources, Heller Graduate School, Brandeis University.
  30. Gregory, P. J. (1996). Youth Opportunities Unlimited: Improving Outcomes for Youth Through After-School Care. Manchester, NH: University of New Hampshire.
  31. Gregory, P. J. (1996). Youth Opportunities Unlimited: Improving Outcomes for Youth Through After-School Care. Manchester, NH: University of New Hampshire.