Risk Detection and Self-protection among Homeless Youth
Publication Date
2015
Document Type
Article
Organizational Units
Graduate School of Social Work
Keywords
Homeless youth, Risk detection, Self‐protection strategies, Homeless youth service agencies
Abstract
Utilizing qualitative interviews with a large sample of 145 homeless youth seeking services at homeless youth service agencies from across three U.S. cities (Los Angeles, Denver, and Austin), this study sought to explore youths' perspectives on ways in which they detect risk and protect themselves on the streets. Results indicated that youth use a combination of internal cues (affective responses) and external cues (reading people) to detect danger, although many times danger was described as undetectable. Certain contexts, includes those that were unfamiliar, difficult to escape, or involved drugs were described as most dangerous. In response to these dangers, youth employed self‐protection strategies such as carrying weapons, banding together with trusted others, isolating, or seeking programing to leave the streets.
Publication Statement
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Recommended Citation
Bender, K., Thompson, S., Ferguson, K., Yoder, J., & DePrince, A. P. (2015). Risk detection and self-protection among homeless youth. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 25(2), 352-365. doi: 10.1111/jora.12123