Antisocial Behavior

The incidence of antisocial behaviors has increased over the past 50 years. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 1997 between 10 and 11 percent of adolescents reported to have experienced some type of violent crime against them. Young people are overrepresented in U.S. offense statistics relative to the percentage of the population they constitute. The homicide rate among children 18 years old and younger has increased by 400 percent. The adverse impact of antisocial behavior poses major problems not only for the affected individuals but also for schools, mental health clinics, businesses, and society as a whole. The cost of antisocial behavior to American society is reported to be more than $1 trillion each year.

There are a range of direct costs associated with ...