The Nature and Extent of Childhood Exposure to Violence: What We Know, Why We Don't Know More, and Why It Matters

ABSTRACT This article examines the existing literature on the incidence and prevalence of childhood exposure to violence (CEV) and discusses its limits in offering practitioners, researchers, and policymakers a comprehensive picture of the problem. A concise presentation of the scope of CEV within each violence type is provided with the intention of offering practitioners a tool for easily contextualizing and supporting a broader conceptual view of CEV in the implementation of a research and practice agenda. The challenges to obtaining comprehensive incidence and prevalence data are then explored. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not represent official positions or policies of the Department of Justice.