The Scarred Heart: Understanding and Identifying Kids Who Kill

Violent kids: they're everywhere, or so we're told. The evening news is full of blood curdling stories of youth violence. Schools are trying all sorts of approaches in the hopes of preventing yet another massacre. Adults have done a lot of talking about juvenile violence, but few of them have spent any time talking to the kids themselves. Dr. Helen Smith has. This book is based on her experience interviewing violent children and teenagers in a variety of settings, from the gang-infested slums of New York City to the schools of rural East Tennessee. It also reflects the findings of her massive national survey of violent and nonviolent youths aged 10-19--the first of its kind in history. From her experience, and their voices, come suggestions for healing the scarred hearts that lead to juvenile violence.