Effects of violent community crime on Latino youth

The aim of the research was to conduct a qualitative study of the effects of residing in a violent community on Latino youth. The areas covered included sense of safety community; need for self protection; first reactions when hearing a gunshot, siren, and helicopter; and views on living a long life.;The sample consisted of 12 Latino children between the ages of 8 and 11, who were residing in a designated violent community. Data were collected through in-person interviews by the researcher.;Results found that the majority of the participants felt the need to be vigilant regarding "bad" or "suspicious" people. The participants had a good sense of awareness of how they would protect themselves. Although half of the participants felt safe in their community, half expressed feeling scared when outside of their home. The majority reported that they would turn to their mother for protection and tell her about their fears. The strong attachment that the children expressed with their caregiver may have influenced their optimism about their future, despite living in a violent environment.;The results suggest that more attention should be paid to the effects of community violence on children. Programs should be designed to help them cope with this reality.