The contributors to this book believe that something can be done to make life in American cities safer, to make growing up in urban ghettos less risky, and to reduce the violence that so often afflicts urban childhood. They consider why there is so much violence, why some people become violent and others do not, and why violence is more prevalent in some areas. The authors also discuss how the urban environment affects childhood development. They review a variety of intervention strategies and consider when it is appropriate to use them and towards whom they should be targeted.