Conceptualizing Police Violence for Research on Youth Exposure to Community Violence

Violence is a global health concern for youth development as governments have expanded the role of policing to address public safety. The scholarship on youth experiences with the police has demonstrated a growing awareness of their practices and effects. However, these experiences have been largely overlooked in the developmental science research on exposure to community violence (ECV). This article addresses inconsistencies in defining and describing violence within the youth, policing, and ECV research literature. The World Health Organization’s framework on violence is advanced to address these inconsistencies from which to align theory, research, and application. Implications and applications for developmental science ECV research and violence reduction initiatives are discussed.