| Summary: | Violence and especially violence perpetrated by youth is a political concern in many countries. However, little is known about which policies are effective to reduce it. This thesis provides a comprehensive analysis on the subject with particular reference to violence and youth violence in Colombia. Chapter one offers an overview of the relationship between politics, public policies and youth violence; chapter two provides an international account on violence and youth violence and on the effectiveness of some of the most significant public policies in place; chapter three analyses violence in Colombia, its main explanations and how youth participate in violent crime; finally, chapter four examines the most relevant public policies to reduce violence associated with youth in Colombia, both at the national and local level. The thesis challenges some of the traditional perceptions on youth violence, examines the most important public policies on the subject and suggests some criteria for interventions to reduce youth violence. It concludes that violence committed by youth worldwide is relatively low and there is no basis for asserting that youth violence has increased. It also highlights that there is insufficient knowledge on the effectiveness of most public policies in place to reduce youth violence, though much has been learned on the subject.
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