A systematic review of the effects of poverty deconcentration and urban upgrading on youth violence

Abstract

Neighbourhood risk factors have been shown to be associated with youth violence and predictors of youth violence. This systematic review examined the existing evidence for youth violence interventions involving the deconcentration of poverty and urban upgrading.Search strategies combined related terms for youth, violence and a broad combination of terms for the intervention from a range of academic databases and websites. Abstracts were screened by two authors and appraised using a quantitative study assessment tool.Nine studies were included. No strong evidence was available to support diversification as an intervention, some evidence was identified in support of a variety of urban upgrading interventions, while the strongest study designs and demonstrated positive effects were shown for resettlement interventions.The small number of studies meeting the inclusion criteria was ascribed to the methodological complexity of inferring a causal association with ‘upstream’ interventions. No studies from low and middle income countries satisfied the inclusion criteria.