Commissioned by YEF and carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the review brings together 25 years of UK research with children and young people aged 10–24 who have been involved in, or at risk of, serious violence. It focuses on direct accounts from children and young people — how they describe what led them into violence, how they experienced it, and what helped them change. The review found five common stories:

• Difficult lives – Many children and young people described experiencing childhood trauma, poverty, exclusion from school, and very limited opportunities.
• Hypermasculinity – Some studies highlighted the experience of marginalised young men where violence was used to build status, identity and a sense of belonging. Young women can also be drawn into these lifestyles, either through relationships with young men or through their own involvement.
• Financial reward – For some children and young people, violence is connected to making money in ways that seem quick and ‘easy’. In contexts where there are few legitimate opportunities, this can bring self-respect, financial independence and status among peers.
• Blurred boundaries of ‘at risk’ – The review found that being “at risk” of violence and being actively involved in violence are not always separate states. Children and young people can move between the two depending on their circumstances. For example, risk can increase in unsupervised peer settings and reduce in more structured environments such as school.

Towards desistance – Moving away from violence is rarely a single event. It is usually a gradual process shaped by growing maturity, changes in identity, and the influence of supportive relationships. Change is more likely to last when it is reinforced by positive changes in the wider community.