Every time a young person is harmed by violence, our nation's future strength and growth are jeopardised. We are losing our next generation of young people -- our future community builders and leaders -- to homicide at an alarming rate. Beyond premature death, youth violence causes emotional, academic, and physical scars that limit young people's potential independence, growth, and success. When the opportunities of our young people are curtailed by youth violence, we all suffer the negative and long-lasting consequences. Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is designed to help communities use what is known about youth violence and put in place prevention approaches that work. The information provided in this book will help communities learn more about the causes and impact of youth violence and identify actions each of us can take to stop youth violence.