US-China Education Review B, September 2017, Vol. 7, No. 9, 401-433 doi: 10.17265/2161-6248/2017.09.001 Leveraging Neuroscience and Education to Prevent Youth Aggression and Violence Marilee Bresciani Ludvik San Diego State University, California, USA In 2014, homicide and suicide were the second and third, respectively, largest killers of youth. Violence among youth appears to be increasing and aggression is prevalent in and out of school settings. This paper first summarizes what we think and we know about adolescent brain development from neuroscience and psychology. Next, we discuss the neural correlates of violence contextualizing information within adolescent brain development. Finally, we explore how mindfulness-based and compassion cultivation curriculum, which includes empathy, may positively influence the dysregulation of some of the known neural correlates of violence. The paper concludes with some recommendations for educators and policy-makers to consider in the development of curriculum that seeks to prevent violence and aggression among youth. Keywords: mindfulnes, neuroscience, brain development, compassion, aggression, violence prevention Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO, 2014) reported an estimated 200,000 homicides that occurred among youth and young adults aged 10-29 in 2014. This placed homicide as the fourth largest cause of death for human beings in this age group and up from being placed in slot No. 5 in 2012 (WHO, 2012). It is important to note that this number does not include suicides, which were ranked as the third highest cause of death in 2012 and also does not account for those who have survived affliction of physical and emotional violence. Eighty-three percent of the 200,000 young adult deaths were male and most of these deaths occurred in low- and middle- income countries (WHO, 2014). Yet, the United States of America (USA), considered a high-income country, reported suicide and homicide as the second and third leading causes of death respectively among youth aged 15-19 in 2014 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2017). Popular press reports that violence in youth age is on the rise and has made its way into schools. Preliminary data from the USA shows that there were 48 school associated with homicides and suicides from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014 (Institute of Education Sciences & National Center for Education Statistics [IES & NCES], 2017). However, it does not appear to be a large number of human lives lost in comparison to the 200,000 word-wide youth deaths to homicide. It may be important to note that there were approximately 841,100 nonfatal victimizations reported among students aged 12-18 occurring in schools in 2015. In addition, 545,100 nonfatal victimizations away from school were also reported (IES & NCES, 2017). Furthermore, there are total 804 hate crimes (a criminal offense that is motivated by bias toward a Marilee Bresciani Ludvik, Ph.D., professor, L’aide à la recherche du premier emploi (ARPE), San Diego State University. DAVID PUBLISHING D