Inaugurated in February 2000, LAPREV (Laboratório de Análise e Prevenção da Violência), The Laboratory of Violence Analysis & Prevention is a research centre which aims to:

a) contribute to a better understanding of violence, and especifically family violence;
b) develop intervention projects with victims of violence and/or offenders (women, children/adolescents or men), and implement preventive projects on family violence.

Location:
 LAPREV is located in the Psychology Department of the Universidade Federal de São Carlos, UFSCar (Federal University of Sao Carlos), São Carlos, State of São Paulo (230 Km inland from its capital, São Paulo), Brazil.

Community Work
LAPREV's activities are associated (but not restricted) to "Intervention Program for Victims of Domestic Violence" in operation since March, 1998 with undergratuate Psychology students at the Women's Police Station (Delegacia da Mulher), in São Carlos, Brazil. In the year 2000, this work was extended to include psychological services to children and families from Conselho Tutelar (Children's Aid Society), and in the year 2001, with the creation of the city's first women's shelter, the services were extended to support women and children at the "Gravelina Teresinha Lemes" Shelter. In the year 2005, women and their partners were able to receive treatment at the University's USE (Unidade Saúde-Escola - Health School Unit), aiming at interdisciplinary support. These internship activites were responsible for several scientific papers presented in Brazil, and abroad.
Adicionally, LAPREV´s research activities are associated with two Graduate Programs:

1. Graduate Program in Special Education, within its research line: "primary and secondary Special Education attention: prevention of deficiencies". Under this line of work, LAPREV intends to:
a) evaluate the impact which violence has on children's development, creating specific techniques to prevent its possible noxious effects;
b) analyze and prevent physical, sexual and psychological abuse of women and children and specifically women and children with developmental problems;
c) work with parents and families with global developmental delay to minimize the risk of negligence and/or abuse;
d) evaluate psycho-educational interventions with young offenders, and their families;
e) develop Early Intervention projects with children with aggressive and behavior problems, and their families.

 2. Graduate Program in Psychology within the research line "Social behaviour and cognitive process". Here we intend to produce knowledge about behaviours and social interactions, cognitive process, and their inter-relations, aiming at the promotion of healthy development, and quality of life, as well as the prevention or reduction of problems which compromise this aim, in the research lines described below:

1. Impact of family violence on child development and academic performace;
2. Preventive interventions with families and professionals;
3. Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse;
4. Prevention of school violence.