Using real-life examples, discusses why parents hurt or neglect their children, why children often don't tell anyone they are being abused, and what can be done about the widespread and dangerous problem of child abuse.

Background information on the history of gangs in America precedes first-person accounts by four gang members from different backgrounds and with differing ideas about the role of gangs in their lives.

Discusses violence and its causes in schools and among gangs, the availability of guns, programs and laws designed to curb their use, and the impact of violence on the community.

Describes how the world's forests are being destroyed, some of the causes and consequences of this destruction, and some ways of preventing it.

Explores the problem of refuse, from common litter to toxic waste, on a global scale, covering the environmental, social, and economic implications of waste disposal.

Discusses advances in the study of genetics, such as the discovery of DNA, the Human Genome Project, agricultural biotechnology, and genetic engineering, and looks at the ethical implications these technologies present.

Examines the environmental, social, and economic issues involved in the use of fresh water around the world.

Explores the concept of trade in developed and undeveloped countries, discussing the World Trade Organization, free trade versus protectionism, and the environmental impacts of free trade.