NCJ Number
127114
Journal
School Safety Dated: (Fall 1990) Pages: 26-28
Editor(s)
B Turner
Date Published
1990
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Mock trials and free-ranging debates are the centerpiece of a national education program to prevent delinquency.
Abstract
This educational approach, called Law-Related Education (LRE), was built on the belief that teaching students about the law through active, personal engagement could give them a deeper understanding of the justice system. Five organizations, including the American Bar Association, deliver LRE in many different creative programs. Creativity and adaptability are two distinguishing characteristics of LRE. No single format or lesson plan dominates the approach. The educational focus of LRE is on civil, criminal, and constitutional themes as they revolve around familiar topics such as consumer protection, housing law, voting rights, child custody, spouse and child abuse, and traffic laws. A 1983 evaluation of LRE at a number of sites found that LRE inspired more understanding of the law and respect for it and that around half the students were less willing to resolve conflicts through violence or to associate with delinquent peers.