Exploration of Learners' Views on Certain Aspects of School Safety

• NCJ Number: 213295
• Journal: Acta Criminologica Volume: 18 Issue: 3 Dated: 2005 Pages: 61-81
• Author(s): J. Neser
• Date Published: 2005
• Length: 21 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: South Africa
• Note: To access the full text PDF: 1) select the provided HTML link; 2) from the Acta Criminologica Web site, select “Table of Contents”; 3) select the corresponding Volume and Issue (see the NCJRS abstract record for the exact Volume and Issue); 4) scroll the Table of Contents to the exact article; 5) click on the “full text” icon.

Annotation

This study examined students' feelings of safety in selected primary and secondary schools in Tshwane South, South Africa, in order to develop effective strategies for preventing/reducing school violence and improving school safety.

Abstract

The study found that male students and those in the older age group and the higher grades tended to feel more unsafe than other students. Students who did not feel safe in school observed more verbal aggression (cruel teasing, name calling, and threatening with harm) and physical aggression (hitting, kicking, and pushing) at school than students who felt safe at school. Further, students who felt unsafe in school experienced more incidents of being victims of physical aggression or being threatened with physical violence. Students who felt unsafe at school had a significantly higher level of loneliness, social dissatisfaction, disliking school, and avoiding school than students who felt safe at school. In addition, students who felt unsafe in school tended to have lower self-esteem, a proneness to depression, higher levels of anxiety, less self-restraint, and a smaller circle of friends at school. This study was exploratory, and further research is required. The study sample consisted of students in grades 6 through 11 in nine primary, eight secondary, and two special schools in Tshwane South. In each school the questionnaires were administered in classrooms during normal class periods. A total of 1,873 useable questionnaires were received. Questionnaire data were entered into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences data processor and analyzed with frequencies and cross-tabulations, as well as with chi-squared statistical tests. 11 tables and a 29-item bibliography