NCJ Number
178612
Date Published
1998
Length
64 pages
Annotation
This booklet provides an overview of current research on school violence prevention, outlines some practical ideas for use in the classroom, and reviews what schools around the Northwest are doing to address this issue.
Abstract
The booklet first assesses the risk of violence occurring in schools. It reports that schools are among the safest places for youth to congregate, and most students feel safe at school most of the time. Only 2 percent of the Nation's public schools have adopted stringent security measures, such as posting a full-time guard or using metal detectors. The number of children killed by gun violence in schools is about half the number of Americans killed annually by lightning. A section on the nature of violence notes that two themes emerge in the literature on the causes and consequences of violence among youth: violence is learned behavior and can be unlearned; and early intervention that teaches positive life skills may be the best hope of preventing violent behavior. The characteristics of violent and nonviolent youth are compared. Warning signs that warrant intervention are outlined for toddler and preschool children, the school-aged child, and the preteen or adolescent. Suggestions for implementing violence-prevention efforts focus on schoolwide efforts, classroom efforts, and community involvement. Possible challenges to effective implementation of violence-prevention programs are also outlined. Several violence-prevention programs in the Northwest are presented as samples. Although the programs vary in design, all seek to create a safe learning environment conducive to learning for all students. Appended supplementary material and 31 references