Fear of the escalating violence in schools is voiced in an article written by a student for a class assignment. The student describes the different weapons carried into school including handguns that are mainly used by drug dealers. He is critical of the superintendent of the schools for not taking action and responding to the needs of the students and teachers. To cope with violence in the schools, Congress passed the Crime Control Act of 1990 which contains the Gun-Free School Zones Act prohibiting possession or release of a firearm within 1,000 feet of school grounds. Laws in California and Florida state that parents who own guns are criminally liable for shootings committed by children. A profile of Bruce Irushalmi, executive director of the Division of School Safety for the New York City Board of Education, details his innovative programs including the use of hand-held metal detectors in schools. Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago conducted a 3-year project with 2 Chicago schools to develop a discipline code as a guide for policy issues regarding school order and safety. The Gun Safety Institute in Cleveland, Ohio has developed a program, using videotapes and discussions, to teach elementary school students about the dangers of handguns.
School Safety
NCJ Number
136306
Date Published
1991
Length
6 pages
Annotation
"School Safety" features articles on violence and weapon use in schools, gun-control laws and programs to cope with youth violence, security needs in school, and research on law and discipline.
Abstract