NCJ Number
69460
Date Published
1979
Length
166 pages
Annotation
THE POSSIBLE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE, ESPECIALLY ASSAULTS ON TEACHERS, ARE DISCUSSED FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF EDUCATORS, POLICE, ELECTED OFFICIALS, PSYCHIATRISTS, AND STUDENTS.
Abstract
STRUCTURED AROUND THE UNCHALLENGED PREMISE THAT SCHOOL VIOLENCE (ESPECIALLY IN, BUT NOT CONFINED TO, INNER-CITY ENVIRONMENTS) IS A PHENOMENON OF ALARMING PROPORTIONS, THIS 1979 HEARING OF THE CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE DISCUSSED CONTROL AND PREVENTION MEASURES TO COMBAT SCHOOL CRIME, WHICH HARMS NOT ONLY THOSE WHO ARE ASSAULTED BUT ALSO SCHOOL CHILDREN IN GENERAL AND THE TAXPAYING PUBLIC. VIOLENT ACTS AGAINST TEACHERS, ONLY A FRACTION OF WHICH ARE REPORTED, AND THE PERVASIVE FEAR THEY GENERATE, DESTROY THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, PROFESSIONALISM, AND THE RIGHT OF LAW-ABIDING STUDENTS TO BE EDUCATED. VIOLENCE FORCES MANY TEACHERS OUT OF THE PROFESSION, AND OFTEN RESULTS IN THEIR NEED FOR MEDICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC HELP. TEACHER-WITNESSES ALSO CITED THREATS AND VERBAL ABUSE FROM STUDENTS AS EXAMPLES OF PROBLEMS THREATENING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AS WELL AS LACK OF SUPPORT FROM PRINCIPALS WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO THE FAILURE BY TEACHERS TO REPORT CRIMES. PERPETRATORS OF VIOLENT CRIMES WITHIN THE SCHOOLS WERE ALSO DESCRIBED BY WITNESSES AS OFF-CAMPUS VAGRANTS, SUCH AS STUDENTS SUSPENDED OR EXPELLED FROM OTHER SCHOOLS. OTHER WITNESSES (E.G., PSYCHIATRISTS, CRIMINOLOGISTS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS) LISTED SUCH PERCEIVED CAUSES OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE AS PARENTAL AND SOCIETAL PERMISSIVENESS, THE ROLE OF JUVENILE COURT JUDGES, HOSTILE PARENTS, AND DRUG ABUSE AND GANGS. THE MEASURES RECOMMENDED BY WITNESSES TO CONTROL AND POSSIBLY PREVENT SCHOOL VIOLENCE INCLUDED STRONGER LEGISLATION AND JUDICIAL DISPOSITIONS OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE CASES, CLEARLY DELINEATED AND ROUTINELY ENFORCED DISCIPINARY GUIDELINES IN THE SCHOOLS, BETTER COMMUNICATIONS AND COORDINATION OF EFFORTS BETWEEN SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND POLICE AND MORE STUDENT PARTICIPATION AND INPUT INTO THE DECISIONMAKING PROCESS. THE STRONGEST MEASURES WERE ADVOCATED BY THE STUDENT-WITNESSES INCLUDING IMMEDIATE AND IRREVOCABLE EXPULSION OF STUDENTS GUILTY OF A VIOLENT ACT, EVEN A FIRST OFFENSE; REFERRAL OF ALL GUILTY STUDENTS TO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM; AND A CLOSED CAMPUS, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO THE SUCCESSFUL ELIMINATION OF SMUGGLED FIREARMS. ALL PARTICIPANTS AGREED THAT THE PROBLEM OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE MUST BE A MAJOR CONCERN OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.