SCHOOLS - ANTIQUATED SYSTEMS OF SOCIAL CONTROL (FROM THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON SCHOOL CRIME, V 1, 1978 - SEE NCJ-58773)

• NCJ Number: 58786
• Author(s): J A MARROLLA; J M MCGRATH; J S WILLIAMS
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 30 pages
• Corporate Author: Sri Lanka Prison Headquarters
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE VIEW THAT THE CAUSES OF SCHOOL CRIME AND VANDALISM LIE IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE SCHOOL PROCESS ITSELF, NOT IN THE TRAITS OF INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS, IS EXPLORED.

Abstract

DESPITE CLAIMS THAT SOCIAL BACKGROUND, RACE, AND OTHER STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS EXPLAIN INVOLVEMENT IN SCHOOL CRIME, IN REALITY ALL TYPES (OR AT LEAST MANY DIFFERENT TYPES) OF STUDENTS ARE ENGAGING IN DISRUPTIVE ACTIVITIES AT SCHOOL. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE A MATTER OF HOW SCHOOLING IS STRUCTURED, PARTICULARLY THE FORMS OF SOCIAL CONTROL USED BY SCHOOLS TO ENSURE CONFORMITY BY STUDENTS. FOR REASONS TO BE FOUND WITHIN THE STRUCTURE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ITSELF AND IN HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS, FORMER TYPES OF SOCIAL CONTROL IN SCHOOLS--AUTHORITY BASED ON TRADITION, USE OF GRADES AND AWARDS AS SANCTIONS, POSITIVE PEER INFLUENCE, PHYSICAL FORCE--NO LONGER ARE EFFECTIVE MEANS OF GETTING STUDENTS TO JOIN IN THE COLLECTIVE ENTERPRISE OF BECOMING EDUCATED. ONE OF THE BASIC TENETS OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATION--THE UNIFYING PRINCIPLE OF A COLLECTIVE PURPOSE--IS BEING BROKEN IN MOST SCHOOLS, WHERE STUDENTS HAVE NO RIGHTS, ATTEND INVOLUNTARILY, ARE SELDOM ASKED WHAT THEY WANT TO LEARN, MUST CONFORM TO REGIMENTATION, AND MUST PERFORM ACCORDING TO RULES THAT SEEM QUITE ARBITRARY. IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT STUDENTS WHO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES SEPARATELY FROM THE SCHOOL ATTACK THE SCHOOL THROUGH VANDALISM OR SOME OTHER FORM OF DEVIANCE. WHEN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIONS RESPOND TO DISRUPTION BY USING MORE PHYSICAL FORCE TO CONTROL THE SCHOOL, THEY FURTHER ALIENATE STUDENTS AND MAKE MORE DISRUPTION INEVITABLE. THERE IS A NEED TO INVOLVE STUDENTS IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS AS MORE THAN JUST SPECTATORS; TO STRUCTURE EDUCATION SO THAT IT LEADS TO COMMITMENT, NOT ALIENATION; TO INTEGRATE THE STUDENT ROLE WITH ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL; TO GIVE STUDENTS CAUSE TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE IN CONTROL OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THEM NOW AND WHAT MAY HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE; AND TO STOP DEPENDING ON SECURITY MEASURES THAT ALIENATE STUDENTS AND MOTIVATE THEM TO BECOME MORE INGENIOUS VANDALS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)