NCJ Number
163678
Editor(s)
G Butterfield,
J L Arnette
Date Published
1993
Length
44 pages
Annotation
Schools need to recognize that carrying weapons has become an acceptable risk for too many students and that effective strategies are needed to deter and prevent this problem.
Abstract
Guns, knives, and other weapons brought to school often come from students' homes. An estimated 90,000 to 100,000 students bring a gun to school daily. The problem is not limited to urban school settings. Carrying weapons is often a coping response to the aggressive behavior of others. Weapon use is also related to gang and drug activity. Intervention strategies may include training educators in weapons identification and detection, providing adequate supervision both in and outside the classroom, teaching social skills within the curriculum to promote a positive campus setting, and fostering interpersonal success in conflict resolution. Peer assistance programs have also contributed to the reduction of assaults and cases of campus intimidation. Removing serious offenders from regular schools and providing them with a more secure educational placement is also effective. Copies of newspaper articles and 40 references