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article3-5.docxRecord: 1
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Title: |
A radical step for school safety. (cover story) |
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Authors: |
Chaddock, Gail Russell |
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Source: |
Christian Science Monitor. 1/13/2000, Vol. 92 Issue 36, p1. 0p. 1 Color Photograph. |
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Document Type: |
Article |
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Subject Terms: |
*SCHOOL violence -- Prevention *PSYCHODIAGNOSTICS |
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Abstract: |
Reports the growing use of psychological profiles of students in the United States as a way to prevent school violence. |
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1130 |
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ISSN: |
0882-7729 |
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Accession Number: |
2673103 |
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<a href="https://delgado.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=2673103&site=ehost-live">A radical step for school safety.</a> |
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Database: |
Academic Search Complete |
Section:
USA
A RADICAL STEP FOR SCHOOL SAFETY
Districts begin to use psychological profiles of students in a controversial attempt to prevent classroom violence.
Dateline: WASHINGTON
His profile is the Classroom Avenger: a boy from a "dysfunctional" but "superficially normal" middle-class family who goes on a shooting spree in a school. He's sensitive to criticism, blames others for his problems, fights with his parents and siblings, obsesses on violence, and knows his way around a gun.
In a new and controversial move, US schools are beginning to use such psychological profiling to ferret out students likely to cause violence in the classroom.
To supporters, the technique, which has been widely used in law enforcement to track odious criminals such as Ted Bundy and the Unabomber, could prove invaluable in bringing a greater sense of security to schools.
But the move is also raising questions about whether such forensic dragnets could undermine the climate of learning in an institution that aims to nurture kids. Critics argue that rumors and suspicions can quickly harden into stigmas in the halls and lunch rooms of a public school, and few tags are as hurtful as that of suspected shooter.
"We don't want to turn schools into airports. We want schools to be places where people trust each other," says Laurence Steinberg, professor of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia.
School homicides are extremely rare events. A student has less than a 1 in million chance of a school-associated violent death, according to the US Department of Justice.
Nonetheless, since the 1999 shootings in Littleton, Colo., administrators have scrambled to reassure parents and the community that safety is a priority - and Columbines won't happen in their schools. As a result, a cottage industry of school safety products is emerging, including psychological profiling.
Until recently, the technique has been virtually a taboo subject in many public schools, since it has been often associated with racial bias, especially in law enforcement. But there are signs that it is now moving more into the mainstream.
· One of the most ambitious is Mosaic-2000, a computer-assisted program that promises to equip schools with the same law-enforcement methods used to evaluate threats to Hollywood stars and US Supreme Court justices. It is currently field testing in 25 public schools, mainly in the Los Angeles area.
· The FBI's National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime in Virginia will soon issue an analysis of school shootings that targets "risk factors" to help schools identify potentially violent students.
· Schools in Granite City, Ill., now require staff to report students who fit an "at risk" profile, including writing essays that "reflect anger, frustration, and the dark side of life" and a "preference for television shows, movies, or music expressing violent themes and acts."
School districts in Wallingford, Conn., and Dighton-Rehoboth, Mass., are also developing districtwide profiles to target potentially violent students.
"School is the workplace of children ... [and] the strategies learned by industry and government should be available to school administrators," says the promotional material for Gavin de Becker Inc., a Los Angeles-based firm testing the Mosaic-2000 program. The product claims to give school officials an objective way to evaluate threats to school safety. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms is also participating in the project.
Mosaic developers call their program an "artificial intuition system" or "mental detector." When a student makes a threat or "otherwise comes to the attention of the school," officials can use the program to ask questions and code an assessment. In an early version of the program, students were then ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 as a potential safety risk.
"Any kid who ends up scoring in a particularly critical dimension on Mosaic-2000 is someone who is clearly struggling and needs help," says James McGee, a developer of Mosaic 2000. If parents disagree with the assessment, then the school has to decide whether to let the student back in school, he adds.
Mosaic-2000 field tests are just beginning and developers are months from knowing what modifications are needed. Company officials say the program profiles situations, not individuals - and could even prevent schools from overreacting to a threat.
What troubles other risk-assessment experts is that the science behind the weights and rankings in Mosaic 2000 is not available for peer review. Because school shootings are rare, there's also a danger of falsely identifying students who fit the profile but will never commit a violent act.
"Research shows that it is virtually impossible to identify which kids are going to commit violent acts without mistakenly pointing to kids that won't," says Mr. Steinberg.
Such possibilities worry civil libertarians as well. "We're concerned about decisions made to discipline students based on the fact that they fit a profile that might include information as disparate as what movies they watch and books they read and whether parents have guns in the home," says Ann Beeson of the American Civil Liberties Union in New York.
Some experts credit such programs with forcing people to consider questions they might otherwise miss and to think more systematically about threats. But they question whether there is a valid research base for programs such as Mosaic-2000.
"The true test is whether they have any validity to predict who goes on to commit these crimes or not. I don't know of any research that has been done on that," says Edward Mulvey, professor of law and psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.
School psychologists also caution that technology and forensics are a poor substitute for better human relations in schools.
"Teasing in school today is far more dangerous than it was in 1960. There is more of it, and our society really communicates to kids that violence is the way to react when you are picked on," says Kevin Dwyer, president of the National Association of School Psychologists.
Still, a growing number of school officials believe profiling is not only appropriate, but necessary. In Wallingford, officials are trying to glean a list of behaviors that can identify young people with a "predisposition" to committing violence. The profile will circulate among staff, parents, and older high school students, who will be urged to report anyone who fits the profile.
"It's profiling. I don't shy away from that word," says Joseph Cirasuolo, Wallingford superintendent of schools. "We don't think we'll be identifying many young people at all. But it is useful for us to help identify youngsters who may have difficulty where we can."
PHOTO (COLOR): SAFETY FIRST: A security offical at the Miller Magnet School in Macon, Ga., uses a metal detector to search students for weapons. A new industry of school-safety products has emerged recently.
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By Gail Russell Chaddock, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
© 2000 The Christian Science Monitor (www.CSMonitor.com). Limited electronic copying and printing is permitted under this license agreement. Copies are for personal use only. For re-use and publication permissions, please contact [email protected].
Record: 2
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Title: |
Changes to Tracking of School Violence. |
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Authors: |
HARRIS, ELIZABETH A. |
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Source: |
New York Times. 12/14/2016, Vol. 166 Issue 57446, pA25-A25. 1/4p. |
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Document Type: |
Article |
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Subject Terms: |
*SCHOOL violence *PREVENTION *SCHOOL administration *RESTORATIVE justice UNITED States |
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Abstract: |
The article focuses on the efforts of tracking school violence in New York, and talks of the tracking offences such as homicide, kidnapping and bomb threats with the help of school reporting system called Violent and Disruptive Incident Reporting system (VADIR), role of school administrators for school safety, and guidance to schools for restorative justice. |
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ISSN: |
0362-4331 |
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Accession Number: |
120175003 |
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<a href="https://delgado.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=120175003&site=ehost-live">Changes to Tracking of School Violence.</a> |
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Database: |
Academic Search Complete |
Record: 3
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Title: |
Planning for safer and better schools: School violence prevention and intervention strategies. |
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Authors: |
Stephens, Ronald D. |
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Source: |
School Psychology Review. 1994, Vol. 23 Issue 2, p204. 12p. 5 Charts. |
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Document Type: |
Article |
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Subject Terms: |
*SCHOOL safety *SCHOOL violence -- Prevention |
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Geographic Terms: |
UNITED States |
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NAICS/Industry Codes: |
611699 All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction 611110 Elementary and Secondary Schools 236220 Commercial and Institutional Building Construction |
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Abstract: |
Examines the essential aspects of school safety planning on school violence in the United States. Evaluation objectives; Assessment procedures; National mandate for safe school planning; Safe school options. |
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Full Text Word Count: |
6162 |
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ISSN: |
0279-6015 |
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Accession Number: |
9501303833 |
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<a href="https://delgado.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9501303833&site=ehost-live">Planning for safer and better schools: School violence prevention and intervention strategies.</a> |
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Academic Search Complete |
PLANNING FOR SAFER AND BETTER SCHOOLS: SCHOOL VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
Abstract: This article reviews some essential aspects of school safety planning. General evaluation objectives and assessment procedures are discussed, as well as a safe school planning process. Specific guidelines for handling violent incidents at school are offered.
At no time in our nation's history has there been a more challenging time to be an educator, both professionally and personally. This changing climate in public education has mandated both a broader understanding of culture and greater skills in serving students who come to school with a host of special needs. The climate of public education has especially experienced dramatic changes in the demographic makeup of the student population. Schools are serving more children of teenage parents and more special education students than ever before. Each of these changes is occurring within the context of an increasingly violent society with seemingly fewer economic resources to respond to these issues. As our schools must address so many needs, personal safety has become a top educational concern among students, parents, teachers, and others.
The changing educational climate with its new challenges are creating a "categorical imperative" to identify tools, strategies, and model programs that enhance the safety and success of all children and the professionals who serve them. Since young people are required by law to attend school, then school children must be provided with an environment that is safe, secure, and peaceful.
A Recent National Mandate for Safe School Planning
Safe and drug-free schools have been the top concern of parents for the past 3 years, according to Gallup polls regarding our nation's six educational goals. The first five goals focus on academic achievement and increasingly higher standards, but it is the author's view that they cannot be achieved unless Goal #6--creating safe and drug-free schools--is accomplished first.
The President and the Congress have recognized the importance of this priority by the passage of the Safe Schools Act of 1994, which provides funding and technical assistance to school systems that wish to develop safe school plans. The concern for safe schools also has penetrated federal drug-free schools funding with the inclusion of violence prevention as a top priority. These federal mandates, combined with increasing demands by parents and the courts, are creating a compelling need to place safe school planning on the educational agenda.
The courts now are asking school administrators, in light of the increasing levels of serious school crime, "What are you doing differently in 1994 that you were not doing in 1993?" The failure to provide clear and reasonable answers in terms of staff training, crisis planning, crime prevention through environmental design, better communication systems, or enhanced supervision can leave a district in a precarious situation. This article synthesizes the results of more than 500 personal school safety site assessments that have been made across the United States from Florida, Connecticut, California, Washington, Texas, Wisconsin, and many other locations. The suggestions represent the "art of the possible" in safe school planning.
Tough Problems Demand Smart Solutions
Insuring the tranquillity and safety of our schools requires a major strategic commitment. It involves placing school safety at the top of the educational agenda. School systems around the country are beginning to recognize that developing and implementing a safe school plan is a critical and essential part of this process. South Carolina, in 1992, was the first state to mandate safe school planning and in 1982 the voters of California overwhelmingly passed the Victim's Bill of Rights, which established school safety as a constitutional right (Article I, Section 28c). In addition, in 1984 the California State Board of Education issued a policy paper that states:
The Board believes that a beginning step toward safer schools and better school discipline and attendance is the development of a comprehensive plan for school safety, discipline and attendance by every public school and district in the state. The plan should be developed as a part of ongoing district and school planning efforts and should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis. The State Board of Education intends that this plan be developed cooperatively by parents, students, teachers, administrators, counselors and commonly agencies, and approved by the local school district governing board. The Board also intends for school districts to establish working relationships with law enforcement agencies, service agencies, and parents which will provide safe and orderly schools, improve attendance, and expand services to students and parents.
As exemplified in the California School Board Policy, schools will be increasingly expected to develop school safety plans. A safe schools plan is a continuing, broad-based, comprehensive and systematic process to create and maintain a safe, secure, and welcoming school climate, free of drugs, violence, and fear. This climate would promote the success and development of all children and those professionals who serve them. Creating a safe school plan requires a broad-based school/community team. Leadership for this team could come from the superintendent of schools, the police chief, the presiding juvenile judge, or any other leader from a parent or community group. When the Safe School Planning Team is mobilized, they meet to craft a site-specific safety plan. one approach to safe school planning incorporates the schedule shown in Table 1.
An important part of developing a safety plan is to conduct an initial needs assessment. Some of the relevant questions for a school safety planning team to consider, among others, are shown in Table 2.
As a rough guideline for the planning team, the affirmative answers to the questions in Table 2 can be multiplied by 5 and summed. Scores of 0to 20 indicate that the school does not have a significant school safety problem. If the scores range between 25 to 45, an emerging school safety problem may be present. Scores of 50 to 70 indicate that there is a significant potential for school safety problems and a safe school plan should be given high priority. You are sitting on a ticking time bomb if your score is over 70. Begin working on your safe school plan immediately and get some outside help.
Conducting an assessment of your current situation is a critical first step. In addition to addressing the questions listed in Table 1, a safe school assessment should include at least (a) a school crime analysis, (b) student/staff/community survey, and (c) focus groups. Implementing the latter two assessment activities draws heavily upon the expertise of school psychologists.
A school crime analysis will provide valuable information about the types of criminal and harrassment incidents occurring on campus. The report should reflect the types of crimes, when and where they occurred, who was involved and the action taken, and other data. Crime analysis is extremely important in order to determine the potential connection of one incident to other incidents. For example, at one middle school, an administrator found that nearly every time a fight occurred on campus it involved a certain group of female students who had formed a "dance club." Upon investigation, the administrators discovered that it was really a new gang. The gang initiation rites required the girls to beat up a certain number of people on campus, vandalize a certain number of teachers" cars, or have sex with a certain number of male students. By having a good crime analysis system, the administrators were able to put a stop to the emerging gang and create a legitimate dance club with a faculty sponsor.
The second phase involves student, staff, and community surveys. Surveys of attitudes are necessary because many crimes are never reported. To rely exclusively on crime data creates significant gaps. A survey also provides an opportunity to evaluate perceptions and feelings that are equally important issues to the safe school planning process. often the perceptions of crime and violence become the realities.
The third and perhaps most critical aspect of the assessment process is to conduct a series of focus groups with students, staff, parents, law enforcement, and community leaders. Talking with students is a particularly wonderful reality check. Students are the recipients of the community systems and environments that affect their daily lives at schools. Their insights are invaluable in identifying the issues to be developed in the strategic safe school planning process.
In addition to developing an initial safety plan, every school should conduct an annual school safety assessment. A school safety assessment is a strategic evaluation and planning tool used to determine the extent of a school safety problem. It also may focus on a much broader or comprehensive area of school safety or school climate. Such an assessment could focus on gangs, weapons in school, drug or alcohol abuse, school yard bullying, site evaluation of facilities including landscape, policies and procedures, compliance with local and state laws, community support, parent attitudes, student attitudes and motivation, or a variety of other areas that assess emerging school climate trends.
A school safety assessment, in broadest terms, is a comprehensive review and evaluation of the entire educational program of a school or school district. These issues are examined to ascertain how they affect school climate, school attendance, personal safety, and overall school security. The safety assessment includes: (a) a review of student discipline problems, policies, procedures, and practices at both the school site and district level; (b) an evaluation of the school safety plan and the planning process; (c) an assessment of the school/law enforcement partnership and the relationship with local community leaders and resources; (d) a review of crime prevention efforts with regard to environmental design; (e) a review of employee recruiting, selection, supervision, and training criteria as it pertains to school safety; (f) an assessment of student activity and extracurricular programs; (g) a review of the crisis response plan; (h) assessment of the educational plan and its support for a positive school climate; and (i) a review of other areas needed to evaluate the district or site.
The assessment is conducted in a systematic and comprehensive way by interviewing selected members of the school community and district personnel at all levels, which include but are not necessarily limited to: students, parents, teachers, school support staff, local law enforcement representatives, probation, mental health, and other youth-serving professionals.
The uniqueness of a safe school plan is that it can include whatever prevention or intervention strategies the local community feels are important. Included in Table 3 are a variety of program options that should be considered.
Although there is no guarantee that a school will ever be completely violence free, it is first and foremost important to make school safety a top agenda item. In addition, several general preventive security measures will help to lessen the chances of violence occurring on campus:
Create a climate of ownership and school pride. Every student and staff member should be made to feel like a key part of the school community. This is accomplished by involving every person in the safe school planning process, including students, parents, teachers, and community leaders. Establish home room areas for safety and students. Encourage school-sponsored groups and clubs to take ownership of specific hallways, display areas, or other locations.
Establish a parents' center. A parent center should be established on each campus that recruits, coordinates, and encourages parents to participate in the educational process. Possible activities include helping supervise hallways, playgrounds, restrooms, or other trouble spots. Classroom visitation and participation in special events is encouraged. A special training program that outlines expectations and responsibilities for parents in volunteer roles can be particularly helpful
Target troublemakers. A small percentage of young people create most of the school problems. There is a growing trend among schools and juvenile-serving professionals to begin sharing information about the serious misbehavior of juveniles. In Sylmar, California, a junior high student nearly stabbed his teacher to death. The student had a long history of misbehavior, but no one at the school knew it because the juvenile justice system typically treats each juvenile as a first time offender every time an offense is committed. The California state legislature decided to change the way business is done. Consequently, Senate Bill 143 was passed mandating that the principal inform the teacher of every student who has had a background of criminal misbehavior. This action implies that the court will notify the principal whenever a juvenile is adjudicated. House Bill 23 in Texas (passed in 1993) requires local law enforcement officials to verbally notify the superintendent of schools within 24 hours of the arrest or detention of a juvenile. Within 7 days school officials must receive written notification. A similar information-sharing law has been passed in Virginia, and such revisions are being considered in several other states. once troublemakers are targeted, supervision plans can be set in place that can help prevent the youngsters from further victimizing themselves and others.
Make the campus welcoming and safe before students come. School safety leadership begins at the top. There is no question that the best principals spend the majority of their time outside their offices. Staying in tune and in touch cannot be accomplished in a cloistered office. Principals and other school staff will want to begin the day by greeting students at the front door when they first arrive and by being present in the hall during class changes. They will visit classrooms and attend special events.
Establish a vibrant system of extracurricular programs. School children need positive things to do. Without interesting and challenging activities, students may fill the void with negative activities.
Get parents on your side. School administrators cannot create safe campuses alone. They need parent power. Work with parents to convince them of your interest in their child's success.
Make certain there is an active student component. Students should be actively involved in their own safety and safe planning, including learning conflict resolution techniques. Most importantly, though, keep in touch with students. They are among the best crime prevention advisors. They will tell you about those areas of the campus they avoid and they will make insightful suggestions on school crime prevention strategies.
Integrate into curriculum. Incorporate life skills curricula into the course structure that focus on good decision making, responsible citizenship, and conflict resolution. Young people need to learn how to deal with conflict. School violence is the tangible expression of unresolved conflict. If we can help children identify and implement constructive conflict resolution techniques, our campuses can be made much safer. Schools should establish a curriculum committee to focus on teaching students these important skills. A curriculum that emphasizes courtesy and thoughtfulness will go a long way toward creating a more positive and effective campus life.
Provide adequate adult supervision. Provide adequate adult supervision. Children need continuous responsible supervision. This may include teachers, administrators, parents, a campus supervisor or law enforcement officers. A good ratio of students to adults is 25:1 or less depending upon special needs.
Establish in-service training. Establish an ongoing professional development and in-service training program for campus supervisors. This would include training techniques in classroom management, breaking up a fight, handling disruptive parents and campus intruders, and a variety of other safe school issues.
Implement staff screening process. Implement a thorough record screening and selection process for teachers, staff, and campus volunteers. Crime and violence is often promoted by the quality and preparation of staff responsible for daily supervision. Screening out prior felons and child molesters is essential.
Establish a campus intruder and visitor screening procedure. A school administrator is responsible not only for keeping kids away from trouble, but also for keeping trouble away from kids. Having an effective visitor screening process will accomplish that objective. A school security task force should be established to identify what safety measures should be implemented and how they might be accomplished.
Establish behavior guidelines. Establish clear behavior guidelines, making certain they are clearly communicated, consistently enforced, and fairly applied toward all students. Posting the guidelines in prominent places and working with the supervising staff to consistently enforce them is essential. We tend to get not only what we expect and deserve, but also what we allow.
Establish clear and reasonable dress codes. We tend to act the way we dress. Gang attire, dress styles, or clothing with a disruptive message or disruptive appearance should not be tolerated (i.e., indicate why such clothes pose a real threat of safety to the school and are not merely a reflection of adult disapproval of youth fashion).
Mandate crime reporting and tracking. Creating a safe campus requires continuous tracking and monitoring of school crime problems. Analyzing when, where, why, and who is involved in school crime incidents will provide information about campus locations, individuals, and times that may require enhanced supervision.
Establish a close law enforcement partnership. Include law enforcement officials in your curriculum, supervision, and crisis planning. Some of the most effective school peace officer programs bring the officer in contact with children in the early grades and allow the officer to follow the students through elementary, middle, and high school. School peace officers are able to do some of their best work after 4 to 5 years of knowing the children and the community.
Establish a crisis response plan. Through responsible planning, many potential problems can be avoided. However, there are times when a crisis is unavoidable. There are two types of schools: those that faced a crisis and those that are about to. A good crisis plan focuses on crisis prevention, preparation, management, and resolution. A good crisis plan also will identify resources available through other community agencies.
Provide adequate support and protection for victims. once a crime has been committed, victims need special attention and support. School psychologists may provide this service at school or help coordinate outreach to other community services. This may require more than a single counseling session. It may involve referral to a community service provider or ongoing support by the district.
Closely supervise known juvenile offenders. Provide close supervision, remedial training, and where feasible, require restitution by the juvenile offender. Create a special supervisor program for the repeat offender. This includes in school suspension or a series of alternative schools within the district.
Establish collaborative partnerships. Create a partnership of youth service professionals who can support and augment the schools efforts to minimize school crime and campus disruption. The partnership should include schools, law enforcement, health and human services, courts, probation, prosecutor, department of parks and recreation, parents, and business and community leaders, among others.
Increase safety of school physical design. Promote crime prevention through target hardening and environmental design. Provide maximum supervision in heavy traffic areas. Provide public telephones with dial-free connections to emergency services in strategic locations. Relocate safe activities near typical trouble spots. For instance, consider relocating a psychologist or counselor office next to a corridor or locker bay where problems have been occurring. Conduct ticket sales or concession activities in or near problem areas. Eliminate obstacles, such as trash cans and architectural barriers, that block or inhibit the traffic flow, supervision, and surveillance. Use parabolic/convex mirrors in stairwells and other locations that require improved supervision.
Administrators taking charge. School site administrators must acquire "crime-resistance savvy and take greater responsibility in working with the school board and district to implement site security programs. Students and staff will support thoughtful leaders who have a clear sense of direction and purpose.
Establish school communication network. A state-of-the-art school communication network should be established that links classrooms and school yard supervisors with the front office or security staff, as well as with local law enforcement and fire departments.
Institute regular review programs. School staff should be informed and regularly updated on safety plans through in-service training. The training should include not only the certified staff but also classified staff, including part-time employees and substitute teachers.
Limit access to school grounds. Access points to school grounds should be limited and monitored during the school day. A single visitor entrance should be supervised by a receptionist or security officer. Visitors must sign in at the reception area and wear an identification pass. Delivery entrances used by vendors also should be checked regularly.
Some Staff Preparation Strategies
As violence and intimidation have become a way of life on many of our nation's campuses, educators are called upon more to handle disruptive events. often, the only difference between a violent outcome and a peaceful resolution is the application of a few key principles and procedures. The following guidelines are suggested as potential strategies for breaking up fights and disarming a weapon-wielding student, 2 increasingly common school violence incidents. How well we know our students and the parents with whom we work may be the most critical factor in our effectiveness to resolve conflict. People reflect our attitudes and actions. As our own emotions escalate, others tend to emulate what they see. As we deescalate, personal defenses and aggression can be reduced. occasionally, there may be no opportunity to deescalate, but most of the time that option is available.
What can be done to calm a potentially volatile situation? Guidelines for handling just such a situation are based on four overriding strategic principles: (a) Evaluate, (b) Evacuate, (c) Isolate, (d) Negotiate/Mediate. Most fights don't just happen-emotions build and escalate until the situation explodes. Children and educators need training in conflict resolution and conflict management, and this provides a clear opportunity for school psychologists to be a valuable school safety resource. Some guidelines for handling school yard fights are shown in Table 4.
Handling a weapon-wielding student requires a heightened level of finesse and coordination, not to mention training and fortitude. When the Chancellor of New York City Public Schools first asked school security officers to check students for guns, they said, "No way, that's dangerous business and we're not paid enough to do it." At another urban school system when a security aide was asked to remove a gun from a student, he said, "Not for $4.25 an hour?" These statements reflect the critical need for training, professionalism, and adequate compensation to deal with this kind of assignment.
Safe school planning is a continuous process. It involves much more than a single meeting and a plan relegated to a notebook. The process must be broadly based and involve the entire campus community. These strategies represent only the beginning. School safety must be made a top priority throughout the district.
School psychologists can play a vital role in helping administrators identify top areas of student concerns and needs. School psychologists and counselors are often the first line of support in helping a youngster with a major behavioral problem involving aggression or violence. When a safe and welcoming school climate is created, students will bring to school psychologists, counselors, and teachers a whole new series of personal needs to fulfill. This increased demand for service is a compliment to their effectiveness in responding to young people. The bottom line is thoughtful and caring work leads to heightened levels of service -- a wonderful challenge to us all as we work to provide support for the success of all children.
Address correspondence concerning this article to Ronald D. Stephens, National School Safety Center, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA 90263.
TABLE 1
Suggested Meeting and Topic Schedules for Safe School
Planning Process
First Meeting: Set the Context for the Community Systemwide Response
· Ensure understanding and support
· Agree upon a list of participants
· Meet key participants
Second Meeting Problem Identification and Resource Inventory
· Describe the safe school planning process
· Develop a list of specific problems
· Select a problem for action
· Conduct an inventory of existing resources
Third Meeting: Analysis of Needs
· Review problem analysis and resource assessment
· Identify gaps in programming
· Brainstorm ideas
Fourth Meeting: Develop Implementation Plan
· Develop an implementation plan
· Identify barriers, needs for technical assistance, and resource issues
· Obtain commitments
· Set monitoring procedures
Fifth Meeting (optional): Conference and Training Session
· Announce the program to the public
· Involve the media and opinion leaders
· Provide on-site training and technical assistance
(From Cities in Schools)
TABLE 2
Suggested Essential Questions for Initiating a School
Safety Planning Process
1. Has your community crime rate increased over the past 12 months?
· 2. Are more than 15% of your school's work order repairs vandalism related?
· 3. Do you have an open campus?
· 4. Has there been a recent emergence of an underground student newspaper?
· 5. Is your community transiency rate increasing?
· 6. Do you have an increasing presence of graffiti in your school or community?
· 7. Do you have an increased presence of gangs in your community?
· 8. Is your truancy rate increasing?
· 9. Are your suspension and expulsion rates increasing?
· 10. Have you had increased conflicts relative to dress styles, food services, and types of music played at special events?
· 11. Do you have an increasing number of students on probation at your school?
· 12. Have you had isolated racial fights?
· 13. Has the number of extracurricular programs and sports activities been reduced at your school?
· 14. Has there been an increasing incidence of parents withdrawing students from your school because of fear?
· 15. Has your budget for professional development opportunities and in-service training your staff been reduced or eliminated?
· 16. Are you discovering more weapons on your campus?
· 17. Does your district lack written screening and selection guidelines for new teachers a other youth-serving professionals who work in your school?
· 18. Are drugs easily available in or around your school?
· 19. Are more than 40% of your students bussed to school?
· 20. Have you had a student demonstration or other signs of unrest within the past 12 months
TABLE 3
Essential Components of a Safe School Plan
· School crime reporting and tracking Public awareness
· Curriculum focusing on prosocial skills and conflict resolution
· Behavior/conduct/discipline code
· Supervision
· Crisis management and emergency evacuation
· Attendance and truancy prevention
· Drug prevention
· Interagency partnership--youth service network
· Cultural and social awareness
· Student leadership and involvement
· Parent participation
· Involvement of senior citizens
· Special event management
· Crime prevention through environmental design
· Extracurricular activities and recreation
· School/law enforcement partnership
· Screening and selection of staff
· Violence prevention (preservice and in-service staff
· training program) School security
· Community service/outreach
· Corporate/business partnerships
· Media and public relations
· Health service
· Transportation
· Legislative outreach and contact
· Evaluation and monitoring
TABLE 4
Suggested Procedures for Handling Fights in School Settings
· Walk briskly--don't run
· Get help along the way
· Assess and evaluate:
· the number of students involved
· the size of students involved
· any weapons that are involved
· proximity of individuals who can assist
· Recognize that there may be several subtle things going on simultaneously that are being tangibly expressed in the conflict. Is there gang involvement? What other alliances might exist?
· Identify yourself to the fighters
· Call the student by name
· Stay away from the middle of the conflict
· Remove glasses
· Give specific commands in a a firm, authoritative voice
· Defer to rules, not personal authority
· Separate the aggressor and the victim
· Avoid physical force if possible
· Remove participants to neutral locations
· Obtain identification
· Get medical attention if necessary
· Describe incident in writing
· Debrief relevant teacher(s)
· Provide protection and support for victims
· Provide counseling--not simply the day after the event, but as long as necessary
· Report incident to law enforcement and other child serving agencies who may be serving the youngster
TABLE 5
Suggested Guidelines for Handling a Weapon-Wielding Student
· Evacuate the area
· Evaluate the mental and emotional state of the perpetrator
· Isolate
· Negotiate
· Remain calm
· Get help
· Avoid heroics
· Don't threaten
· Keep a safe, nonintimidating distance
· Avoid abrupt sporadic movements
· Look for a place to dive or jump
· Report incidents to the appropriate law enforcement agency. When weapons are involved, the incident is not simply a disciplinary matter; it is a criminal offense.
The National School Safety Center (NSSC) serves as a national clearinghouse for school safety programs and activities related to campus security, school law, community relations, student discipline, and attendance, as well as the prevention of drug abuse, gangs, and bullying. NSSC provides on-site training and technical assistance to school districts and law enforcement agencies nationwide in the areas of school crime prevention, gangs, weapons in school, crisis management, and safe school planning. Please write to NSSC at 4165 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 290, Westlake Village, CA 91362 for further information on training resources.
Printed Resources
School Safety News Service includes three issues of School Safety, News Journal of the National School Safety Center, and six issues of NSSC's newsletter. These publications feature the insight of prominent professionals on issues related to school safety, including student discipline, security, attendance, dropouts, youth suicide, character education, and substance abuse. NSSC's News Service reports on effective school safety programs, updates legal and legislative issues, and reviews new literature on school safety issues. Contributors include accomplished local practitioners and nationally recognized experts and officials. ($59 annually)
Developing Personal and Social Responsibility. (1992). Human nature, all too often, seeks the lowest level of responsibility while seeking the highest expression of freedom and rights. When left unchecked, this often translates into disobedience, disruption, violence, truancy, early pregnancy, drug abuse and, in general, a lack of appropriate self-control and motivation in young people. Schools can play important leadership roles with students, parents, and the community in teaching responsibility skills. The ideas, suggestions, and model curricula set forth in Developing Personal and Social Responsibility are designed to serve as a framework on which to build successful programs that train young people to be responsible citizens (129 pages). ($9)
School Crime and Violence: Victims' Rights (1992) recently updated, is a comprehensive text on school safety law. The book offers a historical overview of the issue of victim's rights, how the judicial system has responded to it, and its effect on America's schools. Many educators are not familiar with the magnitude, import, or specifics of the burgeoning phenomenon of liability and litigation in the United States. This lack of information and understanding can only breed more conflict and litigation. Schools must prepare themselves for the possibility of such liability. The authors cite legal case histories and cover current school liability laws. This useful tool provides advice to educators and school administrators in risk and liability prevention, and in implementing campus crime prevention programs (134 pages). ($15)
School Discipline Notebook (1992) is a revised edition originally published in 1986. This book will help educators establish fair and effective discipline. It reviews student responsibilities and rights including the rights to safe schools. The correlation between orderly, disciplined schools and safe, productive schools is examined. Legal policies that regulate discipline methods used in schools also are explored. In addition, suggestions are offered for the practical tasks required of educators, including preparing discipline codes, defining and tracking infractions, and disciplining special education students. A resource section suggests publications, films, and policies providing further assistance with school discipline (53 pages). ($5)
Child Safety Curriculum Standards (1991) helps prevent child victimization by assisting youth-serving professionals in teaching children how to protect themselves. It includes sample strategies that can be integrated for both elementary and secondary schools. The age-appropriate standards deal with the topics of substance abuse, teen parenting, suicide, gangs, weapons, bullying, runaways, rape, sexually transmitted diseases, child abuse, parental abductions, stranger abductions, and latchkey children. Each of the 13 chapters include summaries, standards, strategies, and additional resources for each grade level (353 pages). ($75)
School Safety Check Book (1990) is NSSC's most comprehensive text on crime and violence prevention in schools. The volume is divided into sections on school climate and discipline, school attendance, personal safety, and school security. Geared for the hands-on practitioner, each section includes a review of the problems and prevention strategies. Useful charts, surveys, and tables as well as write-ups on a wide variety of model programs also are included (219 pages). ($15)
Set Straight on Bullies (1989) examines the myths and realities about school yard bullying. Changing attitudes about the seriousness of the problem is stressed. It studies the characteristics of bullies and bullying victims. And, most importantly, it provides strategies for educators, parents, and students to prevent and respond to school yard bullying. Sample student and adult surveys also are included (89 pages). ($10)
The Need To Know: Juvenile Record Sharing (1989) deals with the confidentiality of juvenile records and why teachers, counselors, school administrators, police, probation officers, prosecutors, the courts, and other professionals who work with juvenile offenders need to know and be able to share information contained in juvenile records. When information is shared appropriately, improved strategies for responding to serious juvenile offenders, and for improving public safety, can be developed. The second part of this book reviews the legal statuses of each state, outlining which agencies and individuals are permitted access to various juvenile records and how access may be obtained. A model juvenile records code and sample forms to be used by agencies in facilitating juvenile records sharing also are included (88 pages). ($12)
Gangs in Schools: Breaking Up is Hard to Do ( 1993) offers an introduction to youth gangs, providing the latest information on the various types of gangs -- including ethnic gangs, stonier groups, and satanic cults--as well as giving practical advice on preventing or reducing gang encroachment in schools. The book contains valuable suggestions from law enforcers, school principals, prosecutors, and other experts on gangs. The concluding chapter describes more than 20 school- and community-based programs throughout the country that have been successful in combating gangs (48 pages). ($5)
Educated Public Relations: School Safety 101 (1986) offers a quick course in public relations for school district public relations directors, administrators, and others working to achieve safe, effective schools. The book explains the theory of public relations and successful methods for integrating people and ideas. It discusses how public relations programs can promote safe schools and quality education and gives 101 specific ideas and strategies to achieve this goal. The text includes a special chapter by Edward L. Bernays, considered by many as the father of contemporary public relations, which updates his classic work 17'e Engineering of Consent (72 pages). ($8)
NSSC Resource Papers provide a concise but comprehensive review of topical school safety issues. Papers include "Safe Schools Overview," "Increasing Student Attendance," "Drug Traffic and Abuse in Schools," "School Bullying and Victimization," "Student Searches and the Law," "Student and Staff Victimization," "Alternative Schools for Disruptive Youth," "Weapons in Schools," "Role Models, Sports and Youth," "Corporal Punishment in Schools," and "School Crisis Prevention and Response." "Safe Schools Overview" offers a review of the contemporary safety issues facing the country's schools and students, national statistics and court cases. Specific issue papers offer a general outline of the problem, national statistics, and prevention and intervention strategies. The papers conclude with reprints of relevant articles from newspapers and magazines and a list of related organizations and publications. New papers will continue to be published to address emerging school safety issues (10-30 pages). ($t each)
Films/Tapes
School Crisis: Under Control (1991) combines actual news footage of school crisis events with the insights and recommendations of school officials who have dealt firsthand with violent tragedies on their campuses. From having experienced deranged gunmen invading their campuses, hostage situations, bombings, and students killing teachers and each other, participants at the National School Safety Center's "School Crisis Prevention Practicum" offer other educators valuable advice about school crisis prevention, preparation, management, and resolution. Acclaimed actor Edward James Olmos hosts this 25-minute, award-winning educational documentary that covers topics such as outlining staff roles and responsibilities, dealing with the media, providing adequate communication systems and signals, arranging transportation, and offering grief counseling (available in VHS format). ($65)
High Risk Youth/At the Crossroads ( 1989) addresses drug abuse prevention by focusing attention on specific negative social, economic, and behavioral problems that make youths more vulnerable to drug abuse problems. Hosted by Le Var Burton, the program promotes a "risk-focused approach" to youth drug abuse prevention that goes beyond "just say no." The 22-minute documentary profiles several high-risk youth and examines their vulnerable characteristics through commentary from several nationally renowned authorities (available in VHS format). ($50)
Set Straight on Bullies (1988). Whoever thought bullies were all talk and no action needs to view the film "Set Straight on Bullies." The National School Safety Center film was produced to help school administrators educate faculty, parents, and students about the severity of the school yard bullying problem. The message is clear: bullying hurts everyone. This 18-minute film tells the dramatic story of a bullying victim and how the problems adversely affects his life as well as the lives of the bully, other students, parents, and educators (available in VHS, Beta, or 16mm). ($50)
What's Wrong With This Picture? (1986) is an award-winning film showing five scenarios that address the school safety issues of drug trafficking and abuse, intimidation and violence, teacher burnout, and theft. The docudrama is narrated by the people who actually experienced the incidents portrayed. This "trigger" film is intended to generate emotional responses, discussions, and action from its viewers. This 18-minute film has received awards at the Houston, New York and Chicago film festivals, the U.S. Industrial Film Festival, and from the National Association of government Communications (available in VHS). ($40)
~~~~~~~~
By Ronald D. Stephens National School Safety Center
Ronald Stephens is the Executive Director of the National School Safety Center and serves as a professor of Education at Pepperdine University, Malibu, California. He also serves as a consultant and frequent speaker for school districts, law enforcement agencies, and professional organizations nationwide. He is the Executive Editor of School Safety, and the author of Raising Safety Smart Kids (1993, Thomas Nelson & Sons).
Copyright of School Psychology Review is the property of National Association of School Psychologists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
Record: 4
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Title: |
SCHOOL VIOLENCE: REPORTED SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND MAKING SCHOOLS SAFER. |
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Authors: |
DUPLECHAIN, ROSALIND1 MORRIS, ROBERT1 |
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Source: |
Education. Winter2014, Vol. 135 Issue 2, p145-150. 6p. |
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Document Type: |
Article |
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Subject Terms: |
*SCHOOL violence *SCHOOL shootings *SCHOOL safety *SCHOOL environment *SHOOTERS of firearms UNITED States |
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Author-Supplied Keywords: |
creating safe schools risk factors o f school shooters U.S. schools shootings |
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NAICS/Industry Codes: |
236220 Commercial and Institutional Building Construction 611110 Elementary and Secondary Schools 611699 All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction |
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Abstract: |
This manuscript consists of three sections. Section one provides historical data on some 310 documented shootings that have taken place on school property within the United States. Section two discusses numerous risk factors associated with school shooters. Section three discusses numerous strategies for creating safe schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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Copyright of Education is the property of Project Innovation, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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Author Affiliations: |
1University of West Georgia |
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ISSN: |
0013-1172 |
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Accession Number: |
100464126 |
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<a href="https://delgado.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=100464126&site=ehost-live">SCHOOL VIOLENCE: REPORTED SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND MAKING SCHOOLS SAFER.</a> |
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Record: 5
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Title: |
School Violence: The Fears, The Facts. |
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Authors: |
Glasner, Barry |
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Source: |
New York Times. 08/13/99, Vol. 148 Issue 51613, pA21. 0p. |
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Document Type: |
Article |
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Subject Terms: |
*SCHOOL violence *STUDENTS -- United States *JUVENILE delinquency *STATISTICS |
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Geographic Terms: |
UNITED States |
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Abstract: |
Comments on school violence in the United States (US). Research data on the decline in school violence in the 1990's; Statistics on the safety of students in school; Views of US Representative Bill McCollum on violent juvenile crime. |
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ISSN: |
0362-4331 |
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Accession Number: |
2209127 |
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<a href="https://delgado.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=2209127&site=ehost-live">School Violence: The Fears, The Facts.</a> |
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Academic Search Complete |
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·
Catina Carter <[email protected]>
Mar 2 at 12:45 PM
Here is what you need
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From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2018, 4:08:14 PM CST
Subject: english
Comments: my work
Record: 1
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Title: |
A radical step for school safety. (cover story) |
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Authors: |
Chaddock, Gail Russell |
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Source: |
Christian Science Monitor. 1/13/2000, Vol. 92 Issue 36, p1. 0p. 1 Color Photograph. |
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Document Type: |
Article |
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Subject Terms: |
*SCHOOL violence -- Prevention *PSYCHODIAGNOSTICS |
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Abstract: |
Reports the growing use of psychological profiles of students in the United States as a way to prevent school violence. |
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Full Text Word Count: |
1130 |
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ISSN: |
0882-7729 |
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Accession Number: |
2673103 |
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<a href="https://delgado.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=2673103&site=ehost-live">A radical step for school safety.</a> |
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Academic Search Complete |
Section:
USA
A RADICAL STEP FOR SCHOOL SAFETY
Districts begin to use psychological profiles of students in a controversial attempt to prevent classroom violence.
Dateline: WASHINGTON
His profile is the Classroom Avenger: a boy from a "dysfunctional" but "superficially normal" middle-class family who goes on a shooting spree in a school. He's sensitive to criticism, blames others for his problems, fights with his parents and siblings, obsesses on violence, and knows his way around a gun.
In a new and controversial move, US schools are beginning to use such psychological profiling to ferret out students likely to cause violence in the classroom.
To supporters, the technique, which has been widely used in law enforcement to track odious criminals such as Ted Bundy and the Unabomber, could prove invaluable in bringing a greater sense of security to schools.
But the move is also raising questions about whether such forensic dragnets could undermine the climate of learning in an institution that aims to nurture kids. Critics argue that rumors and suspicions can quickly harden into stigmas in the halls and lunch rooms of a public school, and few tags are as hurtful as that of suspected shooter.
"We don't want to turn schools into airports. We want schools to be places where people trust each other," says Laurence Steinberg, professor of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia.
School homicides are extremely rare events. A student has less than a 1 in million chance of a school-associated violent death, according to the US Department of Justice.
Nonetheless, since the 1999 shootings in Littleton, Colo., administrators have scrambled to reassure parents and the community that safety is a priority - and Columbines won't happen in their schools. As a result, a cottage industry of school safety products is emerging, including psychological profiling.
Until recently, the technique has been virtually a taboo subject in many public schools, since it has been often associated with racial bias, especially in law enforcement. But there are signs that it is now moving more into the mainstream.
· One of the most ambitious is Mosaic-2000, a computer-assisted program that promises to equip schools with the same law-enforcement methods used to evaluate threats to Hollywood stars and US Supreme Court justices. It is currently field testing in 25 public schools, mainly in the Los Angeles area.
· The FBI's National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime in Virginia will soon issue an analysis of school shootings that targets "risk factors" to help schools identify potentially violent students.
· Schools in Granite City, Ill., now require staff to report students who fit an "at risk" profile, including writing essays that "reflect anger, frustration, and the dark side of life" and a "preference for television shows, movies, or music expressing violent themes and acts."
School districts in Wallingford, Conn., and Dighton-Rehoboth, Mass., are also developing districtwide profiles to target potentially violent students.
"School is the workplace of children ... [and] the strategies learned by industry and government should be available to school administrators," says the promotional material for Gavin de Becker Inc., a Los Angeles-based firm testing the Mosaic-2000 program. The product claims to give school officials an objective way to evaluate threats to school safety. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms is also participating in the project.
Mosaic developers call their program an "artificial intuition system" or "mental detector." When a student makes a threat or "otherwise comes to the attention of the school," officials can use the program to ask questions and code an assessment. In an early version of the program, students were then ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 as a potential safety risk.
"Any kid who ends up scoring in a particularly critical dimension on Mosaic-2000 is someone who is clearly struggling and needs help," says James McGee, a developer of Mosaic 2000. If parents disagree with the assessment, then the school has to decide whether to let the student back in school, he adds.
Mosaic-2000 field tests are just beginning and developers are months from knowing what modifications are needed. Company officials say the program profiles situations, not individuals - and could even prevent schools from overreacting to a threat.
What troubles other risk-assessment experts is that the science behind the weights and rankings in Mosaic 2000 is not available for peer review. Because school shootings are rare, there's also a danger of falsely identifying students who fit the profile but will never commit a violent act.
"Research shows that it is virtually impossible to identify which kids are going to commit violent acts without mistakenly pointing to kids that won't," says Mr. Steinberg.
Such possibilities worry civil libertarians as well. "We're concerned about decisions made to discipline students based on the fact that they fit a profile that might include information as disparate as what movies they watch and books they read and whether parents have guns in the home," says Ann Beeson of the American Civil Liberties Union in New York.
Some experts credit such programs with forcing people to consider questions they might otherwise miss and to think more systematically about threats. But they question whether there is a valid research base for programs such as Mosaic-2000.
"The true test is whether they have any validity to predict who goes on to commit these crimes or not. I don't know of any research that has been done on that," says Edward Mulvey, professor of law and psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.
School psychologists also caution that technology and forensics are a poor substitute for better human relations in schools.
"Teasing in school today is far more dangerous than it was in 1960. There is more of it, and our society really communicates to kids that violence is the way to react when you are picked on," says Kevin Dwyer, president of the National Association of School Psychologists.
Still, a growing number of school officials believe profiling is not only appropriate, but necessary. In Wallingford, officials are trying to glean a list of behaviors that can identify young people with a "predisposition" to committing violence. The profile will circulate among staff, parents, and older high school students, who will be urged to report anyone who fits the profile.
"It's profiling. I don't shy away from that word," says Joseph Cirasuolo, Wallingford superintendent of schools. "We don't think we'll be identifying many young people at all. But it is useful for us to help identify youngsters who may have difficulty where we can."
PHOTO (COLOR): SAFETY FIRST: A security offical at the Miller Magnet School in Macon, Ga., uses a metal detector to search students for weapons. A new industry of school-safety products has emerged recently.
~~~~~~~~
By Gail Russell Chaddock, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
© 2000 The Christian Science Monitor (www.CSMonitor.com). Limited electronic copying and printing is permitted under this license agreement. Copies are for personal use only. For re-use and publication permissions, please contact [email protected].
Record: 2
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Title: |
Changes to Tracking of School Violence. |
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Authors: |
HARRIS, ELIZABETH A. |
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Source: |
New York Times. 12/14/2016, Vol. 166 Issue 57446, pA25-A25. 1/4p. |
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Document Type: |
Article |
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Subject Terms: |
*SCHOOL violence *PREVENTION *SCHOOL administration *RESTORATIVE justice UNITED States |
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Abstract: |
The article focuses on the efforts of tracking school violence in New York, and talks of the tracking offences such as homicide, kidnapping and bomb threats with the help of school reporting system called Violent and Disruptive Incident Reporting system (VADIR), role of school administrators for school safety, and guidance to schools for restorative justice. |
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ISSN: |
0362-4331 |
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Accession Number: |
120175003 |
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<a href="https://delgado.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=120175003&site=ehost-live">Changes to Tracking of School Violence.</a> |
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Record: 3
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Title: |
Planning for safer and better schools: School violence prevention and intervention strategies. |
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Authors: |
Stephens, Ronald D. |
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Source: |
School Psychology Review. 1994, Vol. 23 Issue 2, p204. 12p. 5 Charts. |
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Document Type: |
Article |
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Subject Terms: |
*SCHOOL safety *SCHOOL violence -- Prevention |
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Geographic Terms: |
UNITED States |
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NAICS/Industry Codes: |
611699 All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction 611110 Elementary and Secondary Schools 236220 Commercial and Institutional Building Construction |
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Abstract: |
Examines the essential aspects of school safety planning on school violence in the United States. Evaluation objectives; Assessment procedures; National mandate for safe school planning; Safe school options. |
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Full Text Word Count: |
6162 |
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ISSN: |
0279-6015 |
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Accession Number: |
9501303833 |
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<a href="https://delgado.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9501303833&site=ehost-live">Planning for safer and better schools: School violence prevention and intervention strategies.</a> |
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PLANNING FOR SAFER AND BETTER SCHOOLS: SCHOOL VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
Abstract: This article reviews some essential aspects of school safety planning. General evaluation objectives and assessment procedures are discussed, as well as a safe school planning process. Specific guidelines for handling violent incidents at school are offered.
At no time in our nation's history has there been a more challenging time to be an educator, both professionally and personally. This changing climate in public education has mandated both a broader understanding of culture and greater skills in serving students who come to school with a host of special needs. The climate of public education has especially experienced dramatic changes in the demographic makeup of the student population. Schools are serving more children of teenage parents and more special education students than ever before. Each of these changes is occurring within the context of an increasingly violent society with seemingly fewer economic resources to respond to these issues. As our schools must address so many needs, personal safety has become a top educational concern among students, parents, teachers, and others.
The changing educational climate with its new challenges are creating a "categorical imperative" to identify tools, strategies, and model programs that enhance the safety and success of all children and the professionals who serve them. Since young people are required by law to attend school, then school children must be provided with an environment that is safe, secure, and peaceful.
A Recent National Mandate for Safe School Planning
Safe and drug-free schools have been the top concern of parents for the past 3 years, according to Gallup polls regarding our nation's six educational goals. The first five goals focus on academic achievement and increasingly higher standards, but it is the author's view that they cannot be achieved unless Goal #6--creating safe and drug-free schools--is accomplished first.
The President and the Congress have recognized the importance of this priority by the passage of the Safe Schools Act of 1994, which provides funding and technical assistance to school systems that wish to develop safe school plans. The concern for safe schools also has penetrated federal drug-free schools funding with the inclusion of violence prevention as a top priority. These federal mandates, combined with increasing demands by parents and the courts, are creating a compelling need to place safe school planning on the educational agenda.
The courts now are asking school administrators, in light of the increasing levels of serious school crime, "What are you doing differently in 1994 that you were not doing in 1993?" The failure to provide clear and reasonable answers in terms of staff training, crisis planning, crime prevention through environmental design, better communication systems, or enhanced supervision can leave a district in a precarious situation. This article synthesizes the results of more than 500 personal school safety site assessments that have been made across the United States from Florida, Connecticut, California, Washington, Texas, Wisconsin, and many other locations. The suggestions represent the "art of the possible" in safe school planning.
Tough Problems Demand Smart Solutions
Insuring the tranquillity and safety of our schools requires a major strategic commitment. It involves placing school safety at the top of the educational agenda. School systems around the country are beginning to recognize that developing and implementing a safe school plan is a critical and essential part of this process. South Carolina, in 1992, was the first state to mandate safe school planning and in 1982 the voters of California overwhelmingly passed the Victim's Bill of Rights, which established school safety as a constitutional right (Article I, Section 28c). In addition, in 1984 the California State Board of Education issued a policy paper that states:
The Board believes that a beginning step toward safer schools and better school discipline and attendance is the development of a comprehensive plan for school safety, discipline and attendance by every public school and district in the state. The plan should be developed as a part of ongoing district and school planning efforts and should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis. The State Board of Education intends that this plan be developed cooperatively by parents, students, teachers, administrators, counselors and commonly agencies, and approved by the local school district governing board. The Board also intends for school districts to establish working relationships with law enforcement agencies, service agencies, and parents which will provide safe and orderly schools, improve attendance, and expand services to students and parents.
As exemplified in the California School Board Policy, schools will be increasingly expected to develop school safety plans. A safe schools plan is a continuing, broad-based, comprehensive and systematic process to create and maintain a safe, secure, and welcoming school climate, free of drugs, violence, and fear. This climate would promote the success and development of all children and those professionals who serve them. Creating a safe school plan requires a broad-based school/community team. Leadership for this team could come from the superintendent of schools, the police chief, the presiding juvenile judge, or any other leader from a parent or community group. When the Safe School Planning Team is mobilized, they meet to craft a site-specific safety plan. one approach to safe school planning incorporates the schedule shown in Table 1.
An important part of developing a safety plan is to conduct an initial needs assessment. Some of the relevant questions for a school safety planning team to consider, among others, are shown in Table 2.
As a rough guideline for the planning team, the affirmative answers to the questions in Table 2 can be multiplied by 5 and summed. Scores of 0to 20 indicate that the school does not have a significant school safety problem. If the scores range between 25 to 45, an emerging school safety problem may be present. Scores of 50 to 70 indicate that there is a significant potential for school safety problems and a safe school plan should be given high priority. You are sitting on a ticking time bomb if your score is over 70. Begin working on your safe school plan immediately and get some outside help.
Conducting an assessment of your current situation is a critical first step. In addition to addressing the questions listed in Table 1, a safe school assessment should include at least (a) a school crime analysis, (b) student/staff/community survey, and (c) focus groups. Implementing the latter two assessment activities draws heavily upon the expertise of school psychologists.
A school crime analysis will provide valuable information about the types of criminal and harrassment incidents occurring on campus. The report should reflect the types of crimes, when and where they occurred, who was involved and the action taken, and other data. Crime analysis is extremely important in order to determine the potential connection of one incident to other incidents. For example, at one middle school, an administrator found that nearly every time a fight occurred on campus it involved a certain group of female students who had formed a "dance club." Upon investigation, the administrators discovered that it was really a new gang. The gang initiation rites required the girls to beat up a certain number of people on campus, vandalize a certain number of teachers" cars, or have sex with a certain number of male students. By having a good crime analysis system, the administrators were able to put a stop to the emerging gang and create a legitimate dance club with a faculty sponsor.
The second phase involves student, staff, and community surveys. Surveys of attitudes are necessary because many crimes are never reported. To rely exclusively on crime data creates significant gaps. A survey also provides an opportunity to evaluate perceptions and feelings that are equally important issues to the safe school planning process. often the perceptions of crime and violence become the realities.
The third and perhaps most critical aspect of the assessment process is to conduct a series of focus groups with students, staff, parents, law enforcement, and community leaders. Talking with students is a particularly wonderful reality check. Students are the recipients of the community systems and environments that affect their daily lives at schools. Their insights are invaluable in identifying the issues to be developed in the strategic safe school planning process.
In addition to developing an initial safety plan, every school should conduct an annual school safety assessment. A school safety assessment is a strategic evaluation and planning tool used to determine the extent of a school safety problem. It also may focus on a much broader or comprehensive area of school safety or school climate. Such an assessment could focus on gangs, weapons in school, drug or alcohol abuse, school yard bullying, site evaluation of facilities including landscape, policies and procedures, compliance with local and state laws, community support, parent attitudes, student attitudes and motivation, or a variety of other areas that assess emerging school climate trends.
A school safety assessment, in broadest terms, is a comprehensive review and evaluation of the entire educational program of a school or school district. These issues are examined to ascertain how they affect school climate, school attendance, personal safety, and overall school security. The safety assessment includes: (a) a review of student discipline problems, policies, procedures, and practices at both the school site and district level; (b) an evaluation of the school safety plan and the planning process; (c) an assessment of the school/law enforcement partnership and the relationship with local community leaders and resources; (d) a review of crime prevention efforts with regard to environmental design; (e) a review of employee recruiting, selection, supervision, and training criteria as it pertains to school safety; (f) an assessment of student activity and extracurricular programs; (g) a review of the crisis response plan; (h) assessment of the educational plan and its support for a positive school climate; and (i) a review of other areas needed to evaluate the district or site.
The assessment is conducted in a systematic and comprehensive way by interviewing selected members of the school community and district personnel at all levels, which include but are not necessarily limited to: students, parents, teachers, school support staff, local law enforcement representatives, probation, mental health, and other youth-serving professionals.
The uniqueness of a safe school plan is that it can include whatever prevention or intervention strategies the local community feels are important. Included in Table 3 are a variety of program options that should be considered.
Although there is no guarantee that a school will ever be completely violence free, it is first and foremost important to make school safety a top agenda item. In addition, several general preventive security measures will help to lessen the chances of violence occurring on campus:
Create a climate of ownership and school pride. Every student and staff member should be made to feel like a key part of the school community. This is accomplished by involving every person in the safe school planning process, including students, parents, teachers, and community leaders. Establish home room areas for safety and students. Encourage school-sponsored groups and clubs to take ownership of specific hallways, display areas, or other locations.
Establish a parents' center. A parent center should be established on each campus that recruits, coordinates, and encourages parents to participate in the educational process. Possible activities include helping supervise hallways, playgrounds, restrooms, or other trouble spots. Classroom visitation and participation in special events is encouraged. A special training program that outlines expectations and responsibilities for parents in volunteer roles can be particularly helpful
Target troublemakers. A small percentage of young people create most of the school problems. There is a growing trend among schools and juvenile-serving professionals to begin sharing information about the serious misbehavior of juveniles. In Sylmar, California, a junior high student nearly stabbed his teacher to death. The student had a long history of misbehavior, but no one at the school knew it because the juvenile justice system typically treats each juvenile as a first time offender every time an offense is committed. The California state legislature decided to change the way business is done. Consequently, Senate Bill 143 was passed mandating that the principal inform the teacher of every student who has had a background of criminal misbehavior. This action implies that the court will notify the principal whenever a juvenile is adjudicated. House Bill 23 in Texas (passed in 1993) requires local law enforcement officials to verbally notify the superintendent of schools within 24 hours of the arrest or detention of a juvenile. Within 7 days school officials must receive written notification. A similar information-sharing law has been passed in Virginia, and such revisions are being considered in several other states. once troublemakers are targeted, supervision plans can be set in place that can help prevent the youngsters from further victimizing themselves and others.
Make the campus welcoming and safe before students come. School safety leadership begins at the top. There is no question that the best principals spend the majority of their time outside their offices. Staying in tune and in touch cannot be accomplished in a cloistered office. Principals and other school staff will want to begin the day by greeting students at the front door when they first arrive and by being present in the hall during class changes. They will visit classrooms and attend special events.
Establish a vibrant system of extracurricular programs. School children need positive things to do. Without interesting and challenging activities, students may fill the void with negative activities.
Get parents on your side. School administrators cannot create safe campuses alone. They need parent power. Work with parents to convince them of your interest in their child's success.
Make certain there is an active student component. Students should be actively involved in their own safety and safe planning, including learning conflict resolution techniques. Most importantly, though, keep in touch with students. They are among the best crime prevention advisors. They will tell you about those areas of the campus they avoid and they will make insightful suggestions on school crime prevention strategies.
Integrate into curriculum. Incorporate life skills curricula into the course structure that focus on good decision making, responsible citizenship, and conflict resolution. Young people need to learn how to deal with conflict. School violence is the tangible expression of unresolved conflict. If we can help children identify and implement constructive conflict resolution techniques, our campuses can be made much safer. Schools should establish a curriculum committee to focus on teaching students these important skills. A curriculum that emphasizes courtesy and thoughtfulness will go a long way toward creating a more positive and effective campus life.
Provide adequate adult supervision. Provide adequate adult supervision. Children need continuous responsible supervision. This may include teachers, administrators, parents, a campus supervisor or law enforcement officers. A good ratio of students to adults is 25:1 or less depending upon special needs.
Establish in-service training. Establish an ongoing professional development and in-service training program for campus supervisors. This would include training techniques in classroom management, breaking up a fight, handling disruptive parents and campus intruders, and a variety of other safe school issues.
Implement staff screening process. Implement a thorough record screening and selection process for teachers, staff, and campus volunteers. Crime and violence is often promoted by the quality and preparation of staff responsible for daily supervision. Screening out prior felons and child molesters is essential.
Establish a campus intruder and visitor screening procedure. A school administrator is responsible not only for keeping kids away from trouble, but also for keeping trouble away from kids. Having an effective visitor screening process will accomplish that objective. A school security task force should be established to identify what safety measures should be implemented and how they might be accomplished.
Establish behavior guidelines. Establish clear behavior guidelines, making certain they are clearly communicated, consistently enforced, and fairly applied toward all students. Posting the guidelines in prominent places and working with the supervising staff to consistently enforce them is essential. We tend to get not only what we expect and deserve, but also what we allow.
Establish clear and reasonable dress codes. We tend to act the way we dress. Gang attire, dress styles, or clothing with a disruptive message or disruptive appearance should not be tolerated (i.e., indicate why such clothes pose a real threat of safety to the school and are not merely a reflection of adult disapproval of youth fashion).
Mandate crime reporting and tracking. Creating a safe campus requires continuous tracking and monitoring of school crime problems. Analyzing when, where, why, and who is involved in school crime incidents will provide information about campus locations, individuals, and times that may require enhanced supervision.
Establish a close law enforcement partnership. Include law enforcement officials in your curriculum, supervision, and crisis planning. Some of the most effective school peace officer programs bring the officer in contact with children in the early grades and allow the officer to follow the students through elementary, middle, and high school. School peace officers are able to do some of their best work after 4 to 5 years of knowing the children and the community.
Establish a crisis response plan. Through responsible planning, many potential problems can be avoided. However, there are times when a crisis is unavoidable. There are two types of schools: those that faced a crisis and those that are about to. A good crisis plan focuses on crisis prevention, preparation, management, and resolution. A good crisis plan also will identify resources available through other community agencies.
Provide adequate support and protection for victims. once a crime has been committed, victims need special attention and support. School psychologists may provide this service at school or help coordinate outreach to other community services. This may require more than a single counseling session. It may involve referral to a community service provider or ongoing support by the district.
Closely supervise known juvenile offenders. Provide close supervision, remedial training, and where feasible, require restitution by the juvenile offender. Create a special supervisor program for the repeat offender. This includes in school suspension or a series of alternative schools within the district.
Establish collaborative partnerships. Create a partnership of youth service professionals who can support and augment the schools efforts to minimize school crime and campus disruption. The partnership should include schools, law enforcement, health and human services, courts, probation, prosecutor, department of parks and recreation, parents, and business and community leaders, among others.
Increase safety of school physical design. Promote crime prevention through target hardening and environmental design. Provide maximum supervision in heavy traffic areas. Provide public telephones with dial-free connections to emergency services in strategic locations. Relocate safe activities near typical trouble spots. For instance, consider relocating a psychologist or counselor office next to a corridor or locker bay where problems have been occurring. Conduct ticket sales or concession activities in or near problem areas. Eliminate obstacles, such as trash cans and architectural barriers, that block or inhibit the traffic flow, supervision, and surveillance. Use parabolic/convex mirrors in stairwells and other locations that require improved supervision.
Administrators taking charge. School site administrators must acquire "crime-resistance savvy and take greater responsibility in working with the school board and district to implement site security programs. Students and staff will support thoughtful leaders who have a clear sense of direction and purpose.
Establish school communication network. A state-of-the-art school communication network should be established that links classrooms and school yard supervisors with the front office or security staff, as well as with local law enforcement and fire departments.
Institute regular review programs. School staff should be informed and regularly updated on safety plans through in-service training. The training should include not only the certified staff but also classified staff, including part-time employees and substitute teachers.
Limit access to school grounds. Access points to school grounds should be limited and monitored during the school day. A single visitor entrance should be supervised by a receptionist or security officer. Visitors must sign in at the reception area and wear an identification pass. Delivery entrances used by vendors also should be checked regularly.
Some Staff Preparation Strategies
As violence and intimidation have become a way of life on many of our nation's campuses, educators are called upon more to handle disruptive events. often, the only difference between a violent outcome and a peaceful resolution is the application of a few key principles and procedures. The following guidelines are suggested as potential strategies for breaking up fights and disarming a weapon-wielding student, 2 increasingly common school violence incidents. How well we know our students and the parents with whom we work may be the most critical factor in our effectiveness to resolve conflict. People reflect our attitudes and actions. As our own emotions escalate, others tend to emulate what they see. As we deescalate, personal defenses and aggression can be reduced. occasionally, there may be no opportunity to deescalate, but most of the time that option is available.
What can be done to calm a potentially volatile situation? Guidelines for handling just such a situation are based on four overriding strategic principles: (a) Evaluate, (b) Evacuate, (c) Isolate, (d) Negotiate/Mediate. Most fights don't just happen-emotions build and escalate until the situation explodes. Children and educators need training in conflict resolution and conflict management, and this provides a clear opportunity for school psychologists to be a valuable school safety resource. Some guidelines for handling school yard fights are shown in Table 4.
Handling a weapon-wielding student requires a heightened level of finesse and coordination, not to mention training and fortitude. When the Chancellor of New York City Public Schools first asked school security officers to check students for guns, they said, "No way, that's dangerous business and we're not paid enough to do it." At another urban school system when a security aide was asked to remove a gun from a student, he said, "Not for $4.25 an hour?" These statements reflect the critical need for training, professionalism, and adequate compensation to deal with this kind of assignment.
Safe school planning is a continuous process. It involves much more than a single meeting and a plan relegated to a notebook. The process must be broadly based and involve the entire campus community. These strategies represent only the beginning. School safety must be made a top priority throughout the district.
School psychologists can play a vital role in helping administrators identify top areas of student concerns and needs. School psychologists and counselors are often the first line of support in helping a youngster with a major behavioral problem involving aggression or violence. When a safe and welcoming school climate is created, students will bring to school psychologists, counselors, and teachers a whole new series of personal needs to fulfill. This increased demand for service is a compliment to their effectiveness in responding to young people. The bottom line is thoughtful and caring work leads to heightened levels of service -- a wonderful challenge to us all as we work to provide support for the success of all children.
Address correspondence concerning this article to Ronald D. Stephens, National School Safety Center, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA 90263.
TABLE 1
Suggested Meeting and Topic Schedules for Safe School
Planning Process
First Meeting: Set the Context for the Community Systemwide Response
· Ensure understanding and support
· Agree upon a list of participants
· Meet key participants
Second Meeting Problem Identification and Resource Inventory
· Describe the safe school planning process
· Develop a list of specific problems
· Select a problem for action
· Conduct an inventory of existing resources
Third Meeting: Analysis of Needs
· Review problem analysis and resource assessment
· Identify gaps in programming
· Brainstorm ideas
Fourth Meeting: Develop Implementation Plan
· Develop an implementation plan
· Identify barriers, needs for technical assistance, and resource issues
· Obtain commitments
· Set monitoring procedures
Fifth Meeting (optional): Conference and Training Session
· Announce the program to the public
· Involve the media and opinion leaders
· Provide on-site training and technical assistance
(From Cities in Schools)
TABLE 2
Suggested Essential Questions for Initiating a School
Safety Planning Process
1. Has your community crime rate increased over the past 12 months?
· 2. Are more than 15% of your school's work order repairs vandalism related?
· 3. Do you have an open campus?
· 4. Has there been a recent emergence of an underground student newspaper?
· 5. Is your community transiency rate increasing?
· 6. Do you have an increasing presence of graffiti in your school or community?
· 7. Do you have an increased presence of gangs in your community?
· 8. Is your truancy rate increasing?
· 9. Are your suspension and expulsion rates increasing?
· 10. Have you had increased conflicts relative to dress styles, food services, and types of music played at special events?
· 11. Do you have an increasing number of students on probation at your school?
· 12. Have you had isolated racial fights?
· 13. Has the number of extracurricular programs and sports activities been reduced at your school?
· 14. Has there been an increasing incidence of parents withdrawing students from your school because of fear?
· 15. Has your budget for professional development opportunities and in-service training your staff been reduced or eliminated?
· 16. Are you discovering more weapons on your campus?
· 17. Does your district lack written screening and selection guidelines for new teachers a other youth-serving professionals who work in your school?
· 18. Are drugs easily available in or around your school?
· 19. Are more than 40% of your students bussed to school?
· 20. Have you had a student demonstration or other signs of unrest within the past 12 months
TABLE 3
Essential Components of a Safe School Plan
· School crime reporting and tracking Public awareness
· Curriculum focusing on prosocial skills and conflict resolution
· Behavior/conduct/discipline code
· Supervision
· Crisis management and emergency evacuation
· Attendance and truancy prevention
· Drug prevention
· Interagency partnership--youth service network
· Cultural and social awareness
· Student leadership and involvement
· Parent participation
· Involvement of senior citizens
· Special event management
· Crime prevention through environmental design
· Extracurricular activities and recreation
· School/law enforcement partnership
· Screening and selection of staff
· Violence prevention (preservice and in-service staff
· training program) School security
· Community service/outreach
· Corporate/business partnerships
· Media and public relations
· Health service
· Transportation
· Legislative outreach and contact
· Evaluation and monitoring
TABLE 4
Suggested Procedures for Handling Fights in School Settings
· Walk briskly--don't run
· Get help along the way
· Assess and evaluate:
· the number of students involved
· the size of students involved
· any weapons that are involved
· proximity of individuals who can assist
· Recognize that there may be several subtle things going on simultaneously that are being tangibly expressed in the conflict. Is there gang involvement? What other alliances might exist?
· Identify yourself to the fighters
· Call the student by name
· Stay away from the middle of the conflict
· Remove glasses
· Give specific commands in a a firm, authoritative voice
· Defer to rules, not personal authority
· Separate the aggressor and the victim
· Avoid physical force if possible
· Remove participants to neutral locations
· Obtain identification
· Get medical attention if necessary
· Describe incident in writing
· Debrief relevant teacher(s)
· Provide protection and support for victims
· Provide counseling--not simply the day after the event, but as long as necessary
· Report incident to law enforcement and other child serving agencies who may be serving the youngster
TABLE 5
Suggested Guidelines for Handling a Weapon-Wielding Student
· Evacuate the area
· Evaluate the mental and emotional state of the perpetrator
· Isolate
· Negotiate
· Remain calm
· Get help
· Avoid heroics
· Don't threaten
· Keep a safe, nonintimidating distance
· Avoid abrupt sporadic movements
· Look for a place to dive or jump
· Report incidents to the appropriate law enforcement agency. When weapons are involved, the incident is not simply a disciplinary matter; it is a criminal offense.
The National School Safety Center (NSSC) serves as a national clearinghouse for school safety programs and activities related to campus security, school law, community relations, student discipline, and attendance, as well as the prevention of drug abuse, gangs, and bullying. NSSC provides on-site training and technical assistance to school districts and law enforcement agencies nationwide in the areas of school crime prevention, gangs, weapons in school, crisis management, and safe school planning. Please write to NSSC at 4165 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 290, Westlake Village, CA 91362 for further information on training resources.
Printed Resources
School Safety News Service includes three issues of School Safety, News Journal of the National School Safety Center, and six issues of NSSC's newsletter. These publications feature the insight of prominent professionals on issues related to school safety, including student discipline, security, attendance, dropouts, youth suicide, character education, and substance abuse. NSSC's News Service reports on effective school safety programs, updates legal and legislative issues, and reviews new literature on school safety issues. Contributors include accomplished local practitioners and nationally recognized experts and officials. ($59 annually)
Developing Personal and Social Responsibility. (1992). Human nature, all too often, seeks the lowest level of responsibility while seeking the highest expression of freedom and rights. When left unchecked, this often translates into disobedience, disruption, violence, truancy, early pregnancy, drug abuse and, in general, a lack of appropriate self-control and motivation in young people. Schools can play important leadership roles with students, parents, and the community in teaching responsibility skills. The ideas, suggestions, and model curricula set forth in Developing Personal and Social Responsibility are designed to serve as a framework on which to build successful programs that train young people to be responsible citizens (129 pages). ($9)
School Crime and Violence: Victims' Rights (1992) recently updated, is a comprehensive text on school safety law. The book offers a historical overview of the issue of victim's rights, how the judicial system has responded to it, and its effect on America's schools. Many educators are not familiar with the magnitude, import, or specifics of the burgeoning phenomenon of liability and litigation in the United States. This lack of information and understanding can only breed more conflict and litigation. Schools must prepare themselves for the possibility of such liability. The authors cite legal case histories and cover current school liability laws. This useful tool provides advice to educators and school administrators in risk and liability prevention, and in implementing campus crime prevention programs (134 pages). ($15)
Child Safety Curriculum Standards (1991) helps prevent child victimization by assisting youth-serving professionals in teaching children how to protect themselves. It includes sample strategies that can be integrated for both elementary and secondary schools. The age-appropriate standards deal with the topics of substance abuse, teen parenting, suicide, gangs, weapons, bullying, runaways, rape, sexually transmitted diseases, child abuse, parental abductions, stranger abductions, and latchkey children. Each of the 13 chapters include summaries, standards, strategies, and additional resources for each grade level (353 pages). ($75)
School Safety Check Book (1990) is NSSC's most comprehensive text on crime and violence prevention in schools. The volume is divided into sections on school climate and discipline, school attendance, personal safety, and school security. Geared for the hands-on practitioner, each section includes a review of the problems and prevention strategies. Useful charts, surveys, and tables as well as write-ups on a wide variety of model programs also are included (219 pages). ($15)
Set Straight on Bullies (1989) examines the myths and realities about school yard bullying. Changing attitudes about the seriousness of the problem is stressed. It studies the characteristics of bullies and bullying victims. And, most importantly, it provides strategies for educators, parents, and students to prevent and respond to school yard bullying. Sample student and adult surveys also are included (89 pages). ($10)
The Need To Know: Juvenile Record Sharing (1989) deals with the confidentiality of juvenile records and why teachers, counselors, school administrators, police, probation officers, prosecutors, the courts, and other professionals who work with juvenile offenders need to know and be able to share information contained in juvenile records. When information is shared appropriately, improved strategies for responding to serious juvenile offenders, and for improving public safety, can be developed. The second part of this book reviews the legal statuses of each state, outlining which agencies and individuals are permitted access to various juvenile records and how access may be obtained. A model juvenile records code and sample forms to be used by agencies in facilitating juvenile records sharing also are included (88 pages). ($12)
Gangs in Schools: Breaking Up is Hard to Do ( 1993) offers an introduction to youth gangs, providing the latest information on the various types of gangs -- including ethnic gangs, stonier groups, and satanic cults--as well as giving practical advice on preventing or reducing gang encroachment in schools. The book contains valuable suggestions from law enforcers, school principals, prosecutors, and other experts on gangs. The concluding chapter describes more than 20 school- and community-based programs throughout the country that have been successful in combating gangs (48 pages). ($5)
Educated Public Relations: School Safety 101 (1986) offers a quick course in public relations for school district public relations directors, administrators, and others working to achieve safe, effective schools. The book explains the theory of public relations and successful methods for integrating people and ideas. It discusses how public relations programs can promote safe schools and quality education and gives 101 specific ideas and strategies to achieve this goal. The text includes a special chapter by Edward L. Bernays, considered by many as the father of contemporary public relations, which updates his classic work 17'e Engineering of Consent (72 pages). ($8)
NSSC Resource Papers provide a concise but comprehensive review of topical school safety issues. Papers include "Safe Schools Overview," "Increasing Student Attendance," "Drug Traffic and Abuse in Schools," "School Bullying and Victimization," "Student Searches and the Law," "Student and Staff Victimization," "Alternative Schools for Disruptive Youth," "Weapons in Schools," "Role Models, Sports and Youth," "Corporal Punishment in Schools," and "School Crisis Prevention and Response." "Safe Schools Overview" offers a review of the contemporary safety issues facing the country's schools and students, national statistics and court cases. Specific issue papers offer a general outline of the problem, national statistics, and prevention and intervention strategies. The papers conclude with reprints of relevant articles from newspapers and magazines and a list of related organizations and publications. New papers will continue to be published to address emerging school safety issues (10-30 pages). ($t each)
Films/Tapes
School Crisis: Under Control (1991) combines actual news footage of school crisis events with the insights and recommendations of school officials who have dealt firsthand with violent tragedies on their campuses. From having experienced deranged gunmen invading their campuses, hostage situations, bombings, and students killing teachers and each other, participants at the National School Safety Center's "School Crisis Prevention Practicum" offer other educators valuable advice about school crisis prevention, preparation, management, and resolution. Acclaimed actor Edward James Olmos hosts this 25-minute, award-winning educational documentary that covers topics such as outlining staff roles and responsibilities, dealing with the media, providing adequate communication systems and signals, arranging transportation, and offering grief counseling (available in VHS format). ($65)
High Risk Youth/At the Crossroads ( 1989) addresses drug abuse prevention by focusing attention on specific negative social, economic, and behavioral problems that make youths more vulnerable to drug abuse problems. Hosted by Le Var Burton, the program promotes a "risk-focused approach" to youth drug abuse prevention that goes beyond "just say no." The 22-minute documentary profiles several high-risk youth and examines their vulnerable characteristics through commentary from several nationally renowned authorities (available in VHS format). ($50)
Set Straight on Bullies (1988). Whoever thought bullies were all talk and no action needs to view the film "Set Straight on Bullies." The National School Safety Center film was produced to help school administrators educate faculty, parents, and students about the severity of the school yard bullying problem. The message is clear: bullying hurts everyone. This 18-minute film tells the dramatic story of a bullying victim and how the problems adversely affects his life as well as the lives of the bully, other students, parents, and educators (available in VHS, Beta, or 16mm). ($50)
What's Wrong With This Picture? (1986) is an award-winning film showing five scenarios that address the school safety issues of drug trafficking and abuse, intimidation and violence, teacher burnout, and theft. The docudrama is narrated by the people who actually experienced the incidents portrayed. This "trigger" film is intended to generate emotional responses, discussions, and action from its viewers. This 18-minute film has received awards at the Houston, New York and Chicago film festivals, the U.S. Industrial Film Festival, and from the National Association of government Communications (available in VHS). ($40)
~~~~~~~~
By Ronald D. Stephens National School Safety Center
Ronald Stephens is the Executive Director of the National School Safety Center and serves as a professor of Education at Pepperdine University, Malibu, California. He also serves as a consultant and frequent speaker for school districts, law enforcement agencies, and professional organizations nationwide. He is the Executive Editor of School Safety, and the author of Raising Safety Smart Kids (1993, Thomas Nelson & Sons).
Copyright of School Psychology Review is the property of National Association of School Psychologists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
Record: 4
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SCHOOL VIOLENCE: REPORTED SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND MAKING SCHOOLS SAFER. |
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Authors: |
DUPLECHAIN, ROSALIND1 MORRIS, ROBERT1 |
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Source: |
Education. Winter2014, Vol. 135 Issue 2, p145-150. 6p. |
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Article |
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Subject Terms: |
*SCHOOL violence *SCHOOL shootings *SCHOOL safety *SCHOOL environment *SHOOTERS of firearms UNITED States |
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creating safe schools risk factors o f school shooters U.S. schools shootings |
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236220 Commercial and Institutional Building Construction 611110 Elementary and Secondary Schools 611699 All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction |
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Abstract: |
This manuscript consists of three sections. Section one provides historical data on some 310 documented shootings that have taken place on school property within the United States. Section two discusses numerous risk factors associated with school shooters. Section three discusses numerous strategies for creating safe schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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1University of West Georgia |
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0013-1172 |
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100464126 |
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Record: 5
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Title: |
School Violence: The Fears, The Facts. |
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Authors: |
Glasner, Barry |
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Source: |
New York Times. 08/13/99, Vol. 148 Issue 51613, pA21. 0p. |
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Document Type: |
Article |
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Subject Terms: |
*SCHOOL violence *STUDENTS -- United States *JUVENILE delinquency *STATISTICS |
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UNITED States |
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Abstract: |
Comments on school violence in the United States (US). Research data on the decline in school violence in the 1990's; Statistics on the safety of students in school; Views of US Representative Bill McCollum on violent juvenile crime. |
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0362-4331 |
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2209127 |
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