Project Purpose

The NCRLE School Violence Resource Center is funded by grant #2000-DD-VX-0026 from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance.

GOALS:

• To aid in the effort to reduce violence and violence related behavior in our country’s schools.

OBJECTIVES:

• Research and evaluate school violence related information and data.
• Make available pertinent school violence information and resources through a web-based resource center.
• Develop and deliver a school violence educational curriculum to stakeholders

Problem Statement

Crimes committed by juveniles and the attention now focused on school violence all emphasize the need to develop effective strategies. President Bush, recognizing the challenge we face, stated: “We must face up to the plague of school violence, with an average of 3 million crimes committed against students and teachers inside public schools every year. That's unacceptable in our country." The solutions to these issues will require a comprehensive effort by all of us. We are, in a way, all stakeholders and as such we must be part of the solution. We must develop long term strategies that will eliminate violence and violence related behavior as a solution or even as an option for our school children.

Researchers, educators and law enforcement professionals know that predicting and identifying the causes of school violence involves a process filled with uncertainties. However, a number of risk factors have been identified that contribute to delinquent activities and violence. These include: alcoholism, drug use, or mental health problems among parents; abuse, neglect, and inadequate or inconsistent parenting; criminogenic neighborhoods; problems in school; inadequate bonding with pro-social community institutions; involvement with delinquent peers; and poverty.[ix] There is some evidence to suggest that children raised in violent homes are more likely to become perpetrators and victims of violence as adults.[x] Children who witness the abuse itself, the aftermath of an abusive incident, or sense the tension and fear present in an adult abusive relationship, are more likely to suffer from behavioral, emotional, and cognitive problems, which often translate into disruptive or violent behavior in school.

While not all acts of violence are predictable, many are and with these violent events come warning signs. Recognition of early warning signs or predictors are essential and often allow for positive intervention or diversionary activities. An awareness of the risk factors and the knowledge that early warning signs will change as a child develops must be understood.  Treatment or intervention must address multiple risk factors rather than singular factors, to have a positive outcome. “Recent research indicates that children exposed to certain risk factors in their families, at school, among their peers, and in their communities are at greater risk of becoming serious violent juvenile (SVJ) offenders. Multiple rather than single factors place children at risk of becoming SVJ offenders. Therefore, intervention efforts directed toward any single source of influence (e.g., family, school, or peers) are unlikely to be successful. Rather, to be effective, programs must target several risk factors in a variety of settings.”[xi]

No educator would unnecessarily or arbitrarily “brand” a child, so school policy relating to violence or violence-related activity must be clear, understood by all, and uniformly enforced. All persons within a school, educators and students alike, must understand the obligation they have to share their concerns if a student is exhibiting early warning signs or predictors. Procedures must be in place to respond quickly and effectively to a student in need and an adequate support system must be available to assist that student.

An essential element of that support system must come from community coalitions composed of law enforcement, educators, local government, community leaders and community service organizations. Coalitions such as this can provide an assemblage that emphasizes and promotes common community objectives and serves as a support network to the schools.

Historically, the primary responsibility for the socialization of juveniles has been the family, reinforced by the community, and fortified by schools and churches. However, this responsibility has now shifted significantly to schools and law enforcement. To successfully reverse this unsatisfactory trend, stakeholders must work together to create new and effective strategies and find viable solutions to school violence issues. These coalitions must become a reality or, we can expect an increase in juvenile violence and a resulting increase in school violence. With this increase will come the loss of more young lives and the loss of productive futures for our youth.

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[i] Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence. (1998). CSPR School Violence Fact Sheet – Youth Violence: A Public Health Concern. [Online]. Available HTTP: http://www.colorado.edu/cspr/factsheets/factsheet9.html 
[ii] Kathleen Maguire and Ann L. Pastore, eds., Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics 1990. U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, DC. The 1996 data was obtained from the Internet site http://www.albany.edu/sourcebook 
[iii] Sniffen, Michael J. Associated Press Writer. (1999, October 23). Violent Youth Crime at Decade Low. [Online]. Available HTTP: http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2562229925-dcc 
[iv] Reno, Janet. School Violence Continues To Decline; Multiple Homicides In Schools Rise, (1999, October 19). Press Release by Department of Education and Department of Justice. [Online]. Available HTTP: http://www.ed.gov/PressRelease/10-1999/violence.html 
[v] National Center for Education Statistics. (1998 March). Violence and Discipline Problems in U.S. Public Schools: 1996-97. [Online]. Available HTTP: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/violence/index.html 
[vi] CNN Interactive. (1998 June). Survey: 1 million students took guns to school in ’97. [Online]. Available HTTP: http://cnn.com/US/9806/19/gun.school.survey/index/html 
[vii] NEWS FROM PRIDE SURVEYS. (1999 September). Number of teens who carry guns “for protection or as a weapon” more than 2.6 million; kids three times more likely to carry guns while not at school. [Online]. Available HTTP: http://www.prideusa.org/press99/9899gun.htm 
[viii] U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. (1997). Criminal Victimization 1996 (NCJ-165812). Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. 
[ix] Greenwood, Peter W. (1995). Juvenile Crime and Juvenile Justice. In J.Q. Wilson & J. Petersilia (Eds.), Crime (pp. 91-117). San Francisco, CA: Institute for Contemporary Studies. 
[x] Aron, Laudan Y. and Olson, Krista K. (1997 March). Efforts by Child Welfare Agencies to Address Domestic Violence: The Experience of Five Communities. The Urban Institute. [Online]. Available HTTP:
http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/hsp/dvi/pt1.htm 
[xi] U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (1999 October). School and Community Interventions to Prevent Serous and Violent Offending (NCJ-177624). Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. 

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