NCJ Number
67348
Date Published
1979
Length
235 pages
Annotation
THE RELATIONSHIP OF A VARIETY OF SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS TO TEACHER AND STUDENT VICTIMIZATION RATES IN SCHOOLS IS DESCRIBED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REDUCING THE RATES ARE MADE.
Abstract
QUESTIONNAIRE DATA WERE GATHERED FOR GRADES 7 THROUGH 12 FROM 642 SCHOOLS (WITH A 76 PERCENT RESPONSE): 623 PRINCIPALS RESPONDED ON 261 ITEMS; 23,895 TEACHERS ANSWERED 187 ITEMS; AND 31,373 STUDENTS (81 PERCENT), RESPONDED ON 167 ITEMS. CENSUS COUNTS PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THE SCHOOLS WERE LOCATED. A FACTOR ANALYSIS GUIDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCALES MEASURING COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS, AND A PATH MODEL WAS USED TO ASSESS THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS TO THE EXPLANATION OF VICTIMIZATION RATES. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT LARGE SCHOOLS WITH LIMITED RESOURCES, WITH POOR COOPERATION BETWEEN TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATION, AND WITH POOR RULE ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE HIGH VICTIMIZATION RATES. THEREFORE, RATES MAY BE LOWERED (1) BY REDUCING THE SIZES OF SCHOOLS SO THAT TEACHERS HAVE EXTENSIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND CONTACT WITH A LIMITED NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN SEVERAL ASPECTS OF THEIR EDUCATION, (2) BY IMPROVING THE COOPERATION BETWEEN TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATION, AND (3) BY PROVIDING CLEAR RULES WHICH ARE FIRMLY ENFORCED AND EQUITABLY ADMINISTERED. SINCE TEACHER VICTIMIZATION RATES ARE HIGH IN SCHOOLS LOCATED IN AREAS CHARACTERIZED BY MUCH POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND A HIGH PROPORTION OF FEMALE-HEADED FAMILIES, COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT ACTION WHICH ALTER THESE CONDITIONS MAY INFLUENCE THE LEVELS OF SCHOOL DISRUPTION. FOOTNOTES, CHARTS, TABLES, AND A REFERENCE LIST ARE PROVIDED, AND APPENDIXES CONTAINING THE QUESTIONNAIRES AND THE ITEM CONTENT OF THE SCALES ARE INCLUDED.