NCJ Number
181994
Journal
Alternatives to Incarceration Volume: 5 Issue: 6 Dated: 1999 Pages: 16-19
Date Published
1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article outlines the components of a plan for preventing and responding to school violence.
Abstract
One aspect of a multifaceted strategy for preventing school violence is to provide heightened security measures in order to identify intruders and to scan students teachers, employees, and visitors for weapons. Another component is to work with the students in focusing on early warning signs that a student is having a problem with anger and aggression. Linked to this component is the provision of anger management skills for students. Because many acts of school violence can be traced to feelings of isolation and incidents in which students were ostracized, another component of a violence-prevention plan is to involve students in school activities. If kids feel connected, involved, and significant, they are less likely to engage in negative behaviors. In addition, all experts agree that the police must have an increased presence and involvement in the schools. The degree of police involvement in school activities is up to the community, school administrators, and the police. Whatever the degree of police involvement in the schools, it should lead to positive relationships between students and the officers representing the police department. In addition to having prevention plans in place, schools, police, and communities should still be prepared for violent incidents by having a plan for response designed to contain and limit the effects of the violence. Whatever prevention and response plan is instituted, efforts should be made to evaluate its effectiveness.