Learner, Educator and Community Views on School Safety at Strelitzia Secondary School

• NCJ Number: 221551
• Journal: Acta Criminologica Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Dated: 2007 Pages: 1-20
• Author(s): J. Steyn; M. K. Naicker
• Date Published: 2007
• Length: 20 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: South Africa
• Note: To access the full text PDF: 1) select the provided link; 2) from the Acta Criminologica Web site, select "Table of Contents"; 3) select the corresponding Volume and Issue (see the NCJRS abstract record for the exact Volume and Issue); 4) scroll the Table of Contents to the exact article; and 5) click on the "full text" icon Downloaded on February 13, 2008.

Annotation

This study explored the perceptions of learners and educators at the South African Strelitzia Secondary School in Isipingo, Durban regarding safety at the school.

Abstract

The study reveals that most Strelitzia Secondary School learners and educators, as well as Isipingo Community Policing Forum members and South African Police Service members who participated in the study are of the opinion that Strelitzia Secondary School is a safe environment even though a culture of violence exists in which learners bring drugs, alcohol, and firearms to school and corporal punishment is still practiced. Prior research indicates that crime and violence are widespread in South African schools. In some instances learners and educators are terrified to attend school. This study explored the safety at a selected school, Strelitzia Secondary School. The purpose was to determine whether the South African Government had made any inroads in addressing crime and violence at secondary schools in the Isipingo area in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The study adopted a quantitative, as well as deductive research approach. More than 400 questionnaires were completed by school learners while 20 interview schedules were conducted with school educators, as well as members of the Isipingo Community Policing Forum and the South African Police Service (in the Durban South area). Appendix and bibliography