NCJ Number
158368
Date Published
1994
Length
254 pages
Annotation
This survey focused on violence in the public schools from the perspective of public school students and their parents.
Abstract
The survey was based on interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,000 parents of children who were attending public school in the third to twelfth grades. The survey also included interviews with public school students in grades three through twelve. All interviewing was done from April 22 to May 19, 1994. Parents and every school that encompassed grades three through twelve had an equal chance of being drawn into the sample and were representative of parents and children nationwide. The interviews focused on communications among students, teachers, and parents; worries and experiences with violence in the schools; how violence in school affects the daily lives of school children and their teachers; the influence of environmental issues on violence in the schools; and belief about who is responsible for helping to prevent or reduce school violence. Findings show that public school students and parents were generally satisfied with their public schools. Most believed that their schools provided a safe environment, as well as a quality education. A majority of students had never been victims of violence and had never been physically hurt while in or around school; however, there were sizable proportions of parents who reported that their children had at some time been victims of violence that occurred in or around school, and nearly equal proportions of students reported they had such an experience during their school lives. Children and young adults who had experienced violence were more likely to have had other negative experiences in their school life. Also, students who had been victims of violence were more likely to say their parents had infrequent communications with school personnel, such as individual meetings with teachers, parents' or group meetings, or visits to the school. Parents were more likely than students to believe that students received personal attention from teachers and that students had caring relationships with teachers and their peers. Students who had been victims of violence and those who were at greater risk of becoming victims were more often critical of their schools and of relations with teachers and other students. Extensive tabular data and appended questionnaires