NCJ Number
35645
Date Published
1976
Length
0 pages
Annotation
THE POLICE CHIEF OF WICHITA (KS) SPEAKS FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ON VIOLENCE AND TRUANCY IN THE SCHOOLS AND THE PROGRAMS THAT WERE INSTITUTED IN WICHITA TO COUNTERACT THEM.
Abstract
MOST OF THE PROBLEMS IN ENFORCING THE LAWS WERE CAUSED NOT BY THE STUDENTS, BUT BY THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND PRINCIPALS. WEAK AREAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM, OR AT LEAST NOT HELPING TO SOLVE IT, WERE WEAK ADMINISTRATORS, A DISSIDENT FACULTY, AND STUDENT CONTROLLED SCHOOLS. ON THE POLICE SIDE, THE SPEAKER FOUND THAT THE OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO THE SCHOOLS ON A CRISIS BASIS WERE SIMPLY NOT TRAINED TO REACT TO THE SOCIAL NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS OR THE FACULTY. THESE OFFICERS WERE NOT RESPECTED BY THE TEACHERS, EITHER. THE PROGRAM DESIGNED TO ALLEVIATE THE POLICE PROBLEM WAS TO SELECT OFFICERS FOR PERMANENT OR LONG RANGE SCHOOL SERVICE WITH THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS: COLLEGE DEGREE, FIVE YEARS LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE, AND SPECIAL COURSES IN A COLLEGE OF EDUCATION. BY EMPHASIZING THE FACT THAT THE OFFICERS HAVE EXPERTISE IN DEALING WITH CERTAIN KINDS OF PROBLEMS, THEY WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS. THE SPEAKER DEALT WITH THE TRUANCY PROBLEMS OF THE FIRST SIX WEEKS OF SCHOOL BY HAVING OFFICERS ROUND UP THE TRUANTS AND BRING THEM IN TO A SQUAD ROOM-TYPE SET UP WHERE THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS WERE PRESENT. THE COUNSELORS HANDLED THE SITUATION FROM THERE, INCLUDING THE NOTIFICATION OF THE CHILD'S PARENTS. A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD FOLLOWED IN WHICH THE QUESTIONS WERE UNINTELLIGIBLE DUE TO THE POOR RECORDING. FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES OF TAPES FROM THE VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM CONFERENCE, SEE NCJ-35621, 35623-35627, 35629-35635, 35637, 35638, AND 35640-35645.