NCJ Number
170991
Date Published
1996
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Various segments of government and society have a responsibility to address the public's concern about the rising tide of violence among adolescents and to provide safe schools.
Abstract
Government officials have enacted gun control legislation and have established task forces to prevent violence. Professional associations have taken a strong stand that violence is caused by multiple factors and that government, the private sector, and citizens must act aggressively to curtail violence. On the religious front, umbrella organizations and theological schools are challenging conscious, personal, and collective behaviors of their members. Citizens and business firms have taken individual initiatives to prevent violence, violence has been declared a public health issue, and the role of educators in violence prevention has become significant. Ten steps have been recommended by the National School Safety Center to reduce violence in schools: create awareness, conduct an assessment, use a comprehensive approach, encourage curricular intervention, offer conflict resolution training and services, harden the target, establish disciplinary standards, address gang activity, prevent weapon concealment, and institute alternative education programs. Appendixes contain position statements of the National Association of Secondary School Principals on weapons in schools and on violence in the media and entertainment industry, as well as a student-parent-principal contract for eliminating weapons in schools. 20 notes