NCJ Number
62609
Date Published
1979
Length
16 pages
Annotation
ALTHOUGH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SAFE SCHOOLS STUDY PRESENTS SOME ALARMING STATISTICS ABOUT SCHOOL CRIME, IT ALSO CHALLENGES A NUMBER OF ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE EXTENT OF SUCH CRIME.
Abstract
OVER 61,000 TEACHERS WERE PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED IN 1976; AN ESTIMATED 282,000 JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ATTACKED EACH MONTH AND 112,000 ARE ROBBED; SCHOOL VANDALISM COSTS RANGE FROM $50-600 MILLION ANNUALLY. YET RESEARCHERS HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT MOST ADMINISTRATORS BELIEVE VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM HAVE LEVELED OFF IN THE LAST 5 YEARS, THAT MOST PROBLEMS OF VIOLENCE IN THE SCHOOLS ARE NOT CAUSED BY OUTSIDERS, THAT THE FEAR OF CRIME MAY BE MORE DAMAGING THAN ACTUAL CRIMINAL ACTS, AND THAT THE CRIME PROBLEM CAN BE REDUCED THROUGH SPECIFIC PROGRAM CHANGES. SUGGESTED STRATEGIES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: THE HARDWARE APPROACH, WHICH EMPHASIZES BUILDING SECURITY AND ENLISTS THE HELP OF POLICE IN COMBATING CRIME, THE PREVENTIVE APPROACH, WHICH EMPHASIZES HIGHLY VISIBLE SURVEILLANCE PERSONNEL AND HARDWARE, THE CORRECTIVE VIEW, WHICH UNDERLINES ATTENTION TO DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES AND CURRICULUM, THE INTERAGENCY APPROACH THAT DRAWS ON PUBLIC OR PRIVATE AGENCY PERSONNEL FOR YOUTH SERVICES, AND THE INTEGRATIVE APPROACH, WHICH TRANSFORMS SCHOOL CONFLICT INTO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDY. COMMUNITY GROUPS INTERESTED IN REDUCING SCHOOL CRIME CAN CONTACT THE NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE NETWORK, FUNDED BY THE LEAA OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION, TO PROVIDE TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND INFORMATION THROUGH FOUR REGIONAL CENTERS. REFERENCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL LISTS ARE ATTACHED.