NCJ Number
149140
Date Published
1993
Length
44 pages
Annotation
Law enforcement officials, juvenile court administrators, and middle and high school principals in Missouri were surveyed to learn their perceptions of juvenile violence, trends over time, and school delinquency programs and policies.
Abstract
Responses came from 507 of the 768 school officials, 290 of the 550 law enforcement personnel, and 33 of the 45 juvenile court administrators surveyed. Results revealed that a large majority of school officials and many law enforcement and juvenile court officials do not regard juvenile violence as a problem in their communities and in their schools. In addition, the majority of respondents did not believe that the level of violent offending had changed during the past 5 years. Nevertheless, some law enforcement and court personnel believe that juvenile violence is a notable and increasing problem. Causes suggested include breakdowns of family structure and values, violence within the home, drug use, and economic stress. Most schools have suspension policies for drug and weapon violations. Many have established dress code. Some use peer counseling, conflict mediation, and referral to outside counseling and treatment. Law enforcement personnel prefer the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program to other possibilities. Only one-fifth of the juvenile courts have implemented specialized supervision programs during the past 5 years. Most court and law enforcement officials support the current system of juvenile court waiver rather than establishing automatic transfers to criminal court. Figures and tables