SERIOUS SCHOOL CRIME - A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

• NCJ Number: 49270
• Author(s): D J KLAUS; A E GUNN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 110 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: American Institutes for Research
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

EXISTING INFORMATION ON SERIOUS SCHOOL CRIME IS REVIEWED, WITH ATTENTION TO THE INCIDENCE OF OFFENSE AND THE CHARACTERISTIC CIRCUMSTANCES, CAUSES, ANTECEDENTS, AND APPLICABLE COUNTERMEASURES.

Abstract

THIS OVERVIEW CONCERNS ONLY THE INCIDENCE OF SERIOUS CRIME WHICH OCCURS IN THE SCHOOL SETTING. A REVIEW OF NATIONAL SURVEYS ON SERIOUS SCHOOL CRIMES IS PRESENTED, AND SPECIFIC CRIME ESTIMATES ARE DRAWN FOR THE INCIDENCE OF HOMICIDE, RAPE AND RELATED SEX OFFENSES, ROBBERY, ASSAULT, BURGLARY OR LARCENY RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT LOSSES, AND ARSON AND VANDALISM TO THE EXTENT THAT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS SUFFER GREATLY. THE EXISTING LEVEL OF SCHOOL CRIME AFFIRMED BY THIS EXAMINATION UNDERSCORES THE PREVALENCE OF THE PROBLEM AND THE CONCLUSION THAT SCHOOL-RELATED CRIME IS ON THE INCREASE. THE OFFENSE GROWTH RATE AND DISTRIBUTION ARE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF OFFENDER CHARACTERISTICS, LOCALE, AND THE VARIOUS SCHOOL FEATURES AND PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH AND LOW CRIME LEVELS. HYPOTHESIZED CAUSES OF SERIOUS CRIME ARE DISCUSSED, INCLUDING FAMILY INFLUENCES, COMMUNITY CONDITIONS, INDIVIDUAL DEVIANCY, CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE, SOCIETAL PROBLEMS, AND TEACHING METHODS. HOWEVER, NONE OF THESE CONDITIONS PROVIDE CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE CORRELATING TO CRIME, AND THE OBSERVATIONS ON CAUSES ARE NECESSARILY BASED ON PERHAPS INVALID SUPPOSITIONS ABOUT THE NATURE AND FREQUENCY OF OFFENSES. INTERVENTION MEASURES ARE SURVEYED ON THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY LEVEL: WHILE THERE HAS BEEN A WEALTH OF SECURITY DEVICES AND MEASURES APPLIED TO SCHOOLS, THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT SCHOOL CRIME HAS CORRESPONDINGLY DECREASED. MANY SCHOOLS HAVE INCREASED HELP TO DISTURBED CHILDREN, ADJUSTED CURRICULUMS, AND ATTEMPTED TO INVOLVE COMMUNITIES IN CRIME PREVENTION PROJECTS AND MEASURES; NO SUBSTANTIAL SUCCESS IS REPORTED. THE PROGRESS MADE THUS FAR IN UNDERSTANDING AND COMBATING SCHOOL CRIME IS DISCUSSED, AND COMMON ERRORS IN RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND INTERVENTION MEASURES ARE NOTED, ALONG WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR APPROPRIATE STEPS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND INTERVENTION. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAG)