VIOLENT ACTS IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS - AN INADVERTENTLY REINFORCED BEHAVIOR (FROM THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON POVERTY AND SCHOOL CRIME - V 2, 1978 - SEE NCJ-59837)

• NCJ Number: 59845
• Author(s): D A SABATINO
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 21 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE NATURE OF THE RAPID INCREASE IN VIOLENT ACTS COMMITTED BY YOUTHS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IS EXAMINED, WITH ADOLESCENT VIOLENT BEHAVIOR VIEWED AS A FORM OF INADVERTENT REINFORCED BEHAVIOR.

Abstract

DATA FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS REVEAL THAT AN ESTIMATED 73 PERCENT OF THE NATION'S SCHOOLS REPORT A MAJOR CRIME IN EACH 5-MONTH PERIOD. DESPITE THESE DATA, RESEARCH ON SCHOOL VANDALISM IS SCARCE. EXISTING STUDIES INDICATE THAT ACTS OF SCHOOL-DIRECTED VANDALISM ARE PRECIPITATED BY A VARIETY OF MOTIVES, INCLUDING FINANCIAL OR PROPERTY GAIN, A SOCIAL CAUSE, NONMALICIOUS PLAY, AND THE DESIRE TO FULFILL UNMET EMOTIONAL NEEDS. IN CONSIDERING COURSES OF PREVENTIVE ACTION, THE APPLICATION OF PUNISHMENT IS CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE PUNISHMENT MAY BECOME GROUP PUNISHMENT WITHOUT GROUP PARTICIPATION. PUNISHMENT IS EFFECTIVE ONLY WHEN IT IS APPLIED TO A SMALL PROPORTION OF THE POPULATION. IF TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE PUNISHED THE RESULT CAN BE REBELLION (EISNER AND TSUYEMURA, 1965). ATTITUDINAL AND CURRICULUM RESPONSES, AS WELL AS STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, REPRESENT ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO CONTROL VANDALISM. IN MOST CONTROL STRATEGIES, STUDENTS HAVE ONLY TWO CHOICES, OBEY OR RESIST. THE RESULTING BEHAVIOR MAY INVOLVE PASSIVITY, VERBAL AGGRESSION, PROPERTY DAMAGE, OR VIOLENT ACTS TOWARD OTHERS. IF COERCIVE STRATEGIES ARE USED TO CURB SCHOOL VANDALISM, THEY MUST BE FOLLOWED BY SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMS INVOLVING THERAPY AND STUDENT-PARENT MEETINGS TO MODIFY BEHAVIOR AND CHANGE ATTITUDES. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (DEP)