VIOLENT STUDENT - ADDRESS - CONFERENCE ON VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM IN THE SCHOOLS, APRIL 29 - MAY 1, 1976

• NCJ Number: 35621
• Author(s): W MINNINGER
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 0 pages
• Grant Number(s): 75-A-2788-1-A
• Sponsoring Agency: Kansas Governor's Cmtte on Criminal Admin
• Corporate Author: Kansas State University
• Sale Source: Kansas State University; Not Available Through National Institute of Justice/NCJRS Document Loan Program
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

THIS CONFERENCE ADDRESS REVIEWS SEVERAL POSSIBLE CAUSES OF VIOLENCE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY, AND THEN EXAMINES THE ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT WHICH MAY GENERATE VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM IN THE SCHOOL.

Abstract

THE SPEAKER NOTES THAT VIOLENCE HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF AMERICAN SOCIETY THROUGHOUT HISTORY, AND PROVIDES SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF PARTICULARLY VIOLENT PERIODS IN UNITED STATES HISTORY. HOWEVER, THE SPEAKER ACKOWLEDGES THAT THE PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS SEEM PARTICULARLY ACUTE AT THIS TIME. SEVERAL ASPECTS OF THE CURRENT SOCIAL MILIEU WHICH MAY PROMOTE VIOLENCE ARE EXAMINED, INCLUDING OVERCROWDING, MASS COMMUNICATIONS, INCREASING IMPERSONALIZATION OF GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS, AND LOOSENING OF FAMILY TIES. WITH THE RISE OF POOR FAMILY TIES, THE SPEAKER OBSERVES, THE SCHOOLS ARE INCREASINGLY EXPECTED TO TAKE OVER THE TASK OF INSTILLING SOCIETY'S VALUES AND PREVENTING JUVENILE CRIME. THIS, HE CONTENDS, IS AN UNREASONABLE EXPECTATION. THE POSSIBLE REASONS FOR SCHOOL VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM ARE EXPLORED. THE NATURE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE INCREASING AWARENESS AND SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS OF STUDENTS ARE DISCUSSED AS TWO POSSIBLE SOURCES OF DISSATISFACTION AND VIOLENCE. ANOTHER POSSIBLE CAUSE OF VIOLENCE MAY LIE IN THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES; THE AUTHOR OBSERVES THAT A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE STUDENT POPULATION HAS A VERY HIGH PROPENSITY FOR VIOLENCE, WHILE THE REST OF THE STUDENTS REACT VIOLENTLY ONLY TO CERTAIN SITUATIONS. THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION IN CONTROLLING THIS SECOND SECTION OF THE SCHOOL POPULATION IS DISCUSSED. FINALLY, THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE PATTERNS OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE ARE EXAMINED. THE SPEAKER NOTES THAT: 1) THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A FEW PROBLEM CASES, AND THAT SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR HELPING THEM EARLY IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT MUST BE INSTITUTED; 2) SCHOOLS MUST BE MORE CLOSELY ALLIED WITH THE COMMUNITY TO PREVENT SCHOOL VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM; AND 3) GOOD SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR REDUCING AND PREVENTING SCHOOL VIOLENCE. FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES OF TAPES FROM THE VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM CONFERENCE, SEE NCJ-35621, 3562335627, 35629-35635, 35637, 35638, AND 35640-35645.