NCJ Number
170981
Journal
Education and Urban Society Volume: 28 Issue: 4 Dated: (August 1996) Pages: 492-503
Date Published
1996
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Effective initiatives to address gang-related crime and violence in a large urban school district and a large suburban school district in Ohio are described, with emphasis on their implications for other school districts.
Abstract
The Cleveland Public Schools formed a five-person Youth Gang Unit in its Division of Safety and Security before school opened in September 1991. Officers performed both internal investigations and cooperative work with local police agencies on illegal gang activities, drug trafficking, and other threats to school safety. The unit's success resulted from the dedication and commitment of the officers; the interest of staff, students, and gang members themselves; and the positive working relationship with the Cleveland Police Department's Youth Gang Unit. Three Cleveland suburbs formed the Tri-City Task Force on Juvenile Behavior in 1992 to enhance communication among the police agencies, the public and private school systems, the transit system, and other city and community officials. Actions included training; the hiring of two juvenile gang, drug, and school security specialists; expanded school-based prevention efforts; and the establishment of a 24-hour hotline to receive anonymous reports on school and community safety concerns. A youth safety survey indicated positive findings related to gang stabilization and school safety. These two programs and the similar progressive development of school crime and gang activity in city and suburban schools suggest that administrators can take several school safety steps to reduce risk and prepare to manage incidents more effectively. These steps include the establishment of a solid policy foundation, the use of balanced programming rather than a narrow focus; and the use of firm, fair, and consistent discipline. Additional recommendations, note, and 13 references