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AlarmTech - School violence

The mix has become appallingly predictable: volcanic anger, no skills to vent the anger or ease the pain, no trusted adult to turn to, and accessibility of firearms. Result: dead and wounded students, faculty, and staff at schools in all parts of our nation.

We can all help prevent these tragedies in three ways: violence prevention (not reaction) programs in every community; young people taught by all of us how to manage anger and handle conflicts peaceably; and guns kept out of the hands of unsupervised kids and treated as hazardous consumer products.

But the relatively small number of school-site homicides is only the tip of an iceberg that could cost our children their futures and our communities their civic health. Violence in our schools -- whether it involves threats, fistfights, knives, or firearms -- is unwarranted and intolerable. Children deserve a safe setting to learn in. Teachers and staff deserve a safe place to work in. Communities deserve safe schools that educate kids and help keep neighborhoods safer.

For some schools, violence may be a minor issue; for others, it may be a daily presence. Though the most extreme forms of violence are rare, the threat of all kinds of violence can keep students away from school, prevent them from going to after-school events, and leave them in fear every day.

To make our schools safer, everyone can and must pitch in -- teachers, parents, students, policy makers, law enforcement officers, business managers, faith leaders, civic leaders, youth workers, and other concerned community residents. Each of us can do something to help solve the problem. And it's a problem we all must solve.

What can you do to stop school violence? This page links to six starter lists of ideas. Some require only individual action; some require concerted effort. Some address immediate issues like kids bringing weapons to school; others address the problems that cause violence. Consider these lists a launching pad. There's lots more that can be done. We've listed resources that can provide even more ideas and help in carrying them out.

On your own, with a group, with your child, with a classroom full of children -- whatever you do, there's something here you can do. Anything you do will help.

back Watch for Signs... Take Action


The Department of Education and the Department of Justice have also produced an early warning guide for spotting trouble in schools

Know signs that kids are troubled and know how to get them help. Look for such signs as:
Lack of interest in school
Absence of age-appropriate anger control skills
Seeing self as always the victim
Persistent disregard for or refusal to follow rules
Cruelty to pets or other animals
Artwork or writing that is bleak or violent or that depicts isolation or anger
Talking constantly about weapons or violence
Obsessions with things like violent games and TV shows
Depression or mood swings
Bringing a weapon (any weapon) to school
History of bullying
Misplaced or unwarranted jealousy
Involvement with or interest in gangs
Self-isolation from family and friends
Talking about bringing weapons to school
The more of these signs you see, the greater the chance that the child needs help. If it's your child and he or she won't discuss these signs with you, see if a relative, a teacher, a counselor, a religious leader, a coach, or another adult can break the ice.

Get help right away. Talk with a counselor, mental health clinic, family doctor, a psychologist, religious leader, the school's dean of students, or the office of student assistance. The faster you find help, the more likely the problem can be resolved.

Not your child? Recognizing these signs in any child should set off alarm bells for any community member. If you know a child well enough to notice these changes, constructively express concern to the parent(s), who may already be taking action and would welcome your support. If parents appear disinterested, speak to the child's teacher or counselor.

Resources

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
230 North 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-567-7000
215-567-0394 (fax)
www.bbbsa.org
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
1230 West Peachtree Street, NW
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-815-5700
404-815-5789 (fax)
www.bgca.org

Bureau of Justice Assistance Clearinghouse
PO Box 6000
Rockville, MD 20849-6000
800-688-4252
www.ncjrs.org

Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence
Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado
Campus Box 442, Building #10
Boulder, CO 80309-0442
303-492-8465
303-443-3297 (fax)
http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/

Educational Resources Information Clearinghouse
National Library of Education
U.S. Department of Education
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 2002-0498
800-LET ERIC
http://askeric.org/Eric/

Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse
PO Box 6000
Rockville, MD 20849-6000
800-638-8736
www.ncjrs.org

National Association of Police Athletic Leagues
618 North US Highway 1, Suite 201
North Palm Beach, FL 33408
561-844-1823
561-863-6120 (fax)

National Center for Conflict Resolution Education
Illinois Institute for Dispute Resolution
110 West Main Street
Urbana, IL 61801
217-384-4118
217-384-8280 (fax)

National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information
PO Box 2345
Rockville, MD 20852
301-468-2600
www.health.org

National Crime Prevention Council
1000 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 13th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
202-466-6272
202-296-1356 (fax)
www.ncpc.org or www.weprevent.org
National Injury Control and Prevention Center
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30333
404-693-3311
404-639-1623 (fax)
www.cdc.gov/ncipc/default.htm

National Institute for Dispute Resolution
1726 M Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 10036
202-466-4764
202-466-4769 (fax)

National PTA
330 North Wabash Avenue, Suite 2100
Chicago, IL 60611
312-670-6782
www.pta.org

National School Safety Center
4165 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Ste 290
Westlake Village, CA 91362
805-373-9977
805-373-9277 (fax)
www.nssc1.org

National Sheriffs' Association
1450 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-3490
www.sheriffs.org

National Youth Gang Information Center
Institute for Intergovernmental Research
PO Box 12729
Tallahassee, FL 33217
850-385-0600
850-386-5356 (fax)
www.iir.com/nygc/

Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
U.S. Department of Education
Portals Building, 600 Independence Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20202-6123
202-260-3954
202-260-7767 (fax)
www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS/

Street Law, Inc.
918 16th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006-2902
202-293-0088
202-293-0089 (fax)
www.streetlaw.org

Teens, Crime, and the Community
1000 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 13th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
202-466-6272, x152 or 161
202-296-1356 (fax)
www.nationaltcc.org

Youth Crime Watch of America
9300 South Dadeland Blvd, Ste 100
Miami, FL 33156
305-670-2409
305-670-3805 (fax)
www.ycwa.org

YouthInfo
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
youth.hhs.gov

Readings
This list highlights just a few of the more recent documents that offer ideas about programs and strategies that can help reduce or prevent violence in schools, as well as information on the problem. They in turn offer referrals to still more sources of information and ideas. Many of the organizations listed above will send free catalogs listing all their publications.

Arnette, June and Marjorie C. Walsleben. Combating Fear and Restoring Safety in Schools. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. April 1998. (NCJ 167888).
Drug Strategies, Inc. Safe Schools, Safe Students: A Guide to Violence Prevention Strategies. Washington, DC: Drug Strategies, Inc. 1998.
Heaviside, Sheila, Cassandra Rowand, Catrina Williams, and Elizabeth Farris. Violence and Discipline Problems in U.S. Public Schools: 1996-1997. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. March 1998. (NCES 98-030).
Kenney, Dennis J. and T. Steuart Watson. Crime in the Schools: Reducing Fear and Disorder with Student Problem Solving. Washington, DC: Police Executive Research Forum. 1998.
Lockwood, Daniel. Violence Among Middle School and High School Students: Analysis and Implications for Prevention. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. 1997. (NCJ 166363)
U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice. Creating Safe and Drug-Free Schools: An Action Guide. Washington, DC. 1996. Electronically available through http://www.ed.gov or http://www.ncjrs.org/ojjhome.htm, or by calling 800-624-0100.
Zimmer, Judy, Terrence W. Modglin, and Jean F. O'Neil. Teens, Crime, and the Community: Education and Action for Safer Schools and Communities, Third Edition. Cincinnati, OH: West Educational Publishing (a Thomson International company). 1998.

Source: US Government