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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri

Time: 12:15 pm

Results for school crime

129 results found

Author: American Civil Liberties Union, The ACLU of Connecticut

Title: Hard Lessons: School Resource Officer Programs and School-Based Arrests in Three Connecticut Towns

Summary: This report evaluates school-based arrests and school resource officer (SRO) programs in Connecticut.

Details: New York: ACLU National Office, 2008

Source:

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 116254

Keywords:
Juveniles
School Crime
School Resource Officer

Author: Markow, Dana

Title: The Principal's Perspective: School Safety, Bullying, and Harassment: A Survey of Public School Principals

Summary: This national study of public school principals examined principals' attitudes and experiences regarding school safety, bullying and harassment. 1,580 K-12 public school principals completed the online survey between June 15 and August 3, 2007. The findings reveal although half of principals view bullying as serious problem at their schools, the appear to underestimate the extent of harassment that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students experience. Although principals report their schools engage in anti-bullying/harassment efforts, most do not specifically address school safety for LGBT students. Results also indicate that compared to other issues of school safety or inclusion, principals lack adequate preparation and information to ensure a safe environment for LGBT students and families.

Details: New York: GLSEN, 2008

Source:

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 114589

Keywords:
Bullying
Harassment
Homosexuality
School Crime

Author: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Crime Statistics Unit

Title: School Crimes Study: A Study of Offenses, Offender, Arrestee and Victim Data Reported to the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System

Summary: The purpose of this study was to present information about the characteristics surrounding crime in Tennessee schools, focusing upon public and private school systems, excluding colleges/universities and technical schools. The time frame covered by the study was the years 2006 through 2008. The study was completed by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Crime Statistics Unit using data provided by the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS).

Details: Nashville: 2009

Source:

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 115742

Keywords:
School Crime
Victims

Author: Neiman, Samantha

Title: Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools: Findings from the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2007-08.

Summary: From the introduction: "[t]his report presents findings on crime and violence in U.S. public schools, using data from the 2007-08 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS:2008). First administered in school year 1999-2000 and repeated in school years 2003-04, 2005-06, and 2007-08, SSOCS provides information about school crime-related topics from the perspective of schools. Developed and managed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the Institute of Education Sciences and supported by the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools of the U.S. Department of Education, SSOCS asks public school principals about the frequency of incidents, such as physical attacks, robberies, and thefts, in their schools. Portions of this survey also focus on school programs, disciplinary actions, and the policies implemented to prevent and reduce crime in schools."

Details: Washington, D.C.: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, 2009

Source:

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 114863

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
School Safety
School Violence

Author: Sanneh, Sia

Title: Dignity Denied: The Effect of Zero Tolerance Policies on Students' Human Rights: A Case Study of New Haven, Connecticut, Public Schools

Summary: This report examines how the involvement of the criminal justice system in school discipline policies and practices causes deprivations of human rights for children in four key areas: the right to be free from discrimination, the right to education, the right to proportionality in punishment, and the right to freedom of expression. Drawing on a case study of the New Haven, Connecticut, public school system, this report describes the effects of the school-to-prison pipeline -- the process whereby discipline policies channel students out of school and into the criminal justice system -- and provides recommendations for improving policies and practices in order to ensure that students enjoy a safe and high-quality education without sacrificing their human rights.

Details: New York: American Civil Liberties Union; Hartford, CT: American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut, 2008. 48p.

Source: Yale Law School, Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 116255

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
Zero Tolerance

Author: Cross, Donna

Title: Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study

Summary: The safety of members of the school community is essential to enhance the academic, social development and well being of young people. In line with the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child, the National Safe Schools Framework (NSSF) is regarded as a highly innovative, collaborative effort on behalf of the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments to foster the development and implementation of a series of whole-of-school initiatives to produce an integrated national policy for the prevention and early intervention of bullying and other aggressive and violent behaviours. Yet despite the impact of the NSSF in terms of reducing direct, face-to-face 'overt' bullying, such as hitting, punching, kicking and teasing, evidence suggests that a less direct form of 'covert' bullying is becoming more prevalent and insidious, fuelled in part by the growth of new forms of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). From this perspective, the Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study (ACBPS), commissioned by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), represents a significant first step to understand and tackle this phenomenon. The ACBPS investigated young people's experiences with covert bullying including: the nature and types of covert bullying behaviours used by young people, how often and where these behaviours occur, and risk and protective factors that may inhibit or encourage covert bullying behaviour. This report aims to shed new light on covert bullying among school-age children, with the ultimate goal of identifying feasible, effective and sustainable policy and practice to address this phenomenon. While the general concepts and theories underlying covert bullying are not new, research into how to address covert bullying is still in its infancy. This is due in part to the erroneous perception that while covert bullying is unpleasant it is generally considered to be a less harmful form of behaviour. Emerging research indicates, however, that covert bullying has the potential to result in more severe psychological, social, and mental health problems than overt bullying, and is not only more difficult for schools and parents to detect, but also has the capacity to inflict social isolation on a much broader scale than overt bullying. Furthermore, the recent digital media revolution of the last decade has provided an additional platform and encouraged a communication culture within which covert bullying can operate among young people. An companion report -- Covert bullying: A review of national and international research -- states that the safety of all school members is an essential prerequisite to promote effective schools that enhance the academic, emotional, social development and well being of young people. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child reinforces the importance of protecting children's quality of life and their rights to be educated in a safe environment, free from all forms of violence, victimisation, harassment and neglect. In line with this basic right, the Australian community has become increasingly aware of the prevalence, seriousness and negative impacts of school bullying - a form of aggression considered to affect the greatest number of students. Research in Australia has indicated that approximately ten percent of school students reported being bullied most days or even every day at school, with almost one half reporting they were bullied at least once during the past term at school. These rates of bullying between students are among the highest in the world.

Details: Perth: Child Health Promotion Research Centre, Edith Cowan University, 2009. 414p.

Source: Internet Resource: Initial report: https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/australian_covert_bullying_prevalence_study_executive_summary.pdf - Companion report: https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/australian_covert_bullying_prevalence_study_chapter_2.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Australia

URL: https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/australian_covert_bullying_prevalence_study_executive_summary.pdf

Shelf Number: 117124

Keywords:
Bullying
Computer Crime
Cyberbullying
School Crime

Author: Carroll-Lind, Janis

Title: School Safety: An Inquiry Into the Safety of Students at School

Summary: This report examines the issues of school violence and bullying in New Zealand Schools. The key finding of the report is that the most effective schools worked to improve their whole school environment, culture and ethos, rather than focusing solely on the bullies and students they bullied.

Details: Wellington, NZ: Office of the Children's Commissioner, 2009. 155p.

Source:

Year: 2009

Country: New Zealand

URL:

Shelf Number: 114595

Keywords:
School Bullying
School Crime
School Violence

Author: Schneider, Tod

Title: Ensuring Quality School Facilities and Security Technologies: Effective Strategies for Creating Safer Schools and Communities

Summary: This guidebook is intended to help educators and other members of the community understand the relationship between school safety and school facilities, including technology. It covers the following topics: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED); Planning to Apply CPTED: Key Questions to Ask; Security Technology: An Overview; and Safety Audits and Security Surveys.

Details: Washington, DC: Hamilton Fish Institute, 2007. 57p.

Source:

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 118261

Keywords:
School Crime
School Design
School Safety

Author: American Association of School Administrators

Title: 2008 National School Safety Study

Summary: This report provides a survey of security at K-12 schools in the U.S. The study evaluated the following security concerns: access to buildings and grounds; communication and detection systems; emergency procedures; community awareness of school safety policies and procedures; and security funding.

Details: Arlington, VA: AASA, 2009. 38p.

Source:

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 114756

Keywords:
School Crime
School Safety
School Security (U.S.)
Security

Author: Ruddy, Sally A.

Title: A Profile of Criminal Incidents at School: Results From the 2003-05 National Crime Victimization Survey Crime Incident Report

Summary: This report uses U.S. National Crime Victimization Survey data from three calendar years, 2003-05, to examine a range of characteristics of criminal incidents that occur at school, such as the location at school where the incident occurred, time of day when the incident occurred, whether the police were notified, and characteristics of offenders including their age, race, and whether they carried a weapon.

Details: Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, 2010. 25p., app.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 118556

Keywords:
Juvenile Offenders
School Crime
School Violence
Theft

Author: Burke, Kimberly

Title: Issues in Illinois College Campus Safety: History & Development of Campus Safety Planning

Summary: Incidents of extreme violence on and around college campuses, such as the shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, are rare. However, such events can have devastating and long-lasting consequences for students, faculty, and family members. While violent acts on campuses typically receive extensive media coverage, alcohol and drug violations, rather than violent crime, are the most prevalent types of offenses on college campuses. Nonetheless, college administrators and campus law enforcement must take threats of extreme violence seriously and do everything they can to improve the safety and security of students, faculty, and staff on campuses. The purpose of this report is to identify the incidents that inspired federal and state legislative changes regarding campus safety, to trace the history of this legislation, and to identify steps taken to ensure that institutions of higher education are safe learning environments for faculty, staff, students, and visitors.

Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2010. 26p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 118767

Keywords:
Campus Crime
Campus Safety
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence

Author: Black, Carolyn

Title: Evaluation of Campus Police Officers in Scottish Schools

Summary: This report presents the findings of the evaluation of campus officers in Scottish schools. The study examined the roles that the 55 campus officers across the country play in Scottish schools and provides information on the impact and effectiveness of their placements.

Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Government Social Research, 2010. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 119296

Keywords:
Campus Police
School Crime
School Safety

Author: Jones, Nicola

Title: Painful Lessons: The Politics of Prevention Sexual Violence and Bullying at School

Summary: This paper seeks to identify policies, programmes and legal instruments that address school violence in the developing world and to draw implications for policy, practice and research.

Details: London; Overseas Development Institute; Woking, UK: Plan International, 2008. 81p.

Source: Internet Resource; Working Paper 295

Year: 2008

Country: International

URL:

Shelf Number: 114751

Keywords:
Bullying
School Crime
School Violence
Sexual Violence

Author: Major Cities Chiefs Association

Title: Campus Security Guidelines: Recommended Operational Policies for Local and Campus Law Enforcement Agencies

Summary: This report provides law enforcement with recommendated guidelines to improve the ongoing relationships with campus public safety and major city police departments. The Campus Security Guidelines are organized in four sections. The first section on formal policies and agreements provides guidelines for law enforcement to encourage the development of written policies and formal agreements between local and campus law enforcement departments. The second section presents guidelines to assist local and campus law enforcement in preventing and preparing for critical incidents on campus. The third section recommends actions law enforcement should take to carry out a coordinated response with multiple agencies. Finally, the last section provides law enforcement with guidelines to assist with the continued response and recovery period after the critical incident. By covering all facets of the relationship between local and campus law enforcement, it is hoped that this document can be of benefit before, during, and after a critical incident.

Details: Columbia, MD: Major Cities Chiefs Association, 2009. 152p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119426

Keywords:
Campus Crime
Campus Police
Crime Security
School Crime
School Violence

Author: Mattson, Susan

Title: Keeping Tennessee Schools Safe

Summary: In 2008, a tragic, fatal shooting at a Tennessee high school prompted a legislative request for the Comptroller’s Offices of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) to examine and evaluate what Tennessee is doing to ensure that its schools are safe. For this report, OREA compared state-level laws, policies, and requirements against accepted best practices for keeping schools safe from violence. The report also includes background on measures of school violence and Tennessee laws and programs promoting school safety. This report provides information that may be useful to policymakers in ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of Tennessee’s elementary and secondary schools.

Details: Nashville, TN: Offices of Research and Education Accountability; Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, 2009. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119541

Keywords:
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence (Tennessee)

Author: Wald, Johanna

Title: First, Do No Harm: How Educations and Police Can Work Together More Effectively to Preserve School Safety and Protect Vulnerable Students

Summary: "This policy brief offers recommendations for how school resource officers can be more effectively deployed in public schools. It provides an overview of how and why police moved in such critical masses into middle and high schools across the country, identifies studies that have examined some of the consequences of placing police in schools, and summarizes major findings from a series of interviews the authors conducted during 2008-2009 of police chiefs and school resource officers in 16 Massachusetts school districts. The last section of this brief offers recommendations for steps that we believe schools, districts, and state legislatures can take to maximize the benefits of placing school resource officers in school, while reducing the likelihood of criminalizing student behaviors that should be handled more appropriately within the school environment."

Details: Cambridge, MA: Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, 2010. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource; A CHHIRJ Policy Brief; Accessed August 8, 2010 at www.charleshamiltonhouston.org/assets/documents/news/FINAL%20Do%20No%20Harm.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 118684

Keywords:
School Crime
School Resource Officers
School Safety
School Violence

Author: National Association of College

Title: Results of the National Campus Safety and Security Project Survey

Summary: This report summarizes the results from a survey of NACUBO members about key aspects of the all-hazards campus safety and security environment. In late August 2008, the survey was sent electronically to primary representatives at the 2,203 colleges and universities that were members of NACUBO at that time. 342 colleges and universities responded to the survey—a response rate of 16 percent. Among responding colleges, 35 percent were public four-year institutions, 18 percent were public two-year institutions, and 46 percent were private nonprofit (independent) four-year institutions. The survey was designed to cover the following nine areas: Emergency Preparedness; Ability to Respond to all Threats; Preventive Measures; Physical Infrastructure; Communication and Systems Infrastructure; Strategies for Behavioral/Mental Health Issues; Business Continuity Issues; Funding or Budget Issues; and Emergency Management. This report presents the results of the survey.

Details: Washington, DC: National Association of College and University Business Officers, 2009. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 9, 2010 at http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/Initiatives/CSSPSurveyResults.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/Initiatives/CSSPSurveyResults.pdf

Shelf Number: 115829

Keywords:
Campus Crime
Campus Safety
Emergency Preparedness, Schools
School Crime
School Safety

Author: Kramen, Alissa

Title: Guide for Preventing and Responding to School Violence. 2nd ed.

Summary: School violence has come into the public eye after deadly multiple shootings in such places as Littleton, Colorado; Jonesboro, Arkansas; Santee, California; Red Lake, Minnesota; Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania; and Cleveland, Ohio. The possibility of school shootings has become an issue for urban, rural, and suburban communities alike. Since 1992, more than 40 schools have experienced multiple victim homicides, many in communities where people previously believed “it couldn’t happen here.” Given the number of students and schools in the United States, multiple-victim homicides are still extremely rare, and in recent years, the overall rate of violence in schools has actually declined. Physical conflicts, threats, and harassment are, however, still common. Many students and teachers are more fearful than ever before when they enter the doors of their school. This climate of fear makes it more difficult for schools to provide positive learning environments. This report provides guidance for school violence prevention and response in each of the following areas: 1) Ways to prevent student violence; 2) Threat assessment; 3) Planning and training for what to do during an actual crisis; 4) How to respond during a crisis; 5) Legal considerations; 6) Recommendations for the media; and 6) Legislative issues.

Details: Alexandria, VA: International Association of Chiefs of Police, 2009. 66p.

Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 8, 2010 at http://www.theiacp.org/Portals/0/pdfs/Publications/schoolviolence2.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.theiacp.org/Portals/0/pdfs/Publications/schoolviolence2.pdf

Shelf Number: 117383

Keywords:
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence
Violence Prevention

Author: Raymond, Barbara

Title: Assigning Police Officers to Schools

Summary: Nearly half of all public schools have assigned police officers, commonly referred to as school resource officers (SRO's) or education officers. Assigning Police Officers to Schools summarizes the typical duties of SROs, synthesizes the research pertaining to their effectiveness, and presents issues for communities to bear in mind when considering the adoption of an SRO model.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2010. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource; Problem-Oriented Guides for Police; Response Guides Series, No. 10; Accessed August 17, 2010 at: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e041028272-assign-officers-to-schools.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e041028272-assign-officers-to-schools.pdf

Shelf Number: 119624

Keywords:
Police Officers, Schools
School Crime
School Resource Officers
School Safety

Author: Fontaine, Jocelyn

Title: Violent Prevention at Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School

Summary: "This summary brief is based on research conducted by the Urban Institute's Justice Policy Center on the violence prevention activities taking place at the Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School during the 2008-2009 school year. Researchers from the Justice Policy Center conducted an assessment of the school's violence prevention activities using qualitative and quantitative data from stakeholder interviews, programmatic records, and surveys with students and faculty. This brief provides an overview of Thurgood Marshall Academy's violence prevention approach."

Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2010. 8p

Source: Internet Resource: Summary Brief: Accessed August 20, 2010 at: http://www.urban.org/publications/412196.html

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.urban.org/publications/412196.html

Shelf Number: 119646

Keywords:
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence

Author: Clark, T.C.

Title: Youth '07: The Health and Wellbeing of Secondary School Students in New Zealand. Findings on Young People and Violence

Summary: Violence has significant health, social and economic costs for New Zealand communities. This report presents findings from Youth’07: The National Survey of the Health and Wellbeing of New Zealand Secondary School Students on how violence impacts on the health and wellbeing of young people and the factors that are associated with their exposure to violence. It discusses the role of protective factors in the lives of young people exposed to and involved in violent behaviours. The report presents findings from Youth’07 about: 1. The prevalence of a range of violent experiences and behaviours in various settings; 2. The experiences of students who witness violence; 3. The associations between experiencing violence, witnessing violence and being violent towards others; 4. Risk and protective factors associated with violence; and 5. Changes since the previous survey in 2001.

Details: Auckland, NZ: University of Auckland, 2009. 69p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, at: http://www.youth2000.ac.nz/publications/reports-1142.htm

Year: 2009

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://www.youth2000.ac.nz/publications/reports-1142.htm

Shelf Number: 119673

Keywords:
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence (New Zealand)
Violent Crime

Author: Fontaine, Jocelyn

Title: Violence Prevention in Schools: A Case Study of the Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School

Summary: This report is based on research conducted by the Urban Institute's Justice Policy Center on the violence prevention activities taking place at the Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School during the 2008-2009 school year. Based on an assessment of the school's violence prevention approach using qualitative and quantitative data from stakeholder interviews, field observations, programmatic records, and surveys with students and faculty, this report includes: a logic model of the school's violence prevention approach; detailed information on each of the violence prevention activities within the violence prevention approach and how they compare to national best practices; student and faculty perceptions of the school climate and the violence prevention approach; and recommendations to the school administrators on how to strengthen their violence prevention approach based on the assessment findings. The report concludes with brief remarks on next steps in school violence prevention research.

Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center, 2010. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2010 at: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412200-violence-prevention-schools.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412200-violence-prevention-schools.pdf

Shelf Number: 119723

Keywords:
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence

Author: Trimboli, Lily

Title: Assaults on School Premises in NSW, 2005-2009

Summary: This study examines the characteristics of, and trends in, police-recorded assault incidents involving school-aged children on school premises in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The sample consisted of all incidents of assault recorded by NSW police officers as having occurred on school premises between 2005 and 2009. The police-recorded free-text narratives of a random sample of 300 incidents which occurred in 2009 were examined to determine the type of victim and offender involved and the location on the school premises where the incident occurred. Over the five years, there was a statistically significant upward trend in the rate of recorded assault incidents between school-aged children on government school premises during school hours. The typical assault occurred in the afternoon in a government secondary school, involved two students of the same gender (generally boys), aged between 13 and 15 years, involved no weapon and no injury or only minor injuries to the victim. Most offenders were not charged with an offence. The most common locations for incidents were either the playground/oval or school corridors/staircases/toilet blocks/gymnasium. While the upward trend in assaults on school premises may be due to an actual increase in assaults, there is also reason to believe that, in recent years, schools have been much more likely to report assaults to police.

Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 9p.

Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 50: Accessed September 15, 2010 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb50.pdf/$file/bb50.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb50.pdf/$file/bb50.pdf

Shelf Number: 119814

Keywords:
Assaults
Bullying
School Crime
School Safety

Author: Overseas Development Institute

Title: Increasing Visibility and Promoting Policy Action to Tackle Sexual Exploitation In and Around Schools in Africa

Summary: Sexual exploitation and sexual violence in or around schools is a serious and pressing problem throughout West Africa2 that necessitates greater policy attention. In a global report on all settings (not just schools), the World Health Organization estimates that 150 million girls and 73 million boys under 18 years have experienced forced sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual violence around the world. This, combined with the fact that such violence is generally carried out by offenders known to the child (relatives and authority figures, including teachers and school authorities), provides a hint of the magnitude of the problem of school-based sexual violence. Examining what little quantitative information exists for West Africa reinforces this. According to a 2006 survey of 10 villages in Benin, 34% of school children interviewed confirmed that sexual violence occurs within their schools and 15% of teachers acknowledged that sexual harassment takes place within the school and yet rarely are such incidences reported or perpetrators held accountable. In Ghana, a study conducted in 2003 suggested that 6% of the girls surveyed had been victims of sexual blackmail over their class grades, 14% of rape cases had been perpetrated by school comrades, while 24% of boys in the study admitted to having raped a girl or to have taken part in a collective rape (UNICEF Bureau Regional Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre 2008). As the 2006 United Nations Study on Violence against Children (hereafter UNVAC) demonstrated, the long-term consequences of such high incidence of sexual abuse and exploitation are profound; above all sexual exploitation at and around schools compromises the rights to education, freedom from oppression and equality as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. For girls, sexual exploitation also undermines gender equality and prevents girls and women from obtaining equal educational and public sphere opportunities - as outlined in Millennium Development Goal (MDG). Being denied access to quality education, or feeling intimidated in or en route to the classroom, can also reinforce poverty by lowering school attendance rates. This not only threatens the achievement of MDG 2 (universal primary education) (Action Aid 2004), but also in the longer term risks lowering human development levels and potential contributions to broader national development goals as students are discouraged from pursing their studies and thereby progressing to higher education and qualified employment. Sexual abuse may also result in serious health effects, such as the transmission of sexual infections, particularly HIV, unwanted pregnancies and psychological trauma. This briefing paper seeks to raise awareness of the problem of sexual exploitation in and around schools in the West African region. It also highlights problems with regards to limited evidence and explores policy implications. It aims to support Plan’s regional ‘Learn Without Fear’ campaign and contributes evidence to the global debate on sexual exploitation in and around schools and children in general.

Details: Dakar, Ponty, West Africa: Plan International, 2008. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2010 at: http://www.unicef.org/wcaro/Rapport_plan_LWF_web_(3).pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Africa

URL: http://www.unicef.org/wcaro/Rapport_plan_LWF_web_(3).pdf

Shelf Number: 119831

Keywords:
Rape
School Crime
School Violence
Sexual Exploitation
Sexual Harassment
Sexual Violence

Author: Johnson, Matthew

Title: Property Victimization of College Students

Summary: This report focuses on property victimization of college students. It is designed to examine the prevalence and frequency of property victimization; and explore the contexts in which it is most likely to occur. College students were selected because, according to previous studies, persons in their mid teens to mid 20s have a higher victimization rate than do other age groups. Non-violent property crimes including motor vehicle theft, theft of other items, burglary, and vandalism cost victims billions of dollars every year. Most of those property crime victimizations involve economic loss, most of which is never recovered. There has been little research on this kind of victimization among college students. Nevertheless, evidence shows that males and younger students are at greatest risk for experiencing some forms of property victimization, particularly theft. Data was collected from on an online survey of college students from seven public universities spread across the state of Texas. The overall racial/ethnic composition of the sample was comparable to the overall composition of all college students in the state.

Details: Huntsville, TX: Crime Victims' Institute, Criminal Justice Center, Sam Houston State University, 2009. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 6, 2010 at: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/CSVictimizationPropertyCrimeReportFinalfromPress.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/CSVictimizationPropertyCrimeReportFinalfromPress.pdf

Shelf Number: 119866

Keywords:
Burglary
Colleges and Universities
Property Crime
School Crime
Students, Crimes Against
Vandalism
Vehicle Theft
Victimization
Victims of Crime

Author: Pereznieto, Paola

Title: The Economic Impact of School Violence: A Report for Plan International

Summary: The research, carried out by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), reveals the enormous economic and social cost of violence in schools across the world. Focused on three types of violence in schools – corporal punishment, bullying and sexual violence – it found the total cost of school violence in terms of social benefits lost in just 13 countries for which information is available ran to almost $60 billion. The research found that children who experience violence at school are likely to earn less, be in greater need of healthcare and other services, and long-term, contribute less to their countries’ economies. It says that the problem is a significant barrier to achieving the Millennium Development Goals - as it leads to truancy, under-performance and high drop-out rates. No country is immune from the blight of school violence and eradicating it takes commitment and resources. But failing to invest in it costs considerably more.

Details: London: Plan International and Overseas Development Institute, 2010. 91p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2010 at: http://plan-international.org/learnwithoutfear/economic-impact-of-school-violence-report

Year: 2010

Country: International

URL: http://plan-international.org/learnwithoutfear/economic-impact-of-school-violence-report

Shelf Number: 120166

Keywords:
Bullying
Corporal Punishment
Economics of Crime
School Crime
School Violence
Sexual Violence

Author: Antonowicz, Laetitia

Title: Too Often in Silence: A Report on School-Based Violence in West and Central Africa

Summary: Corporal punishment, sexual violence and bullying are some of the areas explored in this joint report by Plan, ActionAid, Save the Children Sweden and UNICEF on school-based violence in West and Central Africa. Aimed at policy makers, education and child protection programmers, as well as educators, children and communities, the report: looks at the context and causes of violence in and around schools, its nature, and its impact on students - and more broadly on communities and nations; synthesises evidence on the prevalence, frequency and intensity of school-based violence; and proposes key actions to tackle the problem. Although countries in West and Central Africa have ratified international conventions that protect children’s rights to non-violent education, national provisions to fulfill these rights are often inadequate. The report gives a set of recommendations to strengthen and accelerate interventions against violence in schools across the region.

Details: Yorr, Dakar-Senegal: UNICEF West and Central African Regional Office; Dakar Ponty, Senegal, Plan West Africa: Regional Office; Dakar-Fann, Senegal: Save the Children Sweden: Regional Office for West Africa; Johannesburg, South Africa: ActionAid International, 2010. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2010 at: http://plan-international.org/files/global/publications/campaigns/Too_often_in_silence_English.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Africa

URL: http://plan-international.org/files/global/publications/campaigns/Too_often_in_silence_English.pdf

Shelf Number: 120167

Keywords:
Bullying
Corporal Punishment
School Crime
School Violence
Sexual Violence

Author: Skinns, Layla

Title: An Evaluation of Bristol RAiS

Summary: Since April 2007, the programme, Restorative Approaches in Schools (RAiS), has been implemented in four schools in the South of the Bristol. The aims of this evaluation of the program were: To describe how school leaders and teachers incorporate restorative approaches in the development of school policies and processes; To examine to what extent the use of whole-school restorative approaches can produce positive changes in pupil and staff perceptions of the climate for learning; To examine whether and how restorative processes impact on attendance levels of the pupils involved in restorative conferences or across the whole of the school; To examine whether and how the use of restorative conferences can reduce school term exclusions (permanent and fixed-term): and To examine whether and how restorative processes impact on educational attainment levels of the pupils involved in restorative conferences or across the whole of the school.

Details: London: Institute for Criminal Policy Research, King's College London, 2009. 77p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2010 at: http://www.restorativejustice.org.uk/Resources/Research/Schools/RAiS%20Bristol%20Full%20Evaluation.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.restorativejustice.org.uk/Resources/Research/Schools/RAiS%20Bristol%20Full%20Evaluation.pdf

Shelf Number: 120398

Keywords:
Restorative Justice
School Crime
School Discipline

Author: Estrada, Felipe

Title: Serious Violence at School

Summary: In the light of the shooting outrage at Jokela School, in Finland, in 2007, in which eight people were shot to death, and following on from other serious violent offences at schools, the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå) was instructed by the Department of Education to conduct an investigation into serious violent crime at Swedish schools. The focus of the National Council's report is therefore directed at violence that commonly results in physical injury. The Swedish Government has instructed a number of other agencies to disseminate knowledge on programmes to combat bullying and other forms of humiliating treatment. The Government instructed the National Council for Crime Prevention to address the following three areas. 1. A quantitative examination of serious school violence This section of the report begins by presenting the findings from previous Swedish studies of serious violence in schools. The principal focus is directed however at new analyses of data from a variety of sources which describe the extent of and trends over time in serious violence at school. One of the important questions addressed is that of what characterises the incidents of serious school violence that have taken place in Sweden. 2. International experiences of preventing serious school violence. The National Council's review of the research literature illuminates what the research says about the possibilities for preventing the most serious incidents of school violence in the form of school shootings. The review also describes what the research literature has to say about the links between bullying and school violence and about the possibilities for preventing serious violence at school. 3. Swedish schools’ view of serious school violence. The third area focused on by the National Council relates to the prevention work which is being carried out in Swedish schools today. On the basis of questionnaires and interviews, we look at how students and others in the school system assess the way violent incidents are dealt with, examining the obstacles, possibilities and needs for preventive measures that different groups identify on the basis of their roles within the school system.

Details: Stockholm: Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, 2009. 19p.

Source: Internet Resource: English Summary of Bra Report No. 2009:6: Accessed December 13, 2010 at: http://www.bra.se/extra/measurepoint/?module_instance=4&name=Serious_violence_at_school_summary.pdf&url=/dynamaster/file_archive/090729/b92f847b40aa8fb8ae81ca4e03a79682/Serious%255fviolence%255fat%255fschool%255fsummary.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Sweden

URL: http://www.bra.se/extra/measurepoint/?module_instance=4&name=Serious_violence_at_school_summary.pdf&url=/dynamaster/file_archive/090729/b92f847b40aa8fb8ae81ca4e03a79682/Serious%255fviolence%255fat%255fschool%255fsummary.pdf

Shelf Number: 120489

Keywords:
School Bullying
School Crime
School Violence (Sweden)

Author: Toronto Police

Title: School Resource Officer Program: 2008/2009 Evaluation

Summary: The evaluation of the School Resource Officer Program focussed on measuring related perceptions of students, teachers/administrators, parents and SROs in those schools where a School Resource Officer was assigned. Over 11,500 surveys were distributed in October 2008 and again in May 2009. The surveys were designed to benchmark and measure changes in perception of safety in and around the schools, relations with police, student comfort with and willingness to report crime and victimization to the police, and overall value of the program. The evaluation also included an analysis of crimes and victimization in and around the schools, and a review of the activities of the School Resource Officers. The evaluation found that most students felt safe at school and in the neighbourhood around the school before (October 2008) and after (May 2009) the SRO program. Students who spoke informally to their SRO officer during the school year, and those who thought an SRO was a good idea were more likely to say they felt safe in school, while students who thought the program was a bad idea were more likely to say they did not feel safe. Student opinion of the SRO program did not have a significant effect on their perception of safety in the neighbourhood around the school. With regard to student comfort with the police, there was an increase in reporting by students who had been a victim of crime, but no similar increase in reporting to police when students had witnessed a crime. Students who informally talked to the SRO and students who approached the SRO to talk about a problem were more likely to report being the victim of a crime or having witnessed a crime. The frequency with which students approached the SRO to talk about a problem did not affect their willingness to report. Students who thought the SRO was a good idea were more likely to report victimization, while those students who thought the SRO was a bad idea were more likely to report a crime they had witnessed. The perceived relationships between students and police improved during the school year. The proportion of students who felt the relationship between police and students was good or excellent, increased from 56% to 67%; those who thought the relationship was excellent almost doubled over the school year. Almost half of the students at the beginning of the year said they wanted the SRO to make presentations at the school, and when an SRO coached a sports team or headed-up an extra curricular activity, most students believed that it was a very good/okay idea. Most administrators and teachers felt safe at school and in the neighbourhood around the school both before and after the SRO program. Similar to the students, the proportion of administrators/teachers who believed that the relationship between police and students in their school was good or excellent increased during the school year; those who believed the relationship between police and students was excellent almost doubled. Although most parents, in both October and May, were more likely to feel their child was ‘reasonably’ rather than ‘very’ safe, their perception of their child’s safety at school improved over the year. Parents at the beginning and end of the school year felt positively about having an SRO assigned to their child’s school; over 90% in October 2008 and May 2009 said it was a very good or okay idea, while only 2% said it was a bad idea. School Resource Officers felt more a part of the school management team at the end of the school year than at the start; they also felt that conditions involving supportive/positive relationships with the school administration and/or teachers were important for performing their SRO duties. The SROs identified a number of challenges to performing their duties (e.g. unwelcoming or isolated office space, lack of information, and issues related to transportation). By the end of the school year, most SROs felt that students were comfortable with them. In 2008/09 there were decreases in reported offences both on school grounds and within 200 metres of the school, over all the times that were examined. Overall, the evaluation finds that the School Resource Officer program demonstrated a number of positive effects on schools and students, particularly those students who had interacted with the SROs. The SRO program has the potential to be increasingly beneficial to crime prevention, crime reporting and relationship building, in the schools and in surrounding neighbourhoods.

Details: Toronto: Toronto Police, 2009. 35p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed March 10, 2011 at: http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/publications/files/reports/2008,2009-sro_evaluation_program.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Canada

URL: http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/publications/files/reports/2008,2009-sro_evaluation_program.pdf

Shelf Number: 120966

Keywords:
Policing
School Crime
School Resource Officers (Toronto)
School Safety

Author: Tippett, Neil

Title: Prevention and Response to Identity-Based Bullying Among Local Authorities in England, Scotland and Wales

Summary: The overall aim of the report is to establish the extent and effectiveness of local authorities’ and schools’ actions to prevent and respond to prejudice-based bullying of young people both inside and outside of school, on the grounds of disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation. Summary of Findings: 1.‘Identity-based’ (or ‘Prejudice-based’) bullying is widespread and continues to blight the lives of many young people, affecting educational attainment and having a long term impact on their life chances. A common cause is children’s, and sometimes teachers’ poor understanding of diversity; 2.Schools (and local authorities) need to know the extent of the problem and reasons for any bullying. Recording incidents of the different types of prejudice-based bullying is therefore crucial. Without the appropriate baseline data it is impossible to know the extent of bullying, or monitor the impact of interventions and progress on tackling the problem, or direct resources where they are most needed. Our survey revealed support for a statutory requirement to record and report incidents of prejudice-based bullying, in order to understand the problem and target action and resources where it is needed most. 3.Greater guidance and support is needed to help schools take action against prejudice-based bullying. Our research shows that guidance plays a crucial role in directing anti-bullying work and focussing attention on particular areas. Central government guidance, such as ‘Safe to Learn’ has been well received and more practical guidance from government and non-government organisations was asked for by some respondents. 4.In order to effectively tackle this form of bullying, specific preventative strategies must be adopted such as a ‘whole school approach’ which considers all the equality strands, and focuses on tackling prejudice. Focus within: whole school policies, equality action plans, assemblies, PHSE and citizenship curriculum. Preventative measures are crucial as bullying of this type is a response to prejudice and may happen due to poor understanding of diversity. Bullying of LGB young people and disabled children, including those with learning difficulties shows a particularly strong relationship to prejudiced attitudes held throughout the school.

Details: London: Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2010. 147p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 64: Accessed March 28, 2011 at: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/64_identity_based_bullying.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/64_identity_based_bullying.pdf

Shelf Number: 121079

Keywords:
Bullying (U.K.)
Disabilities
Discrimination
Prejudice
School Crime

Author: Knaack, Frank

Title: Use of Force in Texas Public Schools: The Case for Transparency, Accountability and Decriminalization

Summary: A surprising number of Texas school districts have turned responsibility for what used to be routine student discipline over to law enforcement. As a result, many students receive a criminal record instead of a trip to the principal’s office for engaging in childish misbehavior. This trend is detrimental to Texas schoolchildren, their families and communities, and ultimately, to Texas’ economic well-being. The presence of law enforcement officials, commonly known as school resource officers (SROs), in Texas’ public schools has significantly expanded since the late 1990s. Today in Texas, there are 178 independent school districts (ISDs) that employ their own police departments. Unfortunately, no statewide guidelines exist to govern the mission of SROs, nor does any statewide entity have responsibility for oversight over SROs in Texas public schools. Each individual ISD creates its own governing policies, resulting in an inconsistent patchwork across the state. While some districts have formulated policies that help ensure a safe and positive educational environment, others have adopted policies that are counterproductive to public schools’ core mission: providing the best possible education for students. In the absence of statewide legislative guidance, a number of school districts have encouraged their SROs to take on a dual law enforcement and disciplinary enforcement role. In many school districts, the negative impact of this blending of responsibilities is exacerbated by the blurring of the distinction between criminal acts and childish or adolescent misbehavior. Behavior once subject to school discipline, such as using profanity in class, is now subject to criminal sanction. To make matters worse, despite the obvious differences between apprehending adults in the street and ensuring the safety of children in a school, SROs are currently only required to receive the same basic training that municipal law enforcement personnel receive. Moreover, law enforcement departments operating in schools are not required to provide use of force data to the state. The lack of this basic transparency and accountability mechanism results in an inability of parents, school officials, legislators and other stakeholders to ensure that SROs are acting within their local guidelines. Increased criminalization of childish misbehavior and the failure to require relevant training requirements, coupled with the lack of institutional transparency and accountability in the context of school discipline, leads to escalating consequences for minor conduct infractions. This phenomenon is problematic on multiple levels. First, criminalization of student conduct increases the likelihood of confrontations between children and SROs during which physical force may be deployed. Second, criminalizing non-criminal behavior of schoolchildren introduces affected children into the Texas criminal justice system, which negatively impacts their ability to obtain employment or gain admission to college. Finally, the creation of an adversarial environment “pushes students, particularly at-risk students, out of school rather than engaging them in a positive educational environment.” To address this dangerous and unproductive trend, the Texas Legislature must amend the Texas Education Code to define the mission and role of on-campus law enforcement, and establish a statewide policy governing the use of force by SROs with mandated basic reporting and training requirements. Specifically, the Texas Legislature must ensure that if SROs are deployed, they are provided with a clearly defined mission and the tools necessary to carry out that mission. In addition, the Texas Education Code must be amended to ensure that childish misbehavior is not regarded as a criminal act. Adoption of these recommendations will positively impact not just student safety and education, but will also strengthen Texas’ economic well-being, as a student's disciplinary history is a major indicator in determining the likelihood of student dropout. Texas’ student dropout rate is a scourge on our state’s economic profile. As a recent study issued by the Texas A&M Bush School of Government and Public Service estimated, “[t]he total of the predicted cost [to Texas] of dropouts from the cohort of the senior class of 2012 is between $6 billion and $10.7 billion” over their lifetimes. This report is intended to provide the context necessary to accurately access the real world implications of current Texas law vis-à-vis law enforcement and discipline in Texas public schools. In addition, this report provides recommendations focused on ensuring a safe and positive school environment. In doing so, Section II will look at SROs in Texas ISDs, including a history of SROs and the sources of authority. Section III examines the increased negative interactions between SROs and Texas public schoolchildren. Section IV will discuss use of force policies in Texas school districts, including the use of force continuum, reporting requirements, training requirements, and the Public Information Act exemption that permits law enforcement agencies to withhold their use of force policies. Finally, Section V concludes with ACLU of Texas’ legislative recommendations.

Details: Austin, TX: American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, 2011. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 7, 2011 at: http://www.aclutx.org/reports/2011UseofForce.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.aclutx.org/reports/2011UseofForce.pdf

Shelf Number: 121264

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
School Resource Officers (Texas)
School Safety
Student Misbehavior

Author: Moss, Kary

Title: Reclaiming Michigan's Throwaway Kids: Students Trapped in the School to Prison Pipeline

Summary: This report documents the disproportionate suspensions of public students of African descent in a significant number of school districts throughout Michigan. The school-to-prison pipeline problem experienced by these students and others is due in significant part to the following: a.) Lack of universal access to quality education; b.) Institutional obstacles that limit educational opportunities of children enrolled in school; c.) The loss of educational opportunities by large numbers of students because competing institutional concerns displace consideration of what is in the best interest of the child; d.) Sometimes insurmountable obstacles to restoration of lost educational opportunities; e.) The criminalization of students who lose their educational opportunities. These problems are manifested in the following specific ways: Access to Education • Children have no “right” to an education. Michigan’s constitution [Art. 8, Section 2] requires only that the state “maintain and support” a system of free schools in a nondiscriminatory manner. By contrast, the constitutions of more than 30 states require, in some form, that the state provide all children with a quality education. Michigan is one of only eleven states that fail to give students a right to a quality or adequate education. Thus, when Michigan’s racially disparate suspension and expulsion patterns and other factors remove large numbers of children from the educational system many have no prospects for access to additional education or the means to re-enter the educational system. Institutional Threats to Educational Opportunities • Michigan’s “zero tolerance” expulsion law is broader in scope than federal law requires, and it increases the chances of expulsion for all students, including students of African descent who are already expelled at high rates. The impact of this law on expulsion rates is compounded when administrators decline to exercise permissible discretion when considering whether the law’s harsh penalties are appropriate. • The absence of uniform procedural guidelines for suspensions and expulsions has sometimes resulted in failure to provide adequate opportunities for accused students to be heard and to otherwise defend themselves against accusations of misconduct. • The absence of safeguards against cultural misunderstanding, cultural ignorance and cultural conflict that account to some extent for disproportionate discipline of black students. • Some school districts’ failure to comply with laws that require evaluation and/or treatment of students with disabilities prior to suspension or expulsion. • Mechanical application of rules leading to suspension and expulsion without use of discretion or individualized consideration of circumstances that indicate that exclusion of certain children from school is inappropriate. Loss of Educational Opportunities • In a significant number of Michigan school districts, students of African descent are suspended and expelled at rates that are disproportionately high relative to their representation in the school population. In contrast, white students tend to be disciplined at rates that are proportionate to their numbers, or disproportionately less than their representation in the school population. • Many students who are suspended longterm, or who are expelled drop out of school altogether. Obstacles to Restoration of Lost Educational Opportunities • The process for readmission to school after expulsion is complex and may present insurmountable obstacles to low-income families that lack the wherewithal to prepare and timely submit required petitions. • Many students who have been suspended long-term or expelled have no alternative opportunities for learning or other productive activities. A 1985 Attorney General’s opinion that concluded that school districts are not required to establish or maintain alternative education programs has apparently contributed to confusion about whether, when and by whom these programs should be established. Nevertheless, Michigan’s statutory framework suggests that in some way, the state is responsible for providing alternative education opportunities to students who are excluded from school for extended periods of time. The Criminalization of Students • When school administrators refer some student discipline matters to law enforcement agencies, there is a consequent criminalization of many students whose offenses would otherwise have been dealt with entirely by school officials. • The growing presence in schools of “school resource officers,” and police personnel generally has resulted in not only arrests of students on school premises, but also incidents of police misconduct on school grounds. • It costs the state more to maintain a prisoner than it does to educate a student. This results in not only an immediate financial loss, but a long-term loss of the productive capacity of former students.

Details: Detroit: American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, 2009. 76p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2011 at: http://www.aclumich.org/sites/default/files/file/reclaimingmichigansthrowawaykids.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.aclumich.org/sites/default/files/file/reclaimingmichigansthrowawaykids.pdf

Shelf Number: 121473

Keywords:
Delinquency Prevention (Michigan)
Education
Racial Disparities
School Crime
School Discipline
School Resource Officers
School Suspensions
Student Expulsion
Zero Tolerance

Author: Howard, Sharon

Title: The Use and Effectiveness of Anti-Bullying Strategies in Schools

Summary: This project aimed to examine which strategies schools in England use to deal with episodes of bullying, which are supported by local authorities, why schools choose these strategies, and how choice of strategy varies by sector and type of bullying. It also aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a range of strategies, from the perspective of the anti-bullying lead, pupils and other school personnel.

Details: Runcorn, UK: Department of Education, 2011.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2011 at: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR098.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR098.pdf

Shelf Number: 121575

Keywords:
Bullying (U.K.)
School Crime
School Discipline

Author: DeVoe, Jill

Title: Student Reports of Bullying and Cyber-Bullying: Results From the 2007 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey

Summary: In school year 2006–07, some 8,166,000 U.S. students ages 12 through 18, or about 31.7 percent of all such students, reported they were bullied at school, and about 940,000, or about 3.7 percent, reported they were cyber-bullied anywhere (i.e., on or off school property). These Web Tables use data from the 2007 School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) 1 to show the extent to which bullying and cyber-bullying are reported by students with different personal characteristics. Estimates are included for the following student characteristics: student sex, race/ethnicity, grade, and household income. In addition, appended data from the 2006–07 Common Core of Data (CCD) and the 2007–08 Private School Universe Survey (PSS) show the extent to which bullying and cyber-bullying are reported by students in schools with different characteristics. School characteristics examined are region; sector (public or private); locale; level; enrollment size; student-to-full-time-equivalent (FTE) teacher ratio; percentage of combined American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black/African American, and Hispanic/Latino students; and percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Further, the tables use the SCS data to show the relationship between bullying and cyber-bullying victimization and other variables of interest such as the reported presence of gangs, guns, drugs, and alcohol at school; select school security measures; student criminal victimization; and personal fear, avoidance behaviors, fighting, and weapon-carrying at school.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2011. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: NCES 2011 316: Accessed May 19, 2011 at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011316.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011316.pdf

Shelf Number: 121760

Keywords:
Cyberbullying
Internet Crimes
School Bullying
School Crime
School Violence
Victimization Surveys

Author: Seeley, Ken

Title: Peer Victimization in Schools: A Set of Quantitative and Qualitative Studies of the Connections Among Peer Victimization, School Engagement, Truancy, School Achievement, and Other Outcomes

Summary: The authors designed and completed three studies to explore the connections among the variables of bullying/peer victimization, school engagement and the school outcomes of attendance and achievement. They also addressed some of the limitations in previous research efforts dealing with these topics. Study 1 was a quantitative study whose purpose was to develop a predictive/causal model that would explain the relationships among peer victimization, school attendance, school engagement and school achievement. This study used direct measures of school attendance and achievement and a previously validated measure of school engagement. Study 2 was a qualitative study of the school experiences of bullied children. From this study we planned to gain insight into school instructional, interpersonal, and structural factors that affect the victimization-attendance connection. Study 3 was also a qualitative study of teachers’ experiences with efforts to ameliorate the impact of school victimization. The underlying premise of the quantitative study was that school truancy serves as a gateway to numerous negative outcomes for today’s youth: dropping out of school, onset of drug use, engaging in criminal activity, and the like. Our conversations with youth in a truancy diversion program (see Appendix B) posited some connection between students being truant, and their experiencing victimization or bullying from their peers in school. The existing research literature suggested that such a connection may be less than direct – it could be difficult to establish that bullying somehow directly “causes” truancy – but that an indirect connection, mediated by one or more other factors, might be shown to exist. A short-term longitudinal study was undertaken, in which 1000 students were surveyed in the fall and the spring of their 6th grade year. Two sets of questions were asked: one set pertaining to whether the students were engaged in school (behaviorally, cognitively, and emotionally), and a second set pertaining to whether students were subject to actions by their peers that fall within the definition of bullying. Using structural equation modeling, the data collected were analyzed to determine the connections, if any, between being victimized, being engaged in school, and the outcomes reflected in school records of attendance and achievement (measured by grade point average). What was learned from this analyzed data set was this: while bullying does not directly relate to truancy or to school achievement, a statistically significant relationship can be shown where the effects of bullying; victimization; can be mediated by the factor of school enga gement. In other words, being bullied may not be a direct cause of truancy or low school achievement. If, however, bullying results in the victim becoming less engaged in school, that victim is more likely to cease attending and achieving; if the victim can remain or become engaged in school, his or her attendance and achievement are less likely to be effected. If, as the quantitative study appears to show, school engagement acts as a protective factor between being bullied and being truant, what has to happen for that engagement to occur? What does school engagement actually mean, under these circumstances? Why do some students manage to be engaged in school, and then thrive after bullying, while others cannot seem to connect to school?

Details: Denver, CO: National Center for School Engagement, 2009. 291p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2011 at: http://www.schoolengagement.org/TruancypreventionRegistry/Admin/Resources/Resources/PeerVictimizationinSchoolsAsetofQualitativeandQuantitativeStudies.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.schoolengagement.org/TruancypreventionRegistry/Admin/Resources/Resources/PeerVictimizationinSchoolsAsetofQualitativeandQuantitativeStudies.pdf

Shelf Number: 121949

Keywords:
Harassment
School Bullying (U.S.)
School Crime
School Discipline
Students, Crimes Against
Truancy

Author: DeVoe, Jill

Title: Student Reports of Bullying and Cyber-Bullying: Results From the 2009 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey

Summary: These Web Tables use data from the 2009 School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) to show the relationship between bullying and cyber-bullying victimization and other variables of interest such as the reported presence of gangs, guns, drugs, and alcohol at school; select school security measures; student criminal victimization; and personal fear, avoidance behaviors, fighting, and weapon-carrying at school.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2011. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: NCES 2011-336: Accessed August 24, 2011 at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011336.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011336.pdf

Shelf Number: 122486

Keywords:
Cyberbullying
School Bullying (U.S.)
School Crime
Victimization Surveys

Author: Hughes, Erica

Title: Issues in Illinois College Campus Safety: Trends in Campus Crime at Four-Year Institute, 2005-2008

Summary: Incidents of extreme college campus violence, such as the shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, are rare. Nevertheless, such events can have devastating and long-lasting consequences for students, faculty, and family members. While crimes of violence occurrences are the most visible to the public through extensive media coverage, the most prevalent crimes occurring on campuses tend to be less severe property crimes (Burke, 2010). Nonetheless, college administrators and campus law enforcement must take threats of extreme violence seriously, and do everything they can to improve the safety and security of students, faculty, and staff on campuses. It is important to determine the nature and extent of all crime on college campuses. This report presents detailed information about reported crime on four-year college and university campuses in Illinois using data collected by colleges as mandated by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), and submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Post-Secondary Education. Reported crime data from the 37 four-year colleges and universities in Illinois with enrollments of 2,500 or more are presented in this report for the period of 2005 to 2008. Trends in violent and property crime at 25 private colleges and 12 public colleges were examined. Results observed in the Clery Act data were also compared to trends observed in two other sources of Illinois campus crime data, including the Illinois State Police Uniform Crime Reporting Program (I-UCR) and the Annual Security Reports provided by each university (typically available through institutional websites). This was done to highlight that separate data sources can lead to different conclusions and policy recommendations.

Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2011. 95p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2011 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Campus_Crime_Report_082011.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Campus_Crime_Report_082011.pdf

Shelf Number: 122585

Keywords:
Campus Crime (Illinois)
Colleges and Universities
School Crime

Author: Cozens, Paul

Title: The Relevance and Importance of Designing Out Crime to Design Schools and Design Companies in Australia

Summary: This research was an enquiry into ‘the state of play’ concerning the knowledge and use of product design in Australia to reduce crime via Designing Out Crime approaches. The objectives of the research were to: · evaluate current knowledge and awareness of Designing Out Crime ideas in the product design arena in Australian product design companies and design schools to establish background information on which future work could be based, and; · organise a national design competition in which participants designed products to reduce crime using Designing Out Crime principles to gain understanding of the cutting edge of Designing Out Crime activity, and to promote Designing Out Crime and the work of the WA Office of Crime Prevention in reducing crime via product design. The research involved four stages: 1. A literature review involving the collection and analysis of published information about the status of Designing Out Crime policies, projects and programs in Australia and the UK. This provides a resource and basis for comparative assessment of DOC understanding and skills in Australia using the UK as a reference. 2. A survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to design companies identified by their web presence, the Yellow Pages and the Design Institute of Australia. The survey was also distributed to University design schools across Australia. The questionnaire was used to investigate the level of awareness, practice and enthusiasm for DOC in Australia. 3. A brief analysis of products vulnerable to theft and vandalism. 4. A design competition (the Design Out Crime Awards’08) and website (www.docawards.org) were created to gather some examples of the current ‘state of play’ in DOC, to manage the entry process and to promote Designing Out Crime approaches across Australia. The research adds to the body of knowledge by investigating whether Designing Out Crime is known, understood, practiced and taught to any meaningful extent in Australia. The findings are significant because they provide the Office of Crime Prevention with an overview of the current state of play to guide crime prevention strategies, policy and practice and future research. They help target the best opportunities for funding research to reduce crime, for example, for reducing the opportunities for crime for specific products.

Details: Perth: Western Australia Office of Crime Prevention, 2009. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 8, 2011 at: http://www.designoutcrime.org/publications/DOC-Product%20DesignReport.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.designoutcrime.org/publications/DOC-Product%20DesignReport.pdf

Shelf Number: 122678

Keywords:
Crime Prevention (Australia)
Design Against Crime
School Crime
School Security

Author: Columbia, Richard H.

Title: The Safe Schools Program: Student and Teacher Baseline Report on School-Related Gender-Based Violence in Machinga District, Malawa

Summary: This report presents results from a baseline survey that was conducted among school children and teachers in the Machinga District in the Southern Region of Malawi in April 2006. The study was conducted at 40 schools participating in the Safe Schools Program. Selected from a random sample, 800 boys and girls enrolled in grades four to eight and 288 teachers were interviewed. Students and teachers were asked questions about: The type of violence, abuse and mistreatment that boys and girls experience at school; Who is responsible for this mistreatment; Where this mistreatment occurs; If there are other school practices or conditions that are inappropriate, place pupils at risk or potentially interfere with their schooling; and The effectiveness of reporting. In Malawi, gender-based violence is known to be a problem in primary schools, especially for girls. An initial participatory learning and action (PLA) exercise conducted by Safe Schools in 2005 mobilized communities and allowed the Safe Schools Program staff to hear the concerns and experiences of more than 2,000 teachers, parents, school children, community leaders and other stakeholders in the Machinga District. The results of the PLA were then used to design interventions including strengthening and disseminating the teachers' code of conduct, training teachers in non-violent classroom discipline approaches, providing opportunities for children to learn how to build healthy relationships, and training school staff to respond effectively to incidents of violence at school. The results from the PLA were also used to inform the development of the baseline study under discussion in this report. An endline survey will be conducted in 2008 and the results of the two surveys compared to measure project impact. Key findings are: Incidents of sexual, physical and psychological violence and abuse were found at every school. Violence and abuse occurs at schools (classroom and compound), on the way to and from school and in school dormitories. This violence is experienced by both girls and boys, although in most categories girls experience a higher rate of violence and abuse. The perpetrators are both school girls and boys and male and female teachers, although men and boys are most often identified as perpetrators in most categories of violence and abuse. These acts of violence and abuse are not often perceived as a violation of children's rights by school girls and boys, male and female teachers, parents and community members. Students awareness of and/or access to youth-friendly services within the school or community is limited when they experience violence or abuse. In the report that follows, the survey findings are presented and analyzed, followed by a brief discussion on each of the five research questions.

Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2007. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2011 at: http://www.devtechsys.com/assets/Uploads/docs/publications/safe-schools-student-teacher-baseline-report.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Malawi

URL: http://www.devtechsys.com/assets/Uploads/docs/publications/safe-schools-student-teacher-baseline-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 122731

Keywords:
Gender
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence (Malawi)
Violence Against Women

Author: DevTech Systems, Inc.

Title: Safe Schools Program Final Report

Summary: The World Health Organization estimated 150 million girls and 73 million boys were victims of sexual violence in 2002, many of these acts occurring on the way to or at school. The Global School-based Health Survey found that between 20 and 65 percent of children aged 13-15 said that they had been verbally abused or bullied in the past 30 days. Only 50 percent of countries have policies banning corporal punishment in school and despite these policies, corporal punishment is still practiced in many school settings. The Safe Schools Program (Safe Schools) was a five-year initiative (2003-2008) funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Office of Women in Development and implemented by DevTech Systems, Inc. (DevTech). The goal of Safe Schools was to reduce school-related gender-based violence in selected schools in Ghana and Malawi to support the longer-term goal of improving educational outcomes and reducing negative health outcomes for schoolchildren. Changes in student and teacher knowledge, attitudes and practices toward school-related gender-based violence were used to measure progress toward reducing gender violence. Safe Schools was one of the first programs to systematically use a gender approach to identify the relationship between the traditional definition of gender roles and the types of abuse and violence that both girls and boys suffer from and perpetrate in schools. School-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) was defined as any form of violence or abuse in and around schools that is based on gender stereotypes or that targets students on the basis of their sex. It results in sexual, physical or psychological harm to girls and boys.

Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2008. 66p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2011 at: http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/wid/pubs/Safe_Schools_Final_Report_9_24.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Africa

URL: http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/wid/pubs/Safe_Schools_Final_Report_9_24.pdf

Shelf Number: 122732

Keywords:
Gender
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence (Ghana and Malawi)
Violence Against Women

Author: Centre for Educational Research and Trainingand DevTech Systems, Inc.

Title: The Safe Schools Program: A Qualitative Study to Examine School-Related Gender-Based Violence in Malawi

Summary: The Safe Schools Program (Safe Schools) is a five-year project under the U.S. Agency for International Development, Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade, Office of Women in Development. The objective of Safe Schools is to create safe environments for both girls and boys that promote gender-equitable relationships and reduce school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) by working in partnership with children, youth, parents, teachers, schools and communities. This report summarizes the results of the participatory learning and action (PLA) research activity conducted in October and November 2005 to help raise awareness, involvement, and accountability at national, institutional, community and individual levels of SRGBV in the Machinga District in the Southern Region of Malawi. Altogether, 952 pupils participated in the PLA workshops. The focus group discussions included more than 2,000 participants. In addition, 370 key informants including traditional leaders, initiation counselors, members of school management committees and parent teacher associations, head teachers, government Primary Education Advisers, religious leaders, members of the school disciplinary committees (where these existed) and club patrons were interviewed.

Details: Washington, DC: United STates Agency for International Development, 2008. 103p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2011 at: http://www.devtechsys.com/assets/Uploads/docs/publications/safe-schools-malawi-qualitative-study.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Malawi

URL: http://www.devtechsys.com/assets/Uploads/docs/publications/safe-schools-malawi-qualitative-study.pdf

Shelf Number: 122761

Keywords:
Gender
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence (Malawi)
Violence Against Women

Author: DevTech Systems, Inc.

Title: The Safe Schools Program: Malawi Assessment Report October 25th – November 5th, 2004

Summary: From October 25 to November 5, 2004, a three-person team from the Washington, D.C.-based Safe Schools Program (SSP) traveled to Malawi to conduct a school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) assessment. The Safe Schools Team was comprised of two DevTech Systems, Inc. employees: SSP Team Leader Maryce Ramsey, Gender and Education Advisor Wendy Rimer, and one World Education employee - Qualitative Researcher Ji Sun Lee. Accompanying the SSP Team for part of the assessment was the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade/Office of Women in Development (EGAT/WID) Cognizant Technical Officer Julie Hanson Swanson. The overall objectives of this first exploratory trip were to: • Assess existing programs for their ability to address SRGBV; • Understand the nature of SRGBV in Malawi; and • Identify individuals and organizations from the key informant interviews to serve as local partners.

Details: Arlington, VA: DevTech Systems, Inc., 2006.76p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2011 at: http://www.devtechsys.com/assets/Uploads/docs/publications/safe-schools-malawi-assessment-report.pdf

Year: 2006

Country: Malawi

URL: http://www.devtechsys.com/assets/Uploads/docs/publications/safe-schools-malawi-assessment-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 122761

Keywords:
Gender
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence (Malawi)
Violence Against Women

Author: DevTech Systems, Inc.

Title: The Safe Schools Program: Ethiopia Assessment Report: April 26 - May 7, 2004

Summary: From April 26th to May 7th, a four-person team from the Washington, D.C.-based Safe Schools Program (SSP) traveled to Ethiopia to conduct a school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) assessment. The overall objectives of this first exploratory trip were to: • Assess existing programs for their ability to address SRGBV; • Gain understanding of the nature of SRGBV in Ethiopia; and • Identify individuals and organizations from the key informant interviews to serve as local partners. Over the course of the visit, the Team collected data, reports, and materials, conducted openended interviews, and semi-structured focus groups with key stakeholders recommended by the USAID Mission and/or other informants. The Team examined programs/organizations and structures at multiple levels: national, institutional, community, and the individual, interviewing institutions/organizations such as the Ministry of Education (MOE), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) partners, other international donors and organizations, local Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), and community level organizations (e.g. Parent Teacher Associations [PTAs]) to identify: (a) Types of gender-based violence; (b) Issues and gaps; (c) Promising programs/organizations; and (d) Recommendations. The purpose of the SSP is to create gender safe environments for all girls and boys that promote gender-equitable relationships and reduce SRGBV resulting in improved educational outcomes and reduced negative health outcomes. Five key principles that guide the SSP’s programming: 1. Take a social mobilization approach working at multiple levels: national, institutional, community and individual; 2. Address the three areas of the SSP SRGBV activities: prevention, reporting and response; 3. Take a gendered approach working with men and boys not only as perpetrators but also as potential victims as well as partners; 4. Have at least minimal support services in place before encouraging victims to come forward; and 5. Build on existing programs. In Section IV. A, the Team provides a summarization of general issues and recommendations as reported by NGO staff, USAID partners such as World Learning and Save the Children, Ethiopian educational personnel, and local schoolteachers, parents and students. The Team augmented these issues and recommendations based on global literature on best practices. After analyzing the data and the general recommendations found in Section IV. A., the Team identified eight priority issues and recommendations that are proposed as the SSP’s pilot program in Ethiopia. Guided by the SSP’s key principles for programming as mentioned in Section I. C., the priority issues and recommendations were selected that address gaps at multiple levels: national, institutional, community and individual; and that address SRGBV in three areas of programming including prevention, reporting and response. In each of these three areas of programming, the Team also identified key organizations that could serve as potential partners.

Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2004. 77p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2011 at: http://www.devtechsys.com/assets/Uploads/docs/publications/safe-schools-ethiopia-assessment-report.pdf

Year: 2004

Country: Ethiopia

URL: http://www.devtechsys.com/assets/Uploads/docs/publications/safe-schools-ethiopia-assessment-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 122763

Keywords:
Gender
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence (Ethiopia)
Violence Against Women

Author: DevTech Systems, Inc.

Title: The Safe Schools Program: Ghana Assessment Report, January 6-16, 2004

Summary: From January 6 through 16, a five-person team from the Washington, D.C.-based Safe Schools Program (SSP) traveled to Ghana. The overall objectives of this first exploratory trip were to: • Inform the team of the extent of the problem of school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV); • Understand how existing programs address SRGBV or could be used to address it; and • Identify individuals and local partners from the key informant interviews to participate in the Advocates Network. Over the course of the visit, the Safe Schools team collected reports, materials and data and conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with key informants from the Ministry, USAID and other donor agencies, NGOs, and community level organizations (e.g. Parent Teacher Associations [PTAs]) to identify: (a) Types of gender-based violence; (b) Issues, gaps and what works in existing programs; and (c) Recommendations. The initial recommendations contained herein reflect the complex nature of the issue and range from policy issues at the national level, to procedural and systems issues within the educational institutions, to educating and involving communities, to taking action at the individual girl and boy child level, by involving men and boys and nurturing the development of healthy gender equitable relationships based on respect, rights and responsibilities. The results of the data analysis from the interviews includes the following three overarching recommendations: 1) Plan for a complex response; 2) Put systems of support in place before you encourage victims1 to come forward; and 3) Work with men and boys. In addition, the SSP Team identified programmatic recommendations in seven areas that are detailed in Section V, including the gaps/issues, general recommendations, and identification of programs that work in Ghana. These seven gaps/issues identified for programmatic response include: 1) Lack of visibility of SRGBV on the national agenda; 2) Lack of systems and procedures for implementing code of conduct; 3) Gap in support services for victims of GBV; 4) Gaps in curricula and teaching regarding GBV; 5) Lack of awareness, involvement and accountability of the community; 6) Lack of awareness, involvement and accountability of the parents; and 7) Lack of opportunities and support for children to build healthy, equitable relationships.

Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2004. 74p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2011 at: http://www.devtechsys.com/assets/Uploads/docs/publications/safe-schools-ghana-assessment-report.pdf

Year: 2004

Country: Ghana

URL: http://www.devtechsys.com/assets/Uploads/docs/publications/safe-schools-ghana-assessment-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 122764

Keywords:
Gender
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence (Ghana)
Violence Against Women

Author: DevTech Systems, Inc.

Title: The Safe Schools Program: Jamaica Assessment Report, April 11-22, 2005

Summary: From April 11 – 22, 2005, a four-person team from the Washington, D.C.-based Safe Schools Program (DevTech SSP)1 traveled to Jamaica to conduct a school-related gender-based violence(SRGBV) assessment. Using the social mobilization model as its frame of reference, DevTech SSP collected SRGBV information at the national, institutional, community and individual levels, as well as types of SRGBV. Matrices were created to organize the information collected, which included a programmatic overview, information on NGO partners, and perceptions of SRGBV in Jamaica. DevTech SSP began by collecting information on current Mission programming, which provided a historical overview of USAID-funded and other programs within Jamaica by meeting with the USAID teams working in Education, Health, Economic Growth, and Democracy and Governance. Other data collection activities included a review of reports and other materials, and the administration of open-ended interviews and informal group discussions with government and non-governmental organizations and individuals. Key information collected included: • Types of school-related gender-based violence • Issues and gaps • Promising programs and/or organizations • Recommendations for further action After five days of interviews in Kingston, DevTech SSP divided into three groups: two teams traveled to the field and one team member remained in Kingston to continue interviews with government and NGO representatives. The teams outside Kingston met with a sample of New Horizon supported school representatives (e.g. principals, teachers, guidance counselors, PTA members, students) as well as other NGO and government organizations. These field visits afforded the team an opportunity to more closely examine the programs being implemented in schools, to discuss how SRGBV is defined in schools, and consider possible approaches to addressing SRGBV.

Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2005. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 19, 2011 at: http://www.devtechsys.com/assets/Uploads/docs/publications/safe-schools-jamaica-assessment-report.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: Jamaica

URL: http://www.devtechsys.com/assets/Uploads/docs/publications/safe-schools-jamaica-assessment-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 122780

Keywords:
Gender
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Losen, Daniel J.

Title: Discipline Policies, Successful Schools, and Racial Justice

Summary: In March of 2010, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan delivered a speech that highlighted racial disparities in school suspension and expulsion and that called for more rigorous civil rights enforcement in education. He suggested that students with disabilities and Black students, especially males, were suspended far more often than their White counterparts. These students, he also noted, were often punished more severely for similar misdeeds. Just months later, in September of 2010, a report analyzing 2006 data collected by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights found that more than 28% of Black male middle school students had been suspended at least once. This is nearly three times the 10% rate for white males. Further, 18% of Black females in middle school were suspended, more than four times as often as white females (4%). Later that same month, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary Duncan each addressed a conference of civil rights lawyers in Washington, D.C., and affirmed their departments’ commitment to ending such disparities. This policy brief reviews what researchers have learned about racial disparities in school discipline, including trends over time and how these disparities further break down along lines of gender and disability status. Further, the brief explores the impact that school suspension has on children and their families, including the possibility that frequent out-of-school suspension may have a harmful and racially disparate impact. As part of the disparate impact analysis, the brief examines whether frequent disciplinary exclusion from school is educationally justifiable and whether other discipline policies and practices might better promote a safe and orderly learning environment while generating significantly less racial disparity. Findings of this brief strongly suggest a need for reform. A review of the evidence suggests that subgroups experiencing disproportionate suspension miss important instructional time and are at greater risk of disengagement and diminished educational opportunities. Moreover, despite the fact that suspension is a predictor of students’ risk for dropping out, school personnel are not required to report or evaluate the impact of disciplinary decisions. Overall, the evidence shows the following: there is no research base to support frequent suspension or expulsion in response to non-violent and mundane forms of adolescent misbehavior; large disparities by race, gender and disability status are evident in the use of these punishments; frequent suspension and expulsion are associated with negative outcomes; and better alternatives are available.

Details: Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center, 2011. 34p., appendix

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 21, 2011 at: http://greatlakescenter.org/docs/Policy_Briefs/Losen_Discipline_PB.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://greatlakescenter.org/docs/Policy_Briefs/Losen_Discipline_PB.pdf

Shelf Number: 123073

Keywords:
Racial Disparities
School Crime
School Discipline
School Disciplines

Author: Mink, Michael D.

Title: Violence and Rural Teens Teen Violence, Drug Use, and School-Based Prevention Services in Rural America

Summary: This study had three main purposes: (1) to explore the prevalence of violence-related exposures and drug use among rural teens, (2) to investigate the effects of race and gender on the risk of exposure to violence and drug use, and (3) to compare the policies and mental health care services of rural and urban schools. The sections below summarize the results of this research: Exposure to Violence: This study found no evidence to support the common assumption that rural youth are protected from exposure to violence. • Of the 15 measures of violence activities, none showed a significantly lower prevalence among rural teens when compared to suburban and urban teens. In fact, rural teens were more likely than urban or suburban teens to have carried a weapon within the last 30 days. These results suggest that rural teens are equally or more likely than suburban and urban teens to be exposed to violent activities. Drug Use: Rural teens are at significantly greater risk of using drugs than both suburban and urban teens. • Five of the 13 measures of drug use showed a significantly higher prevalence rate among rural teens: chewing tobacco (11.5%), chewing tobacco at school (7.6%), smoking cigarettes at school (14.8%), using crack/cocaine (5.9%), and using steroids (7.4%). Only one measure showed a significantly higher prevalence rate among urban teens (smoking marijuana at school at 6.8%). The remaining seven measures showed no differences by residence. • Of important note is the prevalence of crystal meth use among rural teens. The proportion of rural teens who reported every using crystal meth (15.5%) was almost double the proportion of urban (8.8%) and suburban teens (9.5%). Crystal meth was the 4th most commonly used drug among rural teens after alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana, making it more popular among rural teens than chewing tobacco. Effects of Race: Racial differences for exposure to violence and drug use are negligible among rural teens. • Non-white rural teens were no more likely than white rural teens to experience the 15 measures of exposure to violence. This result was similar to comparable comparisons among urban teens but not suburban teens, where non-white teens were more likely than white teens to experience 9 of the violence exposure measures. • Among rural teens, only one measure of drug use differed by race: rural non-white teens were less likely to report chewing tobacco compared to rural white teens. This pattern was strikingly different from the racial differences found among urban teens (9 differences) and suburban teens (7 differences). Effects of Gender: Exposures to violence and drug use vary by gender among rural teens. • Among rural teens, females are more likely than males to be coerced into sex or engage in suicide behaviors, while males are more likely than females to use weapons, be threatened at school, or engage in fighting behaviors. Male teens are also more likely than female teens to chew tobacco and smoke marijuana, both on and off school grounds. Teen Violence Services: Rural schools offer somewhat fewer teen violence services than rural schools. • Rural schools were less likely than urban schools to offer peer counseling and self help services, but just as likely to offer 14 other violence prevention and treatment services. • There were very few significant differences between rural and urban school in the way these services are delivered. Out of the 66 possible combinations of violence-related services and service delivery option, only 6 showed significantly lower utilization rates for rural schools. The remaining 60 combinations showed no differences by location. Teen Violence Services Personnel: Mental health care staff in rural schools are available for fewer hours, have fewer hiring requirements, and receive training for fewer teen violence services than their counterparts in urban schools. • Rural and urban schools were equally likely to have a guidance counselor, a psychologist, and a social worker on staff. However, all three of these professionals were available for significantly fewer hours per week in rural schools. • Rural and urban schools were equally likely to require a graduate degree, board certification, and a state license for newly hired guidance counselors and for newly hired psychologists. However, rural schools were significantly less likely than urban schools to require a graduate degree or a state license for newly hired school social workers. • Mental health care staff from rural schools were less likely than their counterparts in urban schools to receive training for certain teen violence services. Specifically, Mental Health Care Coordinators were less likely to receive training in suicide prevention, family counseling, peer counseling, and self help, while Health Education Coordinators in rural schools were less likely to receive training in tobacco use prevention. School Environment: Overall, rural schools report fewer policies and security practices that prevent violence and drug use than do urban schools. • Rural schools were less likely than urban schools to report using five (5) administrative policies to prevent student violence: prohibiting gang paraphernalia, student education on suicide prevention, violence prevention, and tobacco use prevention, and having a council for school health. The remaining 13 measures showed no differences by school location. • In response to student fighting, rural schools were less likely than urban schools to encourage or require participation in a student assistance program. • Rural schools were more likely than urban schools to monitor school hallways and to arm their security staff, but less likely to use a closed campus, prohibit bookbags, require school uniforms, use surveillance cameras, use uniformed police, use undercover police, and use security guards. The remaining seven school security measures did not differ by school location.

Details: Columbia, SC: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center, 2005. 87p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 29, 2011 at: http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/(4-5)%20Violence%20and%20Rural%20Teens.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: United States

URL: http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/(4-5)%20Violence%20and%20Rural%20Teens.pdf

Shelf Number: 123173

Keywords:
Drug Abuse and Crime
Juvenile Offenders
Rural Areas
Rural Crime
School Crime
Teenagers
Violence

Author: Great Britain. Department for Children, Schools and Families

Title: Safe from Bullying on Journeys

Summary: Young people and parents say bullying is among their top concerns. Bullying can make the lives of victims a misery; it undermines their confidence and self esteem and destroys their sense of security. Every year ChildLine, the UK’s free 24-hour helpline for children and young people, speaks to almost 33,000 callers about bullying. Bullying can have a life-long negative impact, limiting the places where children and young people feel safe to go and reducing their ability to become successful, independent adults. At worst bullying has been a factor in suicide. Bullying does not only happen in schools. It can happen anywhere, including on journeys to and from home, school and other activities. To tackle bullying successfully, the whole community and all services for children and young people need to work together to change the culture so that bullying is unacceptable. The government has made tackling bullying a key priority. This guidance discusses bullying on journeys and public transport, and the different forms it can take, and sets out ways in which different partners can work together to prevent bullying on journeys, and respond effectively when bullying occurs. It is part of a suite of guidance on preventing bullying outside of schools that includes guidance on tackling bullying in: - Play and leisure - Extended services in and around schools - Children’s Homes - Further education colleges, and - Youth activities. Each of these guidance documents is designed to be used in conjunction with a set of training resources. Because we know that bullying can follow children between different settings, this suite of guidance also includes guidance for local authorities and others who are in a position to coordinate anti-bullying activities at a local level. This suite of guidance builds on the existing guidance on bullying in schools: ‘Safe To Learn’, a suite of materials which includes supplementary guidance on Racist bullying, Homophobic bullying, cyberbullying and bullying involving children and young people with Special Needs and disabilities, and will shortly include bullying related to gender and gender identity. Although Safe to Learn focuses on tackling bullying in school, it contains a large amount of detailed information on tackling different forms of bullying, which may be useful to those involved in tackling bullying on journey.

Details: Nottingham, UK: Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2009. 26p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 8, 2011 at: http://www.4children.org.uk/uploads/information/8218-DCSF-SafefromBullying-Journeys.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.4children.org.uk/uploads/information/8218-DCSF-SafefromBullying-Journeys.pdf

Shelf Number: 123262

Keywords:
Bullying (U.K.)
School Crime

Author: Hill, Catherine

Title: Crossing the Line: Sexual Harassment at School

Summary: Sexual harassment has long been an unfortunate part of the climate in middle and high schools in the United States. Often considered a kind of bullying, sexual harassment by definition involves sex and gender and therefore warrants separate attention. The legal definition of sexual harassment also differentiates it from bullying. Based on a nationally representative survey of 1,965 students in grades 7–12 conducted in May and June 2011, Crossing the Line: Sexual Harassment at School provides fresh evidence about students’ experiences with sexual harassment, including being harassed, harassing someone else, or witnessing harassment. The survey asked students to share their reactions to their experience with sexual harassment and its impact on them. It also asked them about their ideas for how schools can respond to and prevent sexual harassment.

Details: Washington, DC: American Association of University Women, 2011. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2011 at: http://www.aauw.org/learn/research/upload/CrossingTheLine.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.aauw.org/learn/research/upload/CrossingTheLine.pdf

Shelf Number: 123279

Keywords:
Cybercrime
School Crime
Sexual Harassment (U.S.)

Author: Petteruti, Amanda

Title: Education Under Arrest: The Case Against Police in Schools

Summary: The increase in the presence of law enforcement in schools, especially in the form of school resource officers (SROs) has coincided with increases in referrals to the justice system, especially for minor offenses like disorderly conduct. This is causing lasting harm to youth, as arrests and referrals to the juvenile justice system disrupt the educational process and can lead to suspension, expulsion, or other alienation from school. All of these negative effects set youth on a track to drop out of school and put them at greater risk of becoming involved in the justice system later on, all at tremendous costs for taxpayers aswell the youth themselves and their communities.

Details: Washington, DC: Justice Policy Institute, 2011. 43p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2011 at: http://www.justicepolicy.org/research/3177

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.justicepolicy.org/research/3177

Shelf Number: 123357

Keywords:
Police Personnel
School Crime
School Discipline
School Resource Officers
School Security Officers(U.S.)

Author: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Title: Peer-to-Peer Violence and Bullying: Examining the Federal Response

Summary: This report focuses on the government‘s efforts to enforce federal civil rights laws with respect to peer-to-peer violence based on race, national origin, sex, disability, religion, and sexual orientation or gender identity. The Commission examined the nature and incidence of peer-to-peer violence in public K-12 schools and studied the types of peer-to-peer violence faced by students, as well as the effects of such violence. The Commission further reviewed the policies and procedures employed by the United States Departments of Education and Justice in enforcing prohibitions against peer-to-peer violence. The Commission, by majority vote, concluded that bullying and harassment, including bullying and harassment based on sex, race, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or religion, are harmful to American youth, and developed findings and recommendations to address the problem, including the following recommendations:  The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice should track their complaints/inquiries regarding sexual harassment or gender-based harassment by creating a category that explicitly encompasses LGBT youth.  The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice should track complaints that they receive regarding harassment based solely on sexual orientation that are closed for lack of jurisdiction.  The U.S. Department of Education should track complaints that it receives regarding harassment based solely on religion that are closed for lack of jurisdiction.  The U.S. Department of Education should consider issuing a new Dear Colleague Letter regarding the First Amendment implications of anti-bullying policies. The new Letter should provide concrete examples to clarify the guidance that the Department of Education previously provided in its Dear Colleague Letter on the First Amendment dated July 28, 2003.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 2011. 225p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2011 at: http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/2011statutory.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/2011statutory.pdf

Shelf Number: 123448

Keywords:
Harassment
School Bullying (U.S.)
School Crime
School Violence

Author: Smith, Robert

Title: Tackling Youth Gang Issues on Campus - A Case Study

Summary: Youth gang crime is a topical and pervasive issue in contemporary Scotland. It is normally considered to be an urban street problem and seldom is the phenomenon framed in an educational context. This practice note discusses how one of Scotland’s longest serving campus officers dealt with youth gang issues on campus at a Secondary School in West Central Scotland. In the first part of the note, the authors provide some theoretical underpinnings to explain the importance of this policing approach. In the second part the authors present a case study which describes the effectiveness of some very practical policing strategies and why they proved to be so. Part three identifies key factors and draws conclusions.

Details: Dundee, Scotland: Scottish Institute for Policing Research, 2011

Source: Internet Resource: Scottish Institute for Policing Research Practice Notes No. 1: Accessed on December 6, 2011 at: http://www.sipr.ac.uk/downloads/Practice_Notes/Campus_Officer_1.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.sipr.ac.uk/downloads/Practice_Notes/Campus_Officer_1.pdf

Shelf Number: 123498

Keywords:
School Crime
Youth Gangs (Scotland)

Author: Advancement Project

Title: Zero Tolerance in Philadelphia: Denying Educational Opportunities and Creating a Pathway to Prison

Summary: This report criticizes zero tolerance in Philadelphia schools as a failed policy that makes city schools less safe, criminalizes or pushes out of school tens of thousands of students every year, and creates a School-to-Prison Pipeline. Among the most startling findings in the report are the following: •Philadelphia’s arrest rate was up to 25 times higher than some of the other large districts in the state. In fact, one single high school in Philadelphia had more arrests in 2008-09 than 17 of the other 19 largest school districts in the state. •According to the data, Philadelphia schools are punishing the same behavior far more harshly than it did just a few years ago, and also appear to be criminalizing its students far more often than other Pennsylvania school districts for the same behaviors. •Philadelphia’s school security force is almost three times larger than that of the 19 other districts combined, despite a far lower student enrollment. •The number of expulsions has skyrocketed in recent years, and nearly all of the students expelled in 2008-09 were between the ages of 8 and 14, with the most common ages of the expelled students being 11 and 12. •Black and Latino students are far more likely to be suspended, transferred to alternative schools, and arrested than White students, and the data suggests that students of color are being punished more harshly than their peers for the same behavior. •There are strong negative relationships between the use of exclusionary discipline and both graduation rates and academic achievement rates, meaning that schools with high suspension and arrest rates are far more likely to have low graduation rates and low achievement levels. •Charter schools in Philadelphia appear to have disciplinary practices that are as harsh, or even harsher, than traditional public schools. The report recommends a number of steps that the district, Department of Education, and state legislators can take to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline in Philadelphia.

Details: Washington, DC: Advancement Project, 2011. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 26, 2012 at: http://www.advancementproject.org/sites/default/files/publications/YUC%20Report%20Final%20-%20Lo-Res.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.advancementproject.org/sites/default/files/publications/YUC%20Report%20Final%20-%20Lo-Res.pdf

Shelf Number: 123764

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
School Safety
Zero Tolerance, Schools (Philadelphia)

Author: Sumner, Michael D.

Title: School-Based Restorative Justice as an Alternative to Zero-Tolerance Policies: Lessons from West Oakland

Summary: In this report we examine a pilot restorative justice program at a school that primarily served students of color from low-income families. We document the implementation of the program at Cole Middle School in West Oakland, California, and the observations and perceptions of those who participated in it. We also draw lessons from Cole’s experiences that we hope will be helpful to those interested in implementing school-based restorative justice. Restorative justice is an alternative to retributive zero-tolerance policies that mandate suspension or expulsion of students from school for a wide variety of misbehaviors including possession of alcohol or cigarettes, fighting, dress code violations, and cursing. Although zero-tolerance policies have resulted in substantial increases in student suspensions and expulsions for students of all races, African American and Hispanic/Latino youth are disproportionately impacted by a zero-tolerance approach. Under zero tolerance, suspensions and expulsions can directly or indirectly result in referrals to the juvenile and adult criminal systems where African American and Hispanic/Latino youth are also disproportionately represented. This phenomenon, part of a process that criminalizes students, has been termed the school-to-prison pipeline. Proponents of restorative justice have begun to promote school-based restorative justice as an alternative to zero-tolerance policies. Restorative justice is a set of principles and practices grounded in the values of showing respect, taking responsibility, and strengthening relationships. When harm occurs, restorative justice focuses on repair of harm and prevention of re-occurrence. Although preliminary research suggests that school-based restorative justice reduces violence, school suspensions, expulsions, and referrals to the juvenile and criminal justice systems, little research looks at the impact of restorative justice programs as an alternative to zero-tolerance policies for youth of color. This research seeks to fill that gap. The findings presented in this report are based on a case study of a single school conducted by researchers at the Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Data are drawn from observations, openended interviews and a questionnaire along with statistics collected from published reports from the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and the California Department of Education.

Details: Berkeley, CA: Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, 2010. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 26, 2012 at http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/11-2010_School-based_Restorative_Justice_As_an_Alternative_to_Zero-Tolerance_Policies.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/11-2010_School-based_Restorative_Justice_As_an_Alternative_to_Zero-Tolerance_Policies.pdf

Shelf Number: 123776

Keywords:
Delinquency Prevention
Education
Racial Disparities
Restorative Justice
School Crime
School Discipline
School Suspensions
Student Expulsion
Zero Tolerance

Author: Petrosino, Anthony

Title: What characteristics of bullying, bullying victims, and schools are associated with increased reporting of bullying to school officials?

Summary: This study tested 51 characteristics of bullying victimization, bullying victims, and bullying victims' schools to deter-mine which were associated with reporting to school officials. It found that 11 characteristics in two categories—bullying victimization and bullying victims—showed a statistically significant association with reporting. The study also notes the high percentage (64 percent) of respondents who experienced bullying but did not report it.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands, 2010. 45p.

Source: Issues & Answers Report, REL 2010-No.092: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 28, 2012 at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_2010092.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_2010092.pdf

Shelf Number: 123848

Keywords:
Bullying (U.S.)
Juvenile Offenders
Juvenile Victims
School Crime
Schools

Author: Heilbrunn, Joanna Zorn

Title: Pieces of the Truancy Jigsaw: A Literature Review

Summary: Communities across the nation are taking a renewed interest in the problem of poor school attendance. Truancy reduction programs designed to serve students who have attendance problems are rapidly being organized according to a number of models. Some are school-based, others court-based, and some operate through community service agencies. All share the same general purposes: to improve school attendance in the short term, with the longer term goals of raising grades and encouraging high school graduation for students who are at risk of dropping out. As the search intensifies for ways to nip truancy in the bud and reverse established patterns of school skipping, more people are seeking sources of information about the causes and outcomes of poor attendance, and about practices that effectively reduce truancy. In general, the literature surrounding truancy is in its infancy. Researchers are just beginning to add studies on school attendance to the vast quantity of work on at-risk and delinquent youth. This document seeks to summarize what we know to date, and point to areas in need of further study.

Details: Denver, CO: National Center for School Engagement, 2007. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 31, 2012 at http://www.schoolengagement.org/TruancypreventionRegistry/Admin/Resources/Resources/PiecesoftheTruancyJigsawALiteratureReview.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: http://www.schoolengagement.org/TruancypreventionRegistry/Admin/Resources/Resources/PiecesoftheTruancyJigsawALiteratureReview.pdf

Shelf Number: 122056

Keywords:
Juvenile Offenders
School Crime
Truancy

Author: Woolfenden, Sue

Title: Establishing Appropriate Staffing Levels for Campus Public Safety Departments

Summary: IACLEA (International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators) engaged Strategic Direction LLC to conduct a study of appropriate campus public safety staffing levels. It conducted a thorough review of existing literature on this topic, convened focus groups to identify staffing issues and considerations, and administered a comprehensive survey of U.S. campus public safety departments. This publication identifies the factors and considerations that impact staffing, including the characteristics of a particular campus, the geographic setting (urban, rural, suburban), number of students, faculty and staff, programs and/or facilities that have security implications, venues and athletic programs that affect campus public safety staffing, and other considerations.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2011.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on February 3, 2012 at http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e061122378_Est-Approp-Stfg-Levels_FIN.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e061122378_Est-Approp-Stfg-Levels_FIN.pdf

Shelf Number: 123924

Keywords:
Campus Crime
Campus Safety
Community Oriented Policing
School Crime
School Safety

Author: Leoschut, Lezanne

Title: School violence: What makes learners vulnerable?

Summary: It is the intention of this paper to highlight the contextual factors that heighten the vulnerability of children and youths to violence within schools. To do this, focus is shifted away from actual victimisation and towards the broader social environments surrounding the schools, which influence the learners’ vulnerability to having violence perpetrated against them within the school setting. An awareness of these correlates is of paramount importance since effective intervention strategies are reliant on the comprehensive understanding of why young people fall prey to such experiences in the first place. Given the diverse risk factors, the paper concludes that any attempt to address school violence should extend beyond the Department of Education to include important role-players such as the pupils themselves, their parents, community members, the South African Police Service and other government departments.

Details: Claremont, South Africa: CJCP - Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, 2008. 12p.

Source: CJCP Issue Paper No. 7: Internet Resource: Accessed on February 3, 2012 at http://www.cjcp.org.za/admin/uploads/Issue%20Paper%207.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: South Africa

URL: http://www.cjcp.org.za/admin/uploads/Issue%20Paper%207.pdf

Shelf Number: 123943

Keywords:
Child Victimization
Juvenile Victims
School Crime
School Violence (South Africa)

Author: Smith, Robert

Title: Tackling Youth Gangs Issues on Campus - A Case Study

Summary: Youth gang crime is a topical and pervasive issue in contemporary Scotland. It is normally considered to be an urban street problem and seldom is the phenomenon framed in an educational context. This practice note discusses how one of Scotland’s longest serving campus officers dealt with youth gang issues on campus at a Secondary School in West Central Scotland. In the first part of the note, we provide some theoretical underpinnings to explain the importance of this policing approach. In the second part we present a case study which describes the effectiveness of some very practical policing strategies and why they proved to be so. Part three identifies key factors and draws conclusions.

Details: Dundee, Scotland: Scottish Institute for Policing Research, 2011. 9p.

Source: SIPR Practice Notes No. 1: Internet Resource: Accessed February 4, 2012 at http://www.sipr.ac.uk/downloads/Practice_Notes/Campus_Officer_1.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.sipr.ac.uk/downloads/Practice_Notes/Campus_Officer_1.pdf

Shelf Number: 123969

Keywords:
Police Response
School Crime
Youth Gangs (Scotland)

Author: Ozdemir, Habib

Title: Zero Tolerance in Implementation of Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1995 in the USA

Summary: The Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1995 aimed to provide a safe environment to children in building their and nation's future. However, the harsh discipline suggested by this act may cause severe negative outcomes for kids‟ psychologies and judgment skills, especially by mandatory expulsions. Since the act decreased the illegal gun possession at schools and outlying areas, this paper proposes to continue the implementation of the act with some amendments. A suggested network comprised of educators, police, families, peer/youth organizations is assumed to improve the results of the act while promoting the role of teachers in the eyes of students and sharing their responsibilities with the courts in expelling students through court verdicts. In this project, police is the major institution in dealing with delinquency within schools and surroundings with specialized units. Families and peer/youth organizations are silent but more constructive units of this network. It is projected that there will a strong commitment and information sharing within the network components.

Details: International Police Executive Symposium (IPES) and the Geneva Center for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces (DCAF) and COGINTA., 2011. 19p.

Source: Internet Resource: IPES/DCAF Working Paper No 32; Accessed February 6, 2012 at: http://www.ipes.info/WPS/WPS_No_32.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.ipes.info/WPS/WPS_No_32.pdf

Shelf Number: 123993

Keywords:
Gun Control
Gun Violence
Gun-Free School Zones
School Crime
School Safety
Zero Tolerance

Author: Uchida, Craig D.

Title: Evaluating Problem Solving in Colorado Springs: The 1999 School-Based Partnership Program

Summary: In 1998 and 1999 the COPS Office initiated major grant programs to deal with crime and disorder problems in schools. The idea behind the program was to assist police and schools in implementing Problem-Oriented Policing, a strategy first developed by Herman Goldstein in 1979. While police agencies had successfully used the problem-solving model for crime and disorder problems on city streets, in parks and recreational areas, and in public housing, rarely did they work with schools to deal with day-to-day problems. The School-Based Partnership program (SBP) was an attempt to encourage law enforcement to work with school administrators, students, faculty and parents using this model. Over 250 jurisdictions received funding in 1998 and 1999 at a cost of over $30 million. As part of the grant, the COPS Office required that law enforcement provide funds to evaluators to document and describe the implementation of the program. In 1999, the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) received one of these grants to conduct problem-solving projects in five high schools. CSPD selected 21st Century Solutions, Inc. as its evaluator. During a two-year period, staff of 21st Century Solutions, Inc. made site visits, conducted in-person interviews, analyzed data from the schools and police, worked closely with the School Resource Officers, and observed a variety of activities. This document describes the implementation of the problem-solving model and discusses possible impacts of the project on the schools and police. The report is divided into eight sections. The first section provides background information about Colorado Springs, the police department, schools, and the problem-solving partnership grant. We also discuss our research methods, including research questions, data sources, and analysis. Section 2 examines the literature on school-based programs and problem oriented policing to provide a context for this study and the work of police officers in schools. Sections 3 through 7 report on the problem-solving activities at each of the five high schools. Section 8 concludes with a summary of our findings and recommendations.

Details: Silver Spring, MD: 21st Century Solutions, Inc., 2001. 63p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 29, 2012 at http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/school_based/ColoradoSprings_CO.pdf

Year: 2001

Country: United States

URL: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/school_based/ColoradoSprings_CO.pdf

Shelf Number: 118161

Keywords:
Evaluative Studies
Problem Solving
School Crime
School Resource Officers

Author: Seeley, Ken

Title: Bullying in Schools: An Overview

Summary: The harmful effects of bullying cannot be overstated. Reports of bullying in the 1990s show that, in extreme cases, victims may face shooting or severe beatings and may even turn to suicide (Rigby and Slee, 1999). These reports have triggered public action, such that more than 20 states currently have laws that require schools to provide education and services directed toward the prevention and cessation of bullying. A well-known meta-analysis of school-based antibullying programs, conducted by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, found that these programs result in a 17- to 23-percent reduction in bullying (Ttofi, Farrington, and Baldry, 2008). Ttofi and colleagues report that antibullying programs are less effective in the United States than in Europe in reducing the incidence and prevalence of bullying in schools that operate the bullying reduction programs. In response, the current study investigates how American schools can support victimized children and encourage them to graduate and thrive. To determine the causes of bullying in schools and to inform the development of effective intervention strategies, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention funded a series of studies in 2007 at the National Center for School Engagement. The research focused on the connection between different types and frequencies of bullying, truancy, and student achievement, and whether students’ engagement in school mediates these factors. The researchers completed three studies. The first was a quantitative analysis of students that would support the development of a predictive model to explain the relationships among bullying (referred to in the study as peer victimization), school attendance, school engagement, and academic achievement. The second study was a qualitative study in which researchers interviewed victims about their experiences to gain insight into how bullying in school affects attendance. The third study was a qualitative analysis of teachers’ experiences in working to ameliorate the impact of bullying in schools. In this bulletin, the authors compare the results of these studies with the results of the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention report (Ttofi, Farrington, and Baldry, 2008), which is currently viewed as one of the most comprehensive studies on antibullying programs worldwide. Ttofi and her colleagues conducted a metaanalysis— Effectiveness of Programmes to Reduce School Bullying: A Systematic Review—that reviewed evaluations of 59 school-based antibullying programs in various countries, including the United States. In addition to their comparisons with the Swedish study, the authors recommend strategies and programs to combat bullying in schools that are based on the findings from the three studies described here and a literature review.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2011. 12p.

Source: OJJDP Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2012 at https://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/234205.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 124368

Keywords:
Bullying (U.S.)
Crime Prevention
Juvenile Offenders
Juvenile Victims
School Crime
Schools

Author: Stuart-Cassel, Victoria

Title: Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies

Summary: Bullying in schools has become widely viewed as an urgent social, health, and education concern that has moved to the forefront of public debate on school legislation and policy. Increasingly, elected officials and members of the school community have come to view bullying as an extremely serious and often neglected issue facing youths and local school systems (Swearer, Limber, & Alley, 2009). The focus on youth bullying has intensified over the past 12 years as a catalyzed reaction to school violence that is often linked explicitly or by inference to bullying. The Columbine High School shooting in 1999 was the first of many high-profile incidents of violent behavior that appeared to implicate bullying as an underlying cause (Greene & Ross, 2005). The incident ignited a wave of new legislative action within state legislatures that aimed to curtail bullying behavior on school campuses or to mitigate its effects. The trend was later fueled by a number of highly visible suicides among school-age children and adolescents that were linked to chronic bullying, attracting national attention to the issue (Marr & Field, 2001). The heightened visibility has coincided with an expansion of research knowledge identifying a range of serious and long-term consequences associated with bullying behavior, such as increased depression, substance use, aggressive impulses, and school truancy (Nansel, et al., 2001; Roland, 2002; Klomek, et al., 2007; Gastic, 2008; O’Brennan, Bradshaw, & Sawyer, 2009; Juvonen, 2009). Together these factors have placed increased pressure on governments and school systems for solutions to more effectively prevent or reduce bullying in schools. To address these issues, in August 2010, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cohosted the first Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Summit, which brought together government officials, researchers, policymakers, and education practitioners to explore potential strategies to combat bullying in schools. This summit highlighted the need for more comprehensive information about the current status of state legislation, as well as information on how existing laws and policies translate into practice within elementary and secondary school systems. To address this gap in information, the U.S. Department of Education, Program and Policy Studies Service, initiated a study designed to answer the following study questions: 1. To what extent do states’ bullying laws cover U.S. Department of Education-identified key legislative and policy components? The first study question concerns the need for an informative and clearly focused analysis of state legislation to describe the purpose and structure of laws and their definitions, key provisions, similarities, and differences. To address this question, the study includes a systematic review and coding of components in laws governing K–12 education. The review identifies the types of provisions that are addressed in legislation and measures their expansiveness. The review of legislation is based on a framework conceptualized by the U.S. Department of Education (“the Department”) that was disseminated to school districts nationally and is presented in Exhibit 1 in Chapter 1 of the report (U.S. Department of Education, 2010a). The review covers legislation enacted through April of 2011, across the 50 U.S. states. 2. To what extent do states’ model bullying policies cover U.S. Department of Education-identified key legislative and policy components? The second study question focuses on the nature and content of model policies and guidance documents that have been developed by state education agencies, or school boards associations, pursuant to legislation. These policies guide and support district efforts to develop and implement effective bullying policies. The study reviews and systematically codes model policy documents available for 41 states to determine the coverage and expansiveness of key components. 3. To what extent do school districts’ bullying policies cover U.S. Department of Education-identified school district policy subcomponents? The third study question focuses on the structure and content of bullying policies developed at the local school district level that directly shape implementation within the school environment. The study involves a systematic review and coding of components in district policies for a small sample of urban and rural school districts that was selected to incorporate the geographic and community diversity of U.S. school districts. The analysis aims to determine the types of definitions and policy components that are present in local policy documents in addition to providing a measure of their expansiveness. The analysis also examines the relationship between state legislation and local policy development (e.g., the degree to which state legislation shapes local policy). 4. How are state laws translated into practice at the school level? The final study question focuses on how bullying laws and their legislative requirements are implemented by school districts and schools. The question will be answered through a series of case studies conducted at 24 school sites across four states. The purpose of the case studies will be to highlight lessons from the field on how state legislation and model policies are shaping implementation of bullying programs and procedures, and to assess the ways that state and district policies facilitate or create challenges for effective implementation. The second study phase will be launched in the fall of 2011.

Details: Washington, DC: Policy and Program Studies Service, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, U.S. Department of Education, 2011. 202p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2012 at http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/bullying/state-bullying-laws/state-bullying-laws.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/bullying/state-bullying-laws/state-bullying-laws.pdf

Shelf Number: 124557

Keywords:
Bullying
Criminal Justice Policy
Legislation
School Crime

Author: Neiman, Samantha

Title: Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools: Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2009-10, First Look

Summary: This report presents findings on crime and violence in U.S. public schools, using data from the 2009-10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS:2010). First administered in school year 1999-2000 and repeated in school years 2003-04, 2005-06, 2007-08, and 2009-10, SSOCS provides information on school crime-related topics from the perspective of schools. Developed and managed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the Institute of Education Sciences and supported by the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools of the U.S. Department of Education, SSOCS asks public school principals about the frequency of incidents, such as physical attacks, robberies, and thefts, in their schools. Portions of this survey also focus on school programs, disciplinary actions, and the policies implemented to prevent and reduce crime in schools. SSOCS:2010 is based on a nationally representative stratified random sample of 3,476 U.S. public schools. Data collection began on February 24, 2010, when questionnaires were mailed to principals, and continued through June 11, 2010. A total of 2,648 public primary, middle, high, and combined schools provided usable questionnaires, yielding an unweighted response rate of approximately 77 percent. When the responding schools were weighted to account for their original sampling probabilities, the response rate increased to approximately 81 percent. A nonresponse bias analysis was performed because the weighted response rate was less than 85 percent, and the results suggest that nonresponse bias is not an issue for SSOCS:2010. For more information about the methodology and design of SSOCS, including how response rates were calculated and the details of the nonresponse bias analysis, please see Appendix B: Methodology and Technical Notes in this report. Because the purpose of this report is to introduce new NCES data through the presentation of tables containing descriptive information, only selected findings are presented below. These findings have been chosen to demonstrate the range of information available when using SSOCS:2010 data rather than to discuss all of the observed differences. The tables in this report contain totals and percentages generated from bivariate cross-tabulation procedures. All of the results are weighted to represent the population of U.S. public schools. Comparisons drawn in the bulleted items below have been tested for statistical significance at the .05 level using Student's t statistic to ensure that the differences are larger than those that might be expected due to sampling variation. Adjustments for multiple comparisons were not included. Many of the variables examined are related to one another, and complex interactions and relationships have not been explored. Due to the large sample size, many differences (no matter how substantively minor) are statistically significant; thus, only differences of 5 percentage points or more between groups are mentioned in the findings.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2011. 85p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2012 at http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011320.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011320.pdf

Shelf Number: 124948

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
School Safety
School Violence

Author: Taylor, Rachel S.

Title: Kept Out: Barriers to Meaningful Education in the School-To-Prison Pipeline

Summary: In the United States today, a large subset of our student population is denied the right to an education. Most of these youth, low-income and at-risk, are already particularly vulnerable, yet rather than being provided support services and a meaningful education, they are labeled “undesirable” or “bad kids.” Denying access to education can produce life-altering results for any student, and for these vulnerable youth the effects are often especially dire. “Keep Out” is a phenomenon that occurs when students try to reenter a setting where they can access meaningful education and are denied by the policies and practices of the education and juvenile justice systems. Keep Out is a part of the larger School-To-Prison Pipeline. The Pipeline includes disciplinary and discretionary policies that push youth out of school and into the criminal justice system. Students of color, low-income students, and students with disabilities are disproportionately affected. This report is the product of interviews with over 100 stakeholders — including students, teachers, administrators, probation officers, education advocates, and many others — in Los Angeles, California, all of whom were interviewed in January of 2012. These interviews tell the stories of students who were unable to access education after being removed from school, often for disciplinary reasons. The report is organized around three main findings: “You Can’t Come Back” deals with direct Keep Out and tells the stories of students who, when trying to reenter their schools, were denied access or transferred away. Schools use a variety of excuses and evade general school-access requirements in order to keep these students out. • School safety concerns are often cited to justify student exclusion, which affects particularly vulnerable groups of students including youth on probation, girls who are pregnant, students with perceived and actual disciplinary problems, or those who are or are thought to be academically low performing. • Some students are kept out based on the rationale that they are too old, have too few credits, or some combination of the two. • Schools deny students access to education by transferring them away to schools that are physically inaccessible or unsafe for that student. “Slipping Through the Cracks” discusses indirect Keep Out and addresses what happens to students who are unable to reenter school because of administrative and logistical barriers. • Inadequate crediting and record keeping in alternative and juvenile justice schools impede students’ return to traditional schools by making enrollment and completion of sufficient credits for graduation nearly impossible. • Lack of coordination and planning among alternative schools, juvenile justice schools, and traditional schools prevents students from transitioning back to traditional schools. • Traditional schools are able to keep students out because students and families do not know the extent of their educational rights or how to enforce them. “School Is Not for Me” explains constructive Keep Out and highlights the stories of students whose school experiences have been so discouraging and inadequate that they have given up on pursuing a traditional education. • A lack of wrap-around services in traditional schools means that students’ most basic needs are often unmet, leaving little room for students and families to focus on education. • Students are not always given the support they need to succeed and are often harshly stigmatized when they are suspended, expelled, or associated with the criminal justice system. • Even if students are able to get back into a classroom, alternative and juvenile justice system schools often lack a consistent education that meets students’ needs.

Details: Washington, DC: Georgetown Law School Human Rights Institute, 2012. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2012 at: http://www.law.georgetown.edu/humanrightsinstitute/documents/keptout.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://www.law.georgetown.edu/humanrightsinstitute/documents/keptout.pdf

Shelf Number: 125166

Keywords:
Education
Juvenile Delinquency Prevention
Racial Disparities
School Crime
School Discipline
School Suspensions (U.S.)
School-to-Prison Pipeline
Zero Tolerance

Author: The Sikh Coalition

Title: Bullying in New York City Schools: Educators Speak Out 2009-2010

Summary: On September 3, 2008, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein announced Chancellor’s Regulation A-832, which established a procedure for preventing and addressing student-to-student bias-based harassment in New York City public schools. During the 2009-2010 school year, our organizations continued to monitor the implementation of Regulation A-832 as well as the Respect for All program. Rather than survey students again about the regulation’s implementation, we chose to survey teachers, who are at the frontlines of ensuring that city schools have safe, respectful climates. In all, we surveyed about 200 teachers and other school staff members from 117 schools to gather valuable anecdotal input on the DOE’s progress employing its anti-bullying measures. This report summarizes the findings from our 2009-2010 survey and provides an assessment of Chancellor’s Regulation A- 832 in its second year. We hope it will provide a road map for improving compliance with Regulation A-832 and expanding Respect for All programming, as well as encourage the DOE to quickly come into compliance with the Dignity for All Students Act, a new state law that requires schools to take affirmative measures (training, counseling, education) to prevent and respond to incidents of bullying and harassment. The results of our 2009-2010 survey of teachers and school staff about bias-based harassment reveal that, despite some progress, the New York City Department of Education (DOE) still has not dedicated adequate resources to fully employ its primary anti-bullying tool, Chancellor’s Regulation A-832. With media outlets reporting more and more horrific bias-based attacks in New York City schools and schools around the country, full implementation of the regulation is more urgent than ever. The DOE has, however, taken many important steps in the right direction. Spring 2010 brought the first ever Respect for All Week, which carried with it a promise to deliver more trainings for students on diversity issues. We applaud the DOE and City Council Speaker Quinn’s office for initiating this program, and are eager to work together in making it even more successful in the future. As our findings demonstrate, though, much more work is needed to provide all city students an educational environment free from discrimination and harassment.

Details: New York: The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, 2010. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 13, 2012 at http://aaldef.org/Bullying%20Report.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://aaldef.org/Bullying%20Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 125253

Keywords:
Bullying (New York City)
Criminal Justice Policy
School Crime
Schools

Author: Miller, Johanna

Title: Education Interrupted: The Growing Use of Suspensions in New York City's Public Schools

Summary: The New York State Constitution guarantees a free public education to all children in New York. In addition, both international human rights bodies and U.S. courts have recognized that a free education is the cornerstone of success and social development for young people. In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court unequivocally stated, “In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education.” Unfortunately, growing reliance on exclusionary punishments such as suspensions effectively denies many children their right to an education. This is true nationwide, and also in New York City, where zero tolerance discipline is the norm. The New York Civil Liberties Union analyzed 10 years of discipline data from New York City schools, and found that: •The total number of suspensions in New York City grew at an alarming rate over the last decade: One out of every 14 students was suspended in 2008-2009; in 1999-2000 it was one in 25. In 2008-2009, this added up to more than 73,000 suspensions. •Students with disabilities are four times more likely to be suspended than students without disabilities. •Black students, who comprise 33 percent of the student body, served 53 percent of suspensions over the past 10 years. Black students with disabilities represent more than 50 percent of suspended students with disabilities. •Black students also served longer suspensions on average and were more likely to be suspended for subjective misconduct, like profanity and insubordination. •Suspensions are becoming longer: More than 20 percent of suspensions lasted more than one week in 2008-2009, compared to 14 percent in 1999-2000. The average length of a long-term suspension is five weeks (25 school days). •Between 2001 and 2010, the number of infractions listed in the schools’ Discipline Code increased by 49 percent. During that same period, the number of zero tolerance infractions, which mandate a suspension regardless of the individual facts of the incident, increased by 200 percent. •Thirty percent of suspensions occur during March and June of each school year.

Details: New York: New York Civil Liberties Union, 2011. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 14, 2012 at: http://www.nyclu.org/files/publications/Suspension_Report_FINAL_noSpreads.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.nyclu.org/files/publications/Suspension_Report_FINAL_noSpreads.pdf

Shelf Number: 125260

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline (New York City)
School Suspensions
Zero Tolerance, Schools

Author: Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children

Title: Tackling Violence in Schools: A Global Perspective. Bridging the Gap Between Standards and Practice

Summary: Education has a unique potential to create a positive environment in which non-violent behaviour can be learned, to provide skills that enable people to communicate, negotiate and support peaceful solutions to conflicts. However, in reality, within and around educational settings, both girls and boys continue to be exposed to violence, including verbal abuse, intimidation and physical aggression and, in some cases, sexual abuse. A new publication entitled Tackling Violence in Schools: A Global Perspective was launched at the event. The objectives of the panel discussion were to raise awareness about the global reality, causes and consequences of violence faced by children in and around schools; to share good practices and strategies on how to prevent and address violence in and around schools and to discuss the importance of cooperation at local, national, regional and international levels.

Details: New York: Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children, 2012. 57p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2012 at: http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/sites/default/files/publications/Tackling%20Violence%20in%20Schools%20final.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: International

URL: http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/sites/default/files/publications/Tackling%20Violence%20in%20Schools%20final.pdf

Shelf Number: 125672

Keywords:
School Bullying
School Crime
School Security
School Violence

Author: Biegel, Stuart

Title: Safe at School: Addressing the School Environment and LGBT Safety through Policy and Legislation

Summary: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students face a unique set of safety concerns each day. Over 85% report being harassed because of their sexual or gender identity, and over 20% report being physically attacked. Far too often teachers and administrators do nothing in response. In part because of this, the suicide rate for LGBT students continues to be 3-4 times higher than that of their straight counterparts, and in some parts of the country LGBT runaways may comprise up to 40% of the entire teen homeless population. Advances in law and policy have helped lead to much more fulfilling and productive lives for many LGBT persons, but the problems facing LGBT youth in America‘s public schools are still substantial. Gay and gender-non-conforming students continue to be confronted with challenges that can become overwhelming. Court records and academic research reveal a highly troubling pattern of mistreatment, negative consequences, and a dramatic failure on the part of many educational institutions to adequately address LGBT-related issues and concerns. This brief describes those issues, presents concrete policy recommendations, and then offers model statutory code language to implement many of those recommendations.

Details: Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center, University of Colorado, 2010. 51p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 20, 2012 at: http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/safe-at-school

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/safe-at-school

Shelf Number: 125702

Keywords:
Bias Motivated Crimes
Discrimination
Gender Identity
Hate Crimes (U.S.)
School Crime
School Safety

Author: Guasp, April

Title: The School Report: The Experiences of Gay Young People in Britain's Schools in 2012

Summary: Key findings: Homophobic bullying continues to be widespread in Britain’s schools. More than half (55 per cent) of lesbian, gay and bisexual pupils have experienced direct bullying The use of homophobic language is endemic. Almost all (99 per cent) gay young people hear the phrases ‘that’s so gay’ or ‘you’re so gay’ in school and ninety six per cent of gay pupils hear homophobic language such as ‘poof’ or ‘lezza’ Three in five gay pupils who experience homophobic bullying say that teachers who witness the bullying never intervene Only half of gay pupils report that their schools say homophobic bullying is wrong, even fewer do in faith schools (37 per cent) Homophobic bullying has a profoundly damaging impact on young people’s school experience. One in three (32 per cent) gay pupils experiencing bullying change their future educational plans because of it and three in five say it impacts directly on their school work Gay people who are bullied are at a higher risk of suicide, self-harm and depression. Two in five (41 per cent) have attempted or thought about taking their own life directly because of bullying and the same number say that they deliberately self-harm directly because of bullying

Details: London: Stonewall, 2012. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 20, 2012 at: http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_school/education_resources/7957.asp

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_school/education_resources/7957.asp

Shelf Number: 125705

Keywords:
Bias Motivated Crime
Gays, Crimes Against
Gender Identity
Hate Crimes
Homophobia
School Bullying
School Crime
School Safety

Author: Kosciw, Joseph G.

Title: The 2011 National School Climate Survey The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth in Our Nation’s Schools

Summary: This report examined the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students in America's schools. The 2011 survey found for the first time both decreased levels of biased language and victimization and increased levels of student access to LGBT-related school resources and support. The 2011 survey demonstrates a continued decline in anti-LGBT language over the years, and for the first time the 2011 survey shows a significant decrease in victimization based on sexual orientation. The survey has also consistently indicated that a safer school climate directly relates to the availability of LGBT school-based resources and support, including Gay-Straight Alliances, inclusive curriculum, supportive school staff and comprehensive anti-bullying policies. The 2011 survey had 8,584 student respondents from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. "GLSEN has worked tirelessly for more than two decades to address endemic bias and violence directed at LGBT students in our schools," said GLSEN's Executive Director Dr. Eliza Byard. "With this report, we are beginning to be able to discern real impact of our efforts. Much work remains to be done to turn promising change into a concrete, sustainable reality, but those schools and districts that are taking action are beginning to make a real difference in improving the lives of students and providing better educational opportunity for all." Despite signs of progress, the survey found that the majority of LGBT students are faced with many obstacles in school affecting their academic performance and personal well-being. Results indicated that 8 out of 10 LGBT students (81.9%) experienced harassment at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation, three fifths (63.5%) felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation and nearly a third (29.8%) skipped a day of school in the past month because of safety concerns.

Details: New York: The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), 2012. 160p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2012 at: http://www.glsen.org/binary-data/GLSEN_ATTACHMENTS/file/000/002/2105-1.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://www.glsen.org/binary-data/GLSEN_ATTACHMENTS/file/000/002/2105-1.pdf

Shelf Number: 126472

Keywords:
Discrimination
Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals, Crime Against
School Bullying
School Crime
School Safety (U.S.)

Author: DeLauri, Linda

Title: A Seamless Web of Support: Effective Strategies for Redirecting the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Summary: Decrying an escalation in harsh, exclusionary school discipline and its ensuing “school to prison pipeline,” educators, civil rights lawyers, civil libertarians, parents and students have successfully moved “zero-tolerance” to the center of educational policy discussions. It is obvious that suspension and expulsion rob students of instructional time, endangering their academic performance in the short term. But research also demonstrates a strong association between suspension/expulsion and dropping out of school. It is well established that dropping out is strongly associated with involvement in the criminal justice system and incarceration. This CHHIRJ brief, “A Seamless Web of Support,” explores promising alternatives to suspension and expulsion and offers concrete recommendations to educators, litigators, advocates and the professionals who work with youth and their families.

Details: Cambridge, MA: Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race & Justice, Harvard Law School, 2010. 21p.

Source: CHHIRJ Brief: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2012 at http://www.charleshamiltonhouston.org/assets/documents/publications/SeamlessWeb.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.charleshamiltonhouston.org/assets/documents/publications/SeamlessWeb.pdf

Shelf Number: 126510

Keywords:
Education
Juvenile Delinquency Prevention
School Crime
School Discipline
School Suspensions
School-to-Prison Pipeline, Alternatives to

Author: Rigby, Ken

Title: Applying the Method of Shared Concern in Australian Schools: An Evaluative Study

Summary: The general aim of this inquiry is to provide a description and evaluation of the Method of Shared Concern, a non-punitive method of addressing cases on bullying in schools. It inquires into how the Method is being applied in a sample of Australian schools in 2008 and examines its general effectiveness. Specifically, the inquiry examines how in practice the Method is being employed by practitioners in Australian schools. As such, the aim is to obtain detailed accounts of a number of cases, focusing on: • what the practitioner did in applying the method, the decisions they made and the outcomes achieved at each stage of the process • how the students involved in the intervention actually reacted • what problems were encountered • reflections of the practitioner and researcher on the applications. The effectiveness of the Method was to be judged according to two criteria: 1. whether the application of the Method brought about a cessation or reduction in the bullying experienced by the person or persons being targeted 2. the effects on other persons taking part in the interventions process, including those who had participated and the person acting as the practitioner.

Details: Canberra, ACT: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 2010. 124p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2012 at: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/NationalSafeSchools/Documents/covertBullyReports/MethodOFSharedConcern.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/NationalSafeSchools/Documents/covertBullyReports/MethodOFSharedConcern.pdf

Shelf Number: 126736

Keywords:
School Bullying (Australia)
School Crime
School Discipline

Author: Farrington, David P.

Title: School Bullying, Depression and Offending Behaviour Later in Life An Updated Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies

Summary: Bullying is a problem among children all over the world. In an earlier report in this series, two of the authors of this study have shown that systematic school programs have proven to be effective in preventing bullying. This was an encouraging result. A further question of interest is that of whether bullying also influences the bullies and the victims later on in life in terms of subsequent offending and mental health problems. The answer to this question would reveal whether the prevention of bullying also constitutes a means of preventing future crime and mental health related issues. This is the question answered by the four authors of this report on the basis of a systematic review that includes a number of statistical meta-analyses. There are never sufficient resources to conduct rigorous evaluations of all the crime prevention measures employed in an individual country such as Sweden. Nor are there resources to conduct scientific studies of all of the effects produced by e.g. early riskfactors on later offending. This report presents a systematic review, including a number of statistical meta-analyses, of the impact of bullying on later offending and depression, with regard to both the bullies and those exposed to bullying. The study follows the rigorous methodological requirements of a systematic review. The analysis combines the results from a substantial number of studies that are considered to satisfy a list of empirical criteria for measuring the correlations of bullying perpetration and victimization with offending and depression as reliably as possible. The meta-analysis then uses the results from these six previous studies to calculate and produce a robust overview of the impact of bullying on negative outcomes later in life. The systematic review, and the statistical meta-analyses, in this case builds upon a large number of scientific studies from different part of the world, producing highly relevant findings on the impact of bullying among children on offending and depression later in life. Although some important questions remain unanswered, the study provides the most accessible and far-reaching overview of this important issue that has been produced to date.

Details: Stockholm, Sweden: Brottsförebyggande rådet/The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, 2012. 116p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2012 at: http://www.bra.se/bra/bra-in-english/home/publications/archive/publications/2012-06-11-school-bullying-depression-and-offending-behaviour-later-in-life.html

Year: 2012

Country: International

URL: http://www.bra.se/bra/bra-in-english/home/publications/archive/publications/2012-06-11-school-bullying-depression-and-offending-behaviour-later-in-life.html

Shelf Number: 126753

Keywords:
Bullying
Depression
Mental Health
School Crime

Author: Greenwald, Mark A.

Title: Delinquency in Florida’s Schools: An Eight-Year Study (FY 2004-05 through FY 2011-12)

Summary: This report summarizes delinquency arrests received by the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) for offenses occurring on school grounds, a school bus (or bus stop), or at an official school event between FY2004-05 and FY2011-12. • Delinquency arrests for school-related offenses declined 50% and resulted in 48% fewer youth being arrested in Florida’s schools over the past eight years. • School-related delinquency arrests during FY2011-12 accounted for 14% of all the cases handled by DJJ, which is down from 19% during FY 2004-05. • A statewide average of 10 school-related delinquency arrests were received by DJJ for every 1,000 public school students (grades 6-12). • While only representing 21% of the youth ages 10-17 in Florida, black males and females accounted for almost half (47%) of all school‐related arrests. • The differences are substantial between white youth and their nonwhite counterparts in case outcomes for school-related offenses. For example, black males were substantially more likely to receive commitment dispositions or to have their cases transferred to adult court. In addition, black youth were more likely to have their cases ultimately dismissed than their white counterparts. • Misdemeanor “assault and battery” and “disorderly conduct” accounted for 39% of all school‐related delinquency arrests. [Including “misdemeanor violation of drug laws ” increases this to 56%] • Drug and weapon offenses accounted for 27% of all school‐related arrests. • Misdemeanors accounted for 67% of school‐related arrests. • First time delinquents accounted for 51% of the youth receiving school-related arrests during FY2011-12. This is down 7% from the previous year. • School-related delinquency arrests that were ultimately dismissed/not filed or received some type of diversion service totaled 65% during FY2011-12. • Of youth that were referred from schools, 83% had at least one previous out-of-school suspension. • Of youth referred from schools, 29% were identified as Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students. This is down 5% from the previous year.

Details: Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, 2013. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2013 at: http://www.djj.state.fl.us/docs/comm/fy-2011-12-delinquency-in-schools-analysis-(final-release)-(1-3-2012).pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://www.djj.state.fl.us/docs/comm/fy-2011-12-delinquency-in-schools-analysis-(final-release)-(1-3-2012).pdf

Shelf Number: 127579

Keywords:
Juvenile Delinquency (Florida)
School Crime

Author: Wilhelm, Daniel F.

Title: Youth, Safety, and Violence: Schools, Communities, and Mental Health

Summary: One of the most shocking elements of the Newtown, Connecticut tragedy is that it took place in what is supposed to be a safe place for children: a school. Understandably, much attention is being paid to how to make and keep schools safe. Some propose that increasing the police presence in schools is necessary. However, in a 2005 national survey of principals, a quarter of those who reported the presence of school-based law enforcement personnel (often referred to as School Resource Officers, or SROs) said that the primary reason for introducing police was not the level of violence in the school, disorder problems, or even requests from parents, but “national media attention about school violence.” In considering this approach, it is important to recognize that little is known about the immediate and long-term effects of such a policy and practice. Intensive information gathering and discussion about the potential implications of allowing or increasing school-based police is needed to ensure that a well-intentioned policy initiative does not have unintended consequences, such as: further criminalizing youth, particularly youth of color from marginalized and under-resourced communities; impeding the development of positive school enviroments; and in some cases, actually reducing the likelihood of achieving the goal of fostering safe school environments. It is also necessary to put school violence in context: according to national data, less than 1 percent of all homicides among school-aged children occur on school grounds or in transit to and from school. This figure does not detract from the tragedy of any death or other violent incidents related to school, but it demonstrates where most lethal violence takes place in young people’s lives: outside school settings.

Details: New York: Vera Institute of Justice, 2013. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed March 12, 2013 at: http://www.vera.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/youth-safety-and-violence.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://www.vera.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/youth-safety-and-violence.pdf

Shelf Number: 127926

Keywords:
Homicides
Mental Health Services
School Crime
School Resource Officers
School Safety
School Violence (U.S.)

Author: Frondigoun, Liz

Title: The Scottish Campus Officer: Past, Present and Future

Summary: Campus Officers were first deployed in Scottish Schools in 2002. The Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) provides a hub for information sharing and training of Campus Officers. However, the appointment and deployment of Campus Officers currently lies with the individual Police Force in which the officers serve (Frondigoun, Smith & MacLeod, 2013). However, to date there has been little empirical academic research in Scotland into the role of Campus Officers (Smith & Frondigoun, 2011). This report results from our SIPR1 sponsored two year research project into Campus Officers in Scotland. Our initial interest stemmed from a smaller project in which we tried to initiate a ‘Practice Note’ series of studies into Community Policing practices. Practice notes are a powerful medium for promulgating occupational skills and knowledge. We co-authored one such practice note with a Campus Officer (see Smith & Frondigoun, 20112). Although a variety of academic issues interfered with our plans to further that project, we were so impressed by the work of the Campus Officer we worked with that we re-thought our research strategy and decided to concentrate our efforts on a study of Campus Officers in a Scottish context. Since producing our first practice note in 2012 we have forged links with the VRU Campus Officers Forum. While the original aim of a series of briefing sheets has not been shelved, the quality and quantity of material gathered has grown substantially. In Scotland, prevention, intervention, diversion, and partnership approaches lie at the core of current youth justice thinking in relation to the policing of troubled and troublesome young people, reducing antisocial behaviour and increasing public reassurance. This research was developed in relation to one of SIPR’s aims: to promote the dissemination of policing policy and practice through ‘high quality, independent research [...] to make evidence-based contributions to policing policy and practice.

Details: Dundee: Scottish Institute for Policing Research, 2013. 73p.

Source: Internet Resource: http://www.cypnow.co.uk/digital_assets/The_Scottish_Campus_Officer.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.cypnow.co.uk/digital_assets/The_Scottish_Campus_Officer.pdf

Shelf Number: 129165

Keywords:
Campus Police (Scotland, U.K.)
Gangs
School Crime
School Security

Author: Welch, Edward

Title: Preventing School Shootings: A Public Health approach to Gun Violence

Summary: Gun violence in America must be addressed at the highest levels of society. Newtown, Aurora, and Virginia Tech were attacks on the very fabric of America. School shootings represent attacks on our nations' future. A public health approach to gun violence focuses on prevention. Public safety professionals, educators and community leaders are squandering opportunities to prevent horrific acts of extreme violence. Preparedness is derived by planning, which is critical to mobilizing resources when needed. Rational public policy can work. Sensible gun legislation, which is accessible through a public health approach to gun violence, neither marginalizes nor stigmatizes any one group. University administrators must fully engage the entire arsenal of resources available to confront this pernicious threat. The academic community can create powerful networks for research, collaboration and information sharing. These collective learning environments are investments in the knowledge economy. In order for the police to remain relevant, they must actively engage the community they serve by developing the operational art necessary to cultivate knowledge, relationships and expertise. Police departments must emphasize strategies that improve performance. Police officers must understand the mission and meaning of "To Protect and Serve" and the consequences of public safety, which often comes at their personal peril. Gun violence in America is a public health epidemic and preventing it requires a collective responsibility

Details: Monterey, CA: Naval Postgraduate School, 2013. 171p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed October 28, 2013 at:

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=736339

Shelf Number: 131398

Keywords:
Colleges and Universities
Gun Control
Gun Violence
School Crime
School Safety
School Shootings
School Violence

Author: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales

Title: National Evaluation of the Restorative Justice in Schools Programme

Summary: In May 2000, the Youth Justice Board of England and Wales launched a pilot initiative to test the impact of restorative justice conferences in two Lambeth schools. Following early signs that restorative justice conferences showed promise in addressing bullying and other forms of anti-social behaviour, the Board was successful in attracting funding for three years from the Treasury's Invest to Save fund to extend the programme to other areas of London in April 2001. Borough partnerships were invited to tender for these initiatives through the local Youth Offending Teams (Yots). By the end of May 2001, three other boroughs joined the initiative, following the tender process: Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Islington. However, by the summer of 2002, only one of the new boroughs (Hammersmith and Fulham) had made any progress towards implementing a programme of restorative justice work in schools, and the Board decided to take back the funds that had been allocated to Hackney and Islington. The remaining funding was repackaged into a national programme, and Yots in England and Wales were invited to apply for funds to implement restorative projects within schools in their local area. Due to the lack of progress in implementing projects in Hackney and Islington, bids had to demonstrate that Yots already had relationships with the schools in their area. Seven Yots were successful in this bidding process: Barnet, Blackpool, Medway, North Lincolnshire, Oxford, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Somerset. The projects spanned a range of different approaches to introducing restorative practices into schools, including restorative justice conferences. Chapter 3 of this report details these approaches. The newly recruited Yots had only 18 months to develop and implement their projects (because of considerably smaller budgets, ranging between $15,000 and $44,000, and the timespan of the Treasury grant) rather than the three years that the Hammersmith and Fulham, and Lambeth projects had had to implement their projects. As such, the Restorative Justice in Schools programme consisted of nine local Yots working across 26 schools (20 secondary and 6 primary). The contract to evaluate these initiatives was awarded to Partners in Evaluation, a specialist agency with a multi-ethnic team of researchers and a national reputation for conducting evaluations in the fields of health, education, social exclusion and regeneration. The evaluation was intended to explore the following research questions: 1. What are the levels of victimisation, bullying and robbery in the schools in the study? 2. How are restorative justice approaches introduced into the schools? 3. To what extent are participants in restorative justice conferences (victims and offenders) satisfied with the process at the time of the conference?

Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2004. 99p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 24, 2014 at: http://www.restorativejustice.org.uk/resource/national_evaluation_of_the_restorative_justice_in_schools_programme/

Year: 2004

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.restorativejustice.org.uk/resource/national_evaluation_of_the_restorative_justice_in_schools_programme/

Shelf Number: 131797

Keywords:
Bullying
Delinquency Prevention
Juvenile Offenders
Restorative Justice
School Crime
School Violence

Author: Kang-Brown, Jacob

Title: A Generation Later: What We've Learned about Zero Tolerance in Schools

Summary: In considering different strategies for promoting productive and safe school environments, it can be difficult to know what works and what doesn't. In particular, longstanding debates about zero tolerance policies leave many people confused about the basic facts. How do these policies that mandate specific and harsh punishments affect individual students and the overall school environment? Have zero tolerance policies helped to create a school-to-prison pipeline as many people argue? And if the costs outweigh the benefits, are there alternatives to zero tolerance that are more effective? This publication aims to answer these questions by drawing on the best empirical research produced to date, and to identify the questions that remain unanswered. Most importantly, this publication strives to be practical. We believe that with a clearer understanding of the facts, policymakers and school administrators can join with teachers and concerned parents to maintain order and safety in ways that enhance education and benefit the public interest.

Details: New York: Vera Institute of Justice, 2013. 10p.

Source: Internet Resource: Issue Brief: Accessed January 27, 2014 at: http://www.vera.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/zero-tolerance-in-schools-policy-brief.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://www.vera.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/zero-tolerance-in-schools-policy-brief.pdf

Shelf Number: 131807

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
School Suspensions
Zero Tolerance Policies

Author: American Civil Liberties Union of Florida

Title: Still Haven't Shut Off the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Evaluating the Impact of Florida's New Zero-Tolerance Law

Summary: In the spring of 2009, the Florida legislature amended its harsh zero-tolerance school discipline law with the passage of SB 1540. The law enacted some significant changes, such as encouraging schools to handle petty disciplinary infractions and misdemeanor offenses in school instead of relying on the juvenile justice system and exclusionary discipline. It seemed like after nearly a decade's worth of embarrassing news reports and multiple studies about the devastating effects of harsh school disciplinary practices in Florida schools, Florida was finally moving in the right direction. Unfortunately, our analysis demonstrates that meaningful reform has still not reached most of the schools - and students - across the state. While there has been some encouraging progress, the implementation of Florida's new zero-tolerance law has fallen substantially short of what is needed to adequately address the over-criminalization of Florida's youth and the over-reliance on exclusionary discipline by Florida's schools. For example: - Nearly half of all Florida school districts had more or the same number of referrals to the Department of Juvenile Justice following the passage of SB 1540 than they had the year before. - 67% of student referrals to the juvenile justice system were for misdemeanor offenses, meaning there were over 12,000 referrals just for these lower-level offenses. - Racial disparities in referrals to the juvenile justice system actually got worse after the passage of SB 1540. - Most school districts' policies still allow for extremely severe punishments - such as arrest, referral to law enforcement, and expulsion - for relatively minor infractions. Because Florida's students continue to have their educational opportunities - and thus, their life chances - limited by the over-use of harsh and unfair school discipline, there is an urgent need for action, at both the state and local levels. Fortunately, schools and districts across the country have already shown the way forward, and have pursued highly-effective strategies that can serve as a model for Florida. Still Haven't Shut Off the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Evaluating the Impact of Florida's New Zero-Tolerance Law presents a series of recommendations that, if implemented, can reduce Florida's dropout rate, build safer and more effective schools, limit the number of youth entering the juvenile and criminal justice systems, use the State's law enforcement agencies more efficiently, save taxpayer dollars, and build healthier communities throughout Florida.

Details: Miami, FL: ACLU of Florida, 2012. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2014 at: http://aclufl.org/resources/still-havent-shut-off-the-school-to-prison-pipeline-evaluating-the-impact-of-floridas-new-zero-tolerance-law/

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://aclufl.org/resources/still-havent-shut-off-the-school-to-prison-pipeline-evaluating-the-impact-of-floridas-new-zero-tolerance-law/

Shelf Number: 132102

Keywords:
Racial Disparities
School Crime
School Discipline
School Suspensions
Zero Tolerance

Author: U.S. Government Accountability Office

Title: Child Welfare: Federal Agencies Can Better Support State Efforts to Prevent and Respond to Sexual Abuse by School Personnel

Summary: While all child abuse is troubling, sexual abuse by school personnel raises particular concerns because of the trust placed in schools. Federal laws prohibit sexual harassment, including sexual abuse, in federally-funded education programs and set minimum standards for state laws on reporting suspected child abuse. GAO was asked to review efforts to address child sexual abuse by school personnel. GAO examined: (1) states' and school districts' steps to help prevent such abuse, (2) their reporting requirements and approaches for investigating allegations, and (3) federal agencies' efforts to address such abuse. GAO reviewed relevant federal laws, regulations, and guidance; surveyed state educational agencies in 50 states and the District of Columbia; and visited four states and six of their districts. States were selected based on actions taken in response to past allegations of abuse. GAO interviewed state agencies, school districts, local law enforcement and child protective service agencies, and experts identified through a systematic literature review. GAO recommends that Education collaborate with HHS and Justice to compile and disseminate information to states; identify a way to track the prevalence of sexual abuse; and that Education also clarify and disseminate information on how Title IX applies to personnel-to-student sexual abuse in the K-12 setting. Education and HHS provided technical comments and Education concurred with our recommendations. Justice had no comments.

Details: Washington, DC: GAO, 2014. 72p.

Source: Internet Resource: GAO-14-42: Accessed April 22, 2014 at: http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/660375.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/660375.pdf

Shelf Number: 132124

Keywords:
Child Protection
Child Sexual Abuse
School Crime

Author: Blaya, Catherine

Title: Expel Violence! A Systematic Review of Interventions to Prevent Corporal Punishment, Sexual Violence and Bullying in Schools

Summary: School violence and peer victimization have become a focus concern due to isolated single, extremely violent events (e.g. school shootings). Even in its less serious forms, the issues of violence and behaviour management in schools trigger a great deal of stress for both pupils and school staff. More broadly, school victimization is a predictor of school drop out; criminality; as well as social exclusion for both victims and perpetrators (Olweus, 1991; Farrington, 1993; Smith, 2004). It is also damaging to the general school climate and quality of education (Debarbieux, 1999). School bullying has become one of the main concerns in Northern Europe (Olweus,1978), England (Smith and Sharp, 1994), Spain (Ortega, 1992) and throughout Europe and other countries such as Australia, Japan and North America (Rigby & Slee, 1991; Twemlow et al., 1996; Smith et al., 1999; Cowie, 2000). Other types of violence such as corporal punishment and sexual abuse are common in some countries. Corporal punishment, although it contravenes the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child remains legal in many countries. Research provided evidence that it remains to be considered the best solution for misbehaviour or conflicts with children by some teachers and head-teachers. This includes developed countries such as the United States, where in the late 1980's, it was estimated that corporal punishment was administered between 1 and 2 million times in schools (American Academy of Pediatrics - Committee on School Health, 2000). It is commonly administered to maintain attention and order within the classroom; for poor timekeeping or as a result of bad academic grades (Human Rights Watch: http://www.hrw.org). Sexual abuse by teachers is frequent in some countries. This is not only traumatic for the victims, but also provides a negative male role model to witnesses. In other countries, the fear of girls being sexually abused or threatened leads some ethnic minorities to exclude them from mainstream education (Blaya, 2003). Male pupils and male teachers are usually the perpetrators, with female pupils being the victims. Sexual violence has an impact not only on mental, but also on physical health and is the focus of concern of the World Health Organization and public health sectors worldwide due to sexually transmitted diseases, mainly HIV.

Details: Woking, Surrey, UK: Plan Limited, 2008. 182p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2014 at: https://plan-international.org/learnwithoutfear/files/expel-violence-english

Year: 2008

Country: International

URL: https://plan-international.org/learnwithoutfear/files/expel-violence-english

Shelf Number: 132129

Keywords:
Child Sexual Violence
Corporal Punishment
Peer Victimization
School Bullying
School Crime
School Violence

Author: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights

Title: Data Snapshot: School Discipline

Summary: INSIDE THIS SNAPSHOT: School Discipline, Restraint, & Seclusion Highlights - Suspension of preschool children, by race/ethnicity and gender (new for 2011-2012 collection): Black children represent 18% of preschool enrollment, but 48% of preschool children receiving more than one out-of-school suspension; in comparison, white students represent 43% of preschool enrollment but 26% of preschool children receiving more than one out of school suspension. Boys represent 79% of preschool children suspended once and 82% of preschool children suspended multiple times, although boys represent 54% of preschool enrollment. - Disproportionately high suspension/expulsion rates for students of color: Black students are suspended and expelled at a rate three times greater than white students. On average, 5% of white students are suspended, compared to 16% of black students. American Indian and Native-Alaskan students are also disproportionately suspended and expelled, representing less than 1% of the student population but 2% of out-of-school suspensions and 3% of expulsions. - Disproportionate suspensions of girls of color: While boys receive more than two out of three suspensions, black girls are suspended at higher rates (12%) than girls of any other race or ethnicity and most boys; American Indian and Native-Alaskan girls (7%) are suspended at higher rates than white boys (6%) or girls (2%). - Suspension of students with disabilities and English learners: Students with disabilities are more than twice as likely to receive an out-of-school suspension (13%) than students without disabilities (6%). In contrast, English learners do not receive out-of-school suspensions at disproportionately high rates (7% suspension rate, compared to 10% of student enrollment). - Suspension rates, by race, sex, and disability status combined: With the exception of Latino and Asian-American students, more than one out of four boys of color with disabilities (served by IDEA) - and nearly one in five girls of color with disabilities - receives an out-of-school suspension. - Arrests and referrals to law enforcement, by race and disability status: While black students represent 16% of student enrollment, they represent 27% of students referred to law enforcement and 31% of students subjected to a school-related arrest. In comparison, white students represent 51% of enrollment, 41% of students referred to law enforcement, and 39% of those arrested. Students with disabilities (served by IDEA) represent a quarter of students arrested and referred to law enforcement, even though they are only 12% of the overall student population. - Restraint and seclusion, by disability status and race: Students with disabilities (served by IDEA) represent 12% of the student population, but 58% of those placed in seclusion or involuntary confinement, and 75% of those physically restrained at school to immobilize them or reduce their ability to move freely. Black students represent 19% of students with disabilities served by IDEA, but 36% of these students who are restrained at school through the use of a mechanical device or equipment designed to restrict their freedom of movement.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 2014. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Issue Brief No.1: Accessed April 23, 2014 at: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/crdc-discipline-snapshot.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/crdc-discipline-snapshot.pdf

Shelf Number: 132140

Keywords:
Racial Disparities
School Crime
School Discipline
School Suspension

Author: Yiu, Ho Lam

Title: Community Change, School Disorder, School Social Bonds, and Youth Gang Involvement

Summary: Kirk and Laub (2010) observed that community effects on crime should be studied as dynamic processes as communities change. The present research examined schools' role in regulating youth behavior and how community change affects school climate (School Disorder and School Social Bonds; SSB) using social disorganization and social bonds theories. G. Gottfredson, Gottfredson, Czeh, Cantor, Crosse, and Hantman (2000) collected data from a large, national probability sample of schools to examine youth gang problems and school-based intervention and prevention programs. I examined a subsample (N = 269) of these schools. Variables were collected from school rosters and self-report questionnaires. School variables were modeled as latent variables derived from the variance in student responses that is attributed to the school to which the student belonged. Community variables were constructed from the 1990 and 2000 Census data. Multilevel latent variable structural modeling allowed for the examination of individual and community effects on self-reported gang participation. I argued that school characteristics were related to its communities' characteristics, and that school variables contributed to student-reported gang involvement. School characteristics were also hypothesized to mediate the relation between community change and a student's likelihood of gang involvement. Some hypotheses were supported by this research. Findings lend support for the extension of social bonds theory to the school-level. Significant student predictors of the probability of gang involvement included Personal Victimization, Social Bonds, Fear, minority status, and age. At the group-level, SSB and School Disorder explained significant variance in gang involvement in the hypothesized directions, net of all other variables already in the model. A partial mediation of the relationship between School Disorder and the likelihood of gang involvement by the student variables was found. The community change variables were somewhat independent of the school characteristics measured. School-based gang prevention efforts may benefit from a climate characterized by prosocial bonds and low social disorganization, especially for schools in communities that have high levels of concentrated disadvantage and communities projected to experience demographic change. Practical applications of these findings in schools include smaller student-to-teacher ratios and implementing rules that are fair and clear.

Details: College Park, MD: University of Maryland, 2013. 105p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 7, 2014 at: http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/14432/1/Yiu_umd_0117E_14076.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/14432/1/Yiu_umd_0117E_14076.pdf

Shelf Number: 132263

Keywords:
Gangs
School Crime
Social Disorganization
Youth Gangs

Author: Council of State Governments Justice Center

Title: The School Discipline Consensus Report: Strategies from the Field to Keep Students Engaged in School and Out of the Juvenile Justice System

Summary: This comprehensive report provides school leaders and state and local government officials more than 60 recommendations for overhauling their approach to school discipline. The recommendations focus on improving conditions for learning for all students and staff, strengthening responses to student's behavioral health needs, tailoring school-police partnerships, and minimizing students' involvement with the juvenile justice system. The result of more than 700 interviews spanning 3 years, The School Discipline Consensus Report: Strategies from the Field to Keep Students Engaged in School and Out of the Juvenile Justice System reflects a consensus among a wide collection of leaders in the areas of education, health, law enforcement, and juvenile justice, establishing the strategies necessary to reduce the number of youth suspended from school while providing learning conditions that help all students succeed.

Details: New York: Council of State Governments Justice Center, 2014. 461p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 16, 2014 at: http://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/The_School_Discipline_Consensus_Report.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/The_School_Discipline_Consensus_Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 132474

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
School Security
School Suspension

Author: Burke, Arthur

Title: Suspension and Expulsion Patterns in Six Oregon School Districts

Summary: An analysis of six Oregon school districts' data from the 2011/12 school year, conducted by REL Northwest, shows that minority students are more likely to be suspended or expelled than their White peers. Suspension and Expulsion Patterns in Six Oregon School Districts - the first-ever Oregon study to look at discipline information across districts (including Beaverton, Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Portland, Reynolds, and Tigard-Tualatin) - also reveals that male students are more likely to face exclusionary discipline than females, and that special education students are disciplined more frequently than students not in special education. The findings mirror those in a March 2014 report by the Office of Civil Rights[external link], showing disproportionately high suspension/expulsion rates for students of color and for other student subgroups. The REL Northwest study found: - 6.4 percent of students were suspended or expelled during 2011/12 across the six districts - Suspension and expulsion rates varied by student grade level, gender, race/ethnicity, and special education status - Rates for male students were 2.5 times higher than for females - Rates for American Indian, Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students were 1.2-3.1 times those of their White classmates - Rates for special education students were 2.6 times those of students not in special education - Physical and verbal aggression was the most common reason for suspension or expulsion among elementary and middle school students, while insubordination/disruption was the main cause in high schools

Details: Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Education, Northwest Regional Education Laboratory At Education Northwest, 2014. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northwest/pdf/REL_2014028.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northwest/pdf/REL_2014028.pdf

Shelf Number: 132657

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
School Suspension

Author: Harris, Celia

Title: Restorative Justice and Health in Merced Schools

Summary: Human Impact Partners partnered with Building Healthy Communities (BHC) - Merced, Merced Organizing Project, and The California Endowment on a Health Impact Assessment of restorative justice school discipline policies in Merced, CA. The HIA predicts the impacts of restorative justice on educational and fiscal impacts, suspension and school pushout, school climate, and mental health, and makes recommendations for continued and expanded use of restorative justice in these schools and others in the county. HIA findings suggest that a restorative justice discipline approach supports health by reducing suspensions and drop-out; increasing educational attainment and lifetime earning potential; reducing violence, bullying and arrests; improving school climate and relationship-building; and increasing self-esteem.

Details: Oakland, CA: Human Impact Partners, 2014. 59p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed October 2, 2014 at: http://www.humanimpact.org/news/just-released-hia-on-restorative-justice-school-discipline-policies-in-merced-2/

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://www.humanimpact.org/news/just-released-hia-on-restorative-justice-school-discipline-policies-in-merced-2/

Shelf Number: 133538

Keywords:
Restorative Justice
School Crime
School Discipline (California)
School Suspensions

Author: Greene, Margaret Eleanor

Title: A Girl's Right to Learn Without Fear: Working to End-Gender-Based Violence at School

Summary: Education is a fundamental human right for every child but it is too often denied, especially to girls. Plan Canada's latest report, A Girl's Right to Learn Without Fear, produced in partnership with the University of Toronto's International Human Rights Program, and in collaboration with the Canadian Women's Foundation, Native Women's Association of Canada, and White Ribbon Campaign, finds that gender-based violence is a major and critical factor threatening the education of children, and particularly girls, in many countries of the world, including Canada. School-related gender-based violence School-related gender-based violence refers to acts of sexual, physical or psychological violence inflicted on children in and around schools because of stereotypes and roles or norms attributed to or expected of them because of their sex or gender identity. There are immediate and long-term consequences of school-related gender-based violence including health consequences (STDs, HIV infection, unwanted early pregnancies); psychological suffering; poor performance at school; absenteeism; and high dropout rates. - Between 500 million and 1.5 billion children experience violence every year, many in and around the institutions we trust most: our schools. - The World Health Organization ranked Canada as one of the worst countries for its bullying victimization rates. Canada was ranked 27th out of 35 comparable countries - Nearly a quarter of Canadian girls and, at least 15% of boys, have experienced sexual violence before they reach 16. - Female victims of sexual harassment report a loss of interest in school activities, increased absenteeism, lower grades, and increased tardiness and truancy. Ending the violence While violence against children is unjustifiable, it is also preventable. Therefore, the report also focuses on solutions with recommendations for all governments, including Canada's, to put an end to violence against children, with a special focus on girls. The report does not just highlight problems, but is focused on solutions drawn from the experiences of countries leading on these issues. It includes specific recommendations for the Canadian government that are consistent with recent observations on Canada made by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Details: Toronto: Plan Canada, 2012. 94p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed October 20, 2014 at: https://plancanada.ca/document.doc?id=325

Year: 2012

Country: Canada

URL: https://plancanada.ca/document.doc?id=325

Shelf Number: 133781

Keywords:
Gender-Based Violence (Canada)
School Based Violence
School Bullying
School Crime
School Violence
Sexual Harassment
Sexual Violence
Violence Against Girls

Author: Connecticut. Office of the Child Advocate

Title: Shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School

Summary: On Friday, December 14, 2012, our state and nation were stunned by the overwhelming tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School where twenty children and six educators were shot in their school. AL, who had already shot his mother in their home, also shot himself. In the immediate aftermath of this terrible event, state and federal law enforcement agencies began investigating the circumstances leading up to the shooting. On January 30, 2013, the State Child Fatality Review Panel (CFRP)--charged with reviewing the sudden and unexpected death of children-directed the state Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) to investigate the circumstances leading to the death of the children at Sandy Hook, with a focus on any public health recommendations that may emanate from a review of the shooter's personal history. The Office of the Child Advocate, with the assistance of co-authors and consultants, reviewed numerous subjects pertinent to the charge from the CFRP, including: - The mental health, developmental and social history of AL from his birth to the days before the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. - The educational record of AL, including documentation of needs and services provided. - The medical history of AL from childhood to adulthood. - Relevant laws regarding special education and confidentiality of records and how these laws implicate professional obligations and practices. OCA began a comprehensive collection and review of records related to the life of AL-including his medical, mental health and education records, as well as un-redacted state police and law enforcement records. OCA reviewed thousands of pages of documents, consulted with law enforcement and members of the Child Fatality Review Panel, conducted interviews, and incorporated extensive research to develop the report's findings and recommendations.

Details: Hartford, CT: Office of the Child Advocate, 2014. 114p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 8, 2014 at: http://www.ct.gov/oca/lib/oca/sandyhook11212014.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://www.ct.gov/oca/lib/oca/sandyhook11212014.pdf

Shelf Number: 134281

Keywords:
Gun Violence
Mass Homicides (Connecticut)
Mass Murders
School Crime
School Safety
School Shootings
School Violence

Author: Crenshaw, Kimberle Williams

Title: Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced, and Underprotected

Summary: It is well-established in the research literature and by educational advocates that there is a link between the use of punitive disciplinary measures and subsequent patterns of criminal supervision and incarceration. Commonly understood as the "school-to-prison pipeline," this framework highlights the ways that punitive school policies lead to low achievement, system involvement, and other negative outcomes. Efforts to reverse the consequences of this pipeline have typically foregrounded boys of color, especially Black boys, who are suspended or expelled more than any other group. Against the backdrop of the surveillance, punishment, and criminalization of youth of color in the United States, Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced, and Underprotected seeks to increase awareness of the gendered consequences of disciplinary and push-out policies for girls of color, and, in particular, Black girls.11 The report developed out of a critical dialogue about the various ways that women and girls of color are channeled onto pathways that lead to underachievement and criminalization. At the 2012 UCLA School of Law Symposium, "Overpoliced and Underprotected: Women, Race, and Criminalization,"12 formerly incarcerated women, researchers, lawyers, and advocates came together to address the alarming patterns of surveillance, criminal supervision, and incarceration among women and girls of color. The symposium was an effort to investigate the specific contours of race and gender in relationship to zero-tolerance policies, social marginalization, and criminalization.

Details: New York: African American Policy Forum, Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies: 2015. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2015 at: http://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org/sites/default/files/uploads/BlackGirlsMatter_Report.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org/sites/default/files/uploads/BlackGirlsMatter_Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 134747

Keywords:
Disproportionate Minority Contact
Minority Youth (U.S.)
Racial Disparities
School Crime
School Discipline
School Suspensions
Zero Tolerance Policies

Author: University of Memphis. Center for Research on Women

Title: Nowhere to Hide: A Look at the Pervasive Atmosphere of Sexual Harassment in Memphis Area Middle and High Schools

Summary: According to the US Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (2001), "Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment of a student can deny or limit, on the basis of sex, the student's ability to participate in or to receive benefits, services, or opportunities in the school's program. Sexual harassment of students is, therefore, a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX under the circumstances described in this guidance." In two national surveys, the American Association of University Women (AAUW, 1993, 2001) found that approximately 81% of middle and high school students in public schools experienced harassment from peers or school personnel. Our Study CROW designed a study to examine the extent to which students were being sexually harassed in local schools, and how this might be affecting their academic, psychological and social well being. Sexual harassment was defined and measured by grouping specific behaviors into four categories: gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, sexual coercion, and sexual assault. Participants included 590 adolescents in Memphis area middle and high schools, recruited through several local agencies, organizations, and church youth groups that serve adolescents. - 70.4% girls, 29.6% boys - 71.9% African‐American , 23.7% White - 89.5% public schools, 10.5% private/ parochial schools - Average age 15, Range 11 to 19 Results How prevalent is sexual harassment in our schools? - Student‐to‐student sexual harassment, particularly gender harassment, is pervasive in Memphis area middle and high schools with over 90% of students in this study reported being sexually harassed at least once while in their current school. - This pattern holds in both public and private schools. 91.3% of public school students and 85.5% of private school students reported being sexually harassed by a student at least once while in their current school.

Details: Memphis: Center for Research on Women, 2015. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 13, 2015 at: http://memphis.edu/crow/pdfs/Sexual_Harassment_Report_2009_REV_CROW.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://memphis.edu/crow/pdfs/Sexual_Harassment_Report_2009_REV_CROW.pdf

Shelf Number: 135628

Keywords:
School Crime
School Security
Sex Crimes
Sex Discrimination
Sexual Assault
Sexual Harassment
Students, Crimes Against

Author: Cornell, Dewey

Title: Threat Assessment in Virginia Schools: Technical Report of the Threat Assessment Survey for 2013-2014

Summary: In 2013, Virginia passed legislation (S 22.1-79.4) which required local school boards to establish threat assessment teams for each public school. The Threat Assessment Survey was designed to gather information on the quantity and quality of threat cases in Virginia schools in order to assist them in developing effective school safety practices. Threats are broadly defined as a student's communication or behavior that indicates intent to harm someone. Schools were asked to describe their threat assessment program and report on up to five threat assessment cases. An initial summary of overall results is provided in the 2014 School Safety Audit Report. This report is a technical supplement to the 2014 School Safety Audit Report that is intended to provide information specific to elementary, middle, or high schools, excluding 196 other types of schools such as alternative, pre-kindergarten, and special education schools. Many of the analyses in this report are limited to the 810 schools that had at least one threat assessment case during the 2013-14 school year and focused specifically on cases involving threats to harm others. Readers are cautioned that these results are based on a selected sample and may not generalize to all Virginia schools. This report is concerned with describing the threat assessment process from start to finish, with information on the prevalence of threats across school levels and student populations, description of the kinds of threats, how schools responded to threats, and the outcomes for students and their intended victims. One caveat is that prevalence rates and other results obtained from this survey may change in future years as all school threat assessment teams refine their procedures and become more experienced in conducting threat assessments.

Details: Charlottesville, VA: Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, 2015. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 20, 2015 at: http://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/vcscs/documents/TechnicalReport2014ThreatAssessmentSurvey5-12-15.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/vcscs/documents/TechnicalReport2014ThreatAssessmentSurvey5-12-15.pdf

Shelf Number: 135736

Keywords:
School Crime
School Safety
School Security
School Violence
Threat Assessment

Author: Leach, Fiona

Title: School-related Gender-Based Violence A global review of current issues and approaches in policy, programming and implementation responses to School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) for the Education Sector

Summary: Gender-based violence (GBV) is a global phenomenon that knows no geographical, cultural, social, economic, ethnic, or other boundaries. It occurs across all societies and represents a brutal violation of human rights, the worst manifestation of gender-based discrimination and a major obstacle to the achievement of gender equality. It is tolerated and sustained by social institutions, including the school, the very place where we expect our children to be safe and protected. It is a serious obstacle to the right to education and learning, with implications for the ways that people understand and enact their social lives and exercise their citizenship. The extent to which children are exposed to school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) was brought to the attention of the international community by two studies commissioned by the United Nations Secretary-General in the past decade: the Global Study on Violence against Children1 and the In-depth Study on All Forms of Violence against Women, both published in 2006. The global presence of SRGBV seriously compromises the ability of UNESCO's Member States and the international community to meet commitments towards the provision of human rights. Major international frameworks, such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the UN 4th World Conference on Women - Beijing Platform for Action denounce violence and call for measures to protect all human beings, especially women and girls, from all forms of violence. Article 19 of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) calls on State Parties to take all appropriate measures, including through education, to protect children from all forms of violence, including sexual abuse. UN Resolution 61/143 (2007) regarding the 'Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women', calls upon the international community, including the United Nations system, to enhance national efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls, including through 'the sharing of guidelines, methodologies and best practices'. Until the World Report on Violence against Children was published in 2006, however, little attention was paid to the school as a forum for violence against children. Since then, it has received increasing attention in national and international agendas. The priority theme of the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), planned for March 2013, is the 'Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls', with prevention and the provision of support services to victims/survivors being the main focus. In preparation for the CSW meeting, an experts meeting on GBV was held in Bangkok in September 2012, in order to explore ways of preventing and addressing GBV through a multi-sectoral approach with a focus on legal and policy guidelines. Education has been identified as one of the priority areas for strategic intervention. However, the transformative potential of schools to empower individuals, to champion gender equality and challenge violence against women and girls depends on a school environment that is itself safe and violence free. This review of current issues and approaches in policy, programming and implementation responses to SRGBV has been commissioned by the HIV and Health Education section in the Education Sector at UNESCO to contribute to the development of comprehensive evidence-informed policy guidelines for the prevention and elimination of SRGBV in and through education. Despite the call for action and the increasing awareness among governments, civil society and the international community of the scale of SRGBV, efforts to address it have been patchy and largely ineffective. The evidence base for the global scale and nature of the problem is limited and there is little collective intelligence to date on best practice in either prevention or response, e.g. on what makes intervention successful, how to measure success and how to scale up promising initiatives. Yet, we know that SRGBV continues to be a serious barrier to educational participation, especially of girls, and casts doubt on the school as an appropriate forum for educating young people about gender equality, non-violent behaviour and sexual and reproductive health. Schools have the potential to bring about change but this cannot be effective if they are simultaneously sites of gender inequality and violence. This review seeks to advance our knowledge and learning in this field, both in terms of what we know about the phenomenon and its impact on individuals, and on how best to address it, including through education. We start the review with a brief explanation of the conceptual framework and of the problematic nature of definitions of GBV, followed by a brief note on our methodology. The substance of the review follows, first summarising the research evidence on SRGBV by region, and then outlining approaches to policy, programming and implementation, with key messages for the education sector and for UNESCO's role in the post-MDG era.

Details: Paris: UNESCO, 2014. 101p.

Source: Internet Resource: Background research paper: Accessed July 15, 2015 at: http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/HIV-AIDS/pdf/SRGBV_UNESCO_Global_ReviewJan2014.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: International

URL: http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/HIV-AIDS/pdf/SRGBV_UNESCO_Global_ReviewJan2014.pdf

Shelf Number: 136059

Keywords:
Gender-Based Violence
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence
Violence Against Women, Children

Author: Langberg, Jason

Title: Protecting Childhood: A Blueprint for Developmentally Appropriate School Policing in Virginia

Summary: School security personnel are increasingly commonplace in Virginia's public schools. There are two types. School resource officers (SROs) are certified law enforcement officers who are typically employed by local law enforcement agencies and assigned to provide coverage to public schools. School security officers (SSOs) are individuals employed by school divisions to maintain order and discipline in their assigned schools. To date, little analysis of school policing in the Commonwealth exists. This report aims to change that. The pages that follow describe the problems with school policing in Virginia and then provide recommendations for reforms. The appendices include tools for lawmakers and policymakers, such as a model memorandum of understanding (MOU) that school divisions and law enforcement agencies can use to incorporate best practices. The goals of this report are two-fold: 1) to stress the acute need for reform and create a more nuanced understanding of specific problems related to school policing; and 2) to advance proven reforms.

Details: Charlottesville, VA: JustChildren Program of the Legal Aid Justice Center, 2016. 107p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 13, 2016 at: https://www.justice4all.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/School-Policing-Report-Full.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: https://www.justice4all.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/School-Policing-Report-Full.pdf

Shelf Number: 137474

Keywords:
Police Resource Officers
School Crime
School Security
School Violence

Author: Harvard Law School. Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice

Title: Building Equalizing Schools Within Inclusive Communities: Strategies in the Classroom and Beyond that Redirect the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Summary: We explore exclusionary discipline not necessarily because we consider it more important than all the other urgent challenges facing African-American males, though it is indeed a powerful generator of inequality. We choose to examine school discipline for three reasons. One, it offers a window into larger social inequalities and "a way in" to two distinct yet related arenas that have potentially significant and direct influences upon boys and men of color: education and criminal justice. Two, we consider harsh school discipline precisely because we can do something about it fairly immediately. This is both because there are clear alternatives and because a social-science consensus has emerged about its harms. And three, a close examination of the causes and cures for exclusionary school discipline - or "zero tolerance" - clearly illustrates the need to apply knowledge from a range of fields in developing lasting, effective policy and practice that gets to the root of complex, long-standing social problems. Drawing attention to the causes of and potential cures for exclusionary discipline offers a concrete, manageable way for educators, and the communities they serve, to begin to untangle and, perhaps, dismantle the more complex, often obscured opportunity-limiting structures of which school discipline is but one small part. Thus, for those of you who consider discipline not your "issue," or too narrow to spend time on, we urge you to read this report, because we believe there are lessons to draw and to apply to other policies and challenges.

Details: Cambridge, MA: Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School, 2010. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 13, 2016 at: http://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/Harvard_-_Building_Equalizing_Schools_-_Full_Report.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/Harvard_-_Building_Equalizing_Schools_-_Full_Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 137559

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
School-to-Prison Pipeline
Zero Tolerance

Author: Fronius, Trevor

Title: Restorative Justice in U.S. Schools: A Research Review

Summary: This report provides a comprehensive review of the literature on restorative justice in U.S. schools. The review captures key issues, describes models of restorative justice, and summarizes results from studies conducted in the field. The review was conducted on research reports and other relevant literature published, or made publicly available, between 1999 and mid-2014 and was guided by the following questions: - What are the origins and theory underlying U.S. schools' interest in restorative justice? - How does the literature describe restorative justice programs or approaches in U.S. schools? - What issues have been identified as important to consider for implementing restorative justice in the schools? - What does the empirical research say about the impact of restorative justice in the schools? In the literature reviewed for this report, restorative justice is generally portrayed as a promising approach to address school climate, culture, and safety. Although the community of support for its implementation has grown exponentially over the past several years, more research is needed. Several rigorous trials underway will perhaps provide the evidence necessary to make stronger claims about the impact of restorative justice, and the field will benefit greatly as those results become available over the next several years.

Details: San Francisco, California: WestEd Justice and Prevention Research Center, 2016. 45p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 1, 2016 at: https://www.wested.org/wp-content/files_mf/1456766824resourcerestorativejusticeresearchreview.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: https://www.wested.org/wp-content/files_mf/1456766824resourcerestorativejusticeresearchreview.pdf

Shelf Number: 138001

Keywords:
Restorative Justice
School Crime
School Discipline
School Safety

Author: Babacan, Hurriyet

Title: The Community safety of international students in Melbourne: A Scoping Study

Summary: The report presents findings of a multi-method exploratory research project implemented by ICEPA. The study draws on data gathered through an on-line survey of 1,013 international and domestic students, in-depth interviews with 35 international students and interviews with 29 stakeholders from across government and non-government organisations concerned with the safety of international students. The report analyses this data and identifies key priorities in order to inform future research, policy and program development. Key findings - The vast majority (82%) of students surveyed, both international and domestic, felt Melbourne overall was a safe place to live; believed they lived in a safe part of Melbourne (81%); felt safe at their workplace (93%) and, felt safe when attending college or university (92%). - Differences did exist, however, between the two student groups. Fewer international students (78%) agreed Melbourne was a safe place to live than local students (86%) and were more likely to report that when safety is threatened, there is a racial, religious or cultural element to that threat (50% vs 17%). - A key theme expressed by all respondents was that issues relating to violence against international students are complex. This is due to the diversity of the international student body as each individual experiences different risk factors according to a range of factors including gender, religion, class, educational institution, age and English language skills. Nevertheless, interview and survey data indicates that violence motivated by racism is perceived by a significant proportion of international students as a pervasive element in the cocktail of factors that produce risks to their safety. - Both international and domestic students and stakeholders said that the key threats to safety included a combination of four main environmental factors, including higher risk of violence at night, being on public transport or in public spaces, particular localities that are unsafe and the use of alcohol and drugs.

Details: Melbourne: Institute for Community, Ethnicity and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2010. 131p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2016 at: http://vuir.vu.edu.au/15491/1/The_Community_Safety_of_International_Students_in_Melb_A_Scoping_Study.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Australia

URL: http://vuir.vu.edu.au/15491/1/The_Community_Safety_of_International_Students_in_Melb_A_Scoping_Study.pdf

Shelf Number: 138047

Keywords:
Campus Crime
Campus Safety
School Crime
School Security
School Violence
Student Safety
Universities and Colleges

Author: Safe Havens International

Title: Arapahoe High School Active-Shooter Incident

Summary: On December 13, 2013, an aggressor who was a current student at Arapahoe High School (AHS) entered the school via an unsecured entrance and fatally shot seventeen-year-old student Claire Esther Davis before killing himself (McCauley, n.d., p. 2). Like other school attacks, this incident caused immense emotional suffering for many people. As the victim's family stated in their letter to the public on October 10, 2014: The result was a terrible tragedy for all of us - not only our family, but for all the kids and staff at Arapahoe High School, our entire community, the State of Colorado, the [aggressor's] family, and all the persons across the country and around the world that have sent us their condolences and have held us up in their thoughts and prayers. (Davis, 2014) As this report will demonstrate, there were missed opportunities that might have prevented the death of Claire Davis. The report will also demonstrate that since the incident, the LPS has taken many steps in an effort to draw lessons from the AHS incident for the LPS community as well as the surrounding community. For example, the District conducted multiple internal post-incident evaluations, formed a Safety and Mental Health Advisory Committee (SMHAC), and sought nationally recognized experts in school safety and mental health to conduct thorough evaluations of the District's strategies, policies and procedures prior to, during, and after December 13, 2013. Based on the site visit to AHS during a trip to present for the SMHAC in February 2015 and an initial review of the incident with LPS officials, Safe Havens International (SHI) Executive Director Michael Dorn offered to discuss the possibility of SHI conducting an evaluation with SHI's senior leadership team. During this discussion, the SHI leadership team approved SHI performing a review of this incident as a pro-bono effort with no costs for the LPS aside from actual travel expenses for any analysts who had to travel to the District for the review, report findings, etc. Our primary purpose of conducting this in-depth review of the case is to compile lessons that LPS and schools around the nation can study to further improve the safety of their schools. An important secondary rationale for SHI to perform this review is to help our analysts learn more about school safety and apply these lessons to improve our ability to make schools safer. As a non-profit school safety center, a significant part of our mission is to help further the cause of school safety via pro-bono projects. SHI frequently performs pro-bono projects for a variety of educational, state, federal, and non-profit organizations as a way to provide our knowledge and expertise to help improve safety and security in the school environment. Eleven SHI analysts and one support staff member agreed to donate their time, talent, and energy to perform more than a thousand hours of work for this evaluation without any compensation. These analysts are from a variety of disciplines with extensive experience working in the K12 school environment.

Details: Macon, GA: Safe Havens International, 2016. 81p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2016 at: http://www.littletonpublicschools.net/sites/default/files/Safe%20Havens%20Intl%20Report.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: http://www.littletonpublicschools.net/sites/default/files/Safe%20Havens%20Intl%20Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 138125

Keywords:
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence

Author: Lapointe, David Audet dit

Title: Teacher Perception of School Safety Between Mississippi Secondary Schools With School Resource Officers And School Safety Officers

Summary: The purpose of the study was to determine if there was a significant difference in the perception of school safety by teachers between secondary schools that employ School Resource Officers (SROs), who are armed, and School Safety Officers (SSOs), who are unarmed or a combination of SROs and SSOs. The School Resource Officers and School Climate Teacher Survey, created by Dr. Amy Oaks (2001), was utilized to gather data. The 193 participants of the study included certified teachers at secondary schools in the Jackson Public School District, the Jackson County Public School District, and the Ocean Springs School District. A Pearson Chi-Square test was conducted to determine if there was a significant difference in the perception of safety between the two groups. In all items analyzed, it was found that there was a statistically significant difference in the perception of school safety with the SRO group perceiving their schools as being safer than the teachers in the SRO/SSO group. In an environment in which the issue of school safety is becoming an increasingly important topic, the perception of teachers working in these schools is vital.

Details: Hattiesburg, MS: University of Southern Mississippi, 2016. 106p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: http://aquila.usm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1357&context=dissertations

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: http://aquila.usm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1357&context=dissertations

Shelf Number: 145080

Keywords:
School Crime
School Resource Officers
School Safety
School Security
School Violence

Author: Gill, Charlotte E.

Title: Process Evaluation of Seattle's School Emphasis Officer Program

Summary: Summary of Findings This process description and assessment examines Seattle's School Emphasis Officer (SEO) program, an initiative operated by the Seattle Police Department (SPD) as part of the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (SYVPI). The report is based on an examination of program documentation, interviews with key stakeholders, and observations of SEO activity in three Seattle middle schools conducted by the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University and the University of Maryland for the City of Seattle Office of City Auditor. The SEO Program - Police officers are assigned to four public middle schools in Seattle (Denny International MS, Washington MS, Aki Kurose MS, South Shore K-8). - Schools are selected for truancy, suspension, and discipline issues and location within SYVPI network areas. - Officer activities include school support; safety and security; education; SYVPI referral and follow-up; and law enforcement. Law enforcement activities are minimal. Most activities involve prevention and intervention with at-risk students. Program Strengths - Potential for integration with services. Police officers can fall back on a network of services through SYVPI rather than defaulting to law enforcement responses for troubled youth. - Potential to improve police-community relations. The SEOs build trust among school students, which could help to change perceptions of the police in school and the wider community. - Non-law enforcement focus. SEOs minimize their involvement in the disciplinary process and do not arrest students. However, their information gathering activities could be shared with others for law enforcement purposes. Program Challenges - Clarity of program structure and relationship with SYVPI. The day-to-day operation of the program occurs on an ad hoc basis and the relationship between the SEOs, SPD, SYVPI and the schools is not fully defined. - Evaluability. The program lacks a logic model and outcome measures and cannot be evaluated for effectiveness. - Sustainability. The program lacks a formal structure and is driven by individual personalities and relationships. Summary of Recommendations 1 Clarify the program and the link between SEOs and SYVPI. 1.1 Develop a program manual that lays out clear expectations for operations and stakeholders. 1.2 Clarify and document the relationship between the SEOs and SYVPI in the logic models and program documentation. 1.3 Eliminate or reduce formal curriculum education in favor of a focus on relationshipbuilding with at-risk youth and the wider school community. 2 Develop a systematic performance and outcome measurement and evaluation plan for the SEO program and participating schools. 2.1 Clearly articulate the program goals, structure, activities, and outcomes in the program manual and a logic model. 2.2 Align data sources with proposed program outcomes and SYVPI outcomes, identify gaps in data sources and develop new instruments and measures, and build capacity within SPD's crime analysis unit to provide tracking of crime outcomes. 2.3 Facilitate appropriate data sharing. 2.4 Develop a long-term evaluation plan. 3 If the SEO program is effective, take steps to ensure its sustainability. 3.1 Articulate the program goals and training requirements. 3.2 Ensure that memoranda of understanding are developed with each individual school. 3.3 Systematize the process for identifying new schools.

Details: Fairfax, VA: George Mason University, Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, Department of Criminology, Law & Society, 2015. 86p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/CityAuditor/auditreports/SEOFinalReport100615.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/CityAuditor/auditreports/SEOFinalReport100615.pdf

Shelf Number: 145420

Keywords:
School Crime
School Resource Officers
School Safety
School Security

Author: National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

Title: Report on the Evaluation of Judicially Led Responses to Eliminate School Pathways to the Juvenile Justice System

Summary: Many schools across the United States have enacted zero tolerance philosophy in response to perceived increases in violence and drugs in schools. It is believed that aggressive and unwavering punishment of many school infractions, including relatively minor infractions, will create safer schools. However, zero tolerance policy is said to have contributed to increased number of disciplinary actions and increased number of students who come in contact with the court system. Effects of the policy include the removal of students from the educational system, through disciplinary actions such as expulsions and suspensions. These disciplinary actions have negative unintended consequences for families and society. The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) received grant funding from the Atlantic Philanthropies, Public Welfare Foundation, and the Open Society Foundation to provide training and technical assistance to jurisdictions preparing to start or continue initiatives with judicially-led collaboratives to reduce stringent school discipline and referrals of youth to juvenile courts for school-based behaviors. Additional funding was provided by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to conduct a process and outcome evaluation. This research report discusses the findings from the process and outcome evaluation, including some lessons learned about the challenges of collecting data on this complex issue.

Details: Reno, NV: The Council, 2016. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2016 at: http://www.ncjfcj.org/sites/default/files/NCJFCJ%20Evaluation%20Report%20School%20Pathways%20Final.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: http://www.ncjfcj.org/sites/default/files/NCJFCJ%20Evaluation%20Report%20School%20Pathways%20Final.pdf

Shelf Number: 147918

Keywords:
At-Risk Youth
Delinquency Prevention
School Crime
School Discipline
School-to-Prison Pipeline
Zero Tolerance Policy

Author: Pells, Kirrily

Title: Experiences of Peer Bullying among Adolescents and Associated Effects on Young Adult Outcomes: Longitudinal Evidence from Ethiopia, India, Peru and Viet Nam

Summary: Globally it is estimated that more than one in three students between the ages of 13 and 15 are regularly bullied by peers. Being bullied has been found to have a significant impact on children's physical and mental health, psychosocial well-being and educational performance, with lasting effects into adulthood on health, well-being and lifetime earnings. Most research, including cross-cultural comparative work, has focused on high-income countries, identifying a range of predictors and effects associated with being bullied. Far less is known about bullying in low- and middle-income countries. This paper is a contribution to the UNICEF Multi-Country Study on the Drivers of Violence Affecting Children, which analyses how structural factors interact to affect everyday violence in children’s homes, schools and communities. The results of the multi-country study intend to inform national strategies for violence prevention. We use longitudinal data from the Young Lives study of childhood poverty to address three core questions: Which children are bullied and how at age 15? What is associated with certain groups of children being bullied? Are there long-term associations between being bullied at age 15 with psychosocial indicators (self-efficacy, self-esteem, parent relations and peer relations) at age 19? Key findings: • Indirect bullying, such as measures to humiliate and socially exclude others, is the most prevalent type of bullying experienced at age 15 across three of the four countries, ranging from 15 per cent of children in Ethiopia to 28 per cent in India. • Verbal bullying is also prevalent, affecting a third of children in Peru and a quarter in India. •Physical bullying is the least prevalent form and lower than the other types, with the exception of India where the rate of children experiencing physical bullying is similar to other types of bullying. •Boys are at greater risk than girls of being physically and verbally bullied and girls are more likely to be bullied indirectly. •Poorer children are consistently more likely to be bullied in India and experience some types of bullying (physical, social exclusion and attacks on property) in Viet Nam than their less poor peers.

Details: Florence, Italy: United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Office of Research, (Innocenti) 2016. 63p.

Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper 2016-03: Accessed February 23, 2017 at: https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/IDP_2016_03.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: International

URL: https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/IDP_2016_03.pdf

Shelf Number: 144854

Keywords:
Bullying
Children and Violence
School Crime
Student Bullying

Author: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Title: Global Guidance on Addressing School-Related Gender-Based Violence

Summary: More than 246 million children are subjected to gender-based violence in or around schools every year. This is a violation of their human rights, and a form of gender-discrimination that has far-reaching physical, psychological and educational consequences. Until school-related gender-based violence is eliminated in and around schools across the world, many of the ambitious targets set by the global community through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to provide safe and supportive learning environments, to end violence against children in all settings and to achieve gender equality and eliminate violence against women and girls, will not be realized. That is where this Global Guidance on Addressing School-Related Gender-Based Violence comes in. The result of the combined expertise and leadership of UNESCO, UN Women and other partners, this Guidance will help us stand a better chance of supporting countries to end this global issue. The Global Guidance provides key information to governments, policy-makers, teachers, practitioners and civil society who wish to take concrete action against school-related gender-based violence. It introduces approaches, methodologies, tools and resources that have shown positive results in preventing and responding to school-related gender-based violence. We are confident that this will contribute to further promote the generation of knowledge, evidence and standards of response against this pervasive problem. With the Global Guidance in hand, this is a key moment for all of us to ensure that school-related gender-based violence does not remain a barrier to achieving the SDGs.

Details: Paris: UNESCO; New York: UN Women, 2016. 126p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2017 at: http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2016/school-related-gender-based-violence-guidance-en.pdf?vs=3954

Year: 2016

Country: International

URL: http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2016/school-related-gender-based-violence-guidance-en.pdf?vs=3954

Shelf Number: 144488

Keywords:
Gender-Related Violence
School Crime
School Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Nguyen, Thi Thu Hang

Title: School Violence: Evidence from Young Lives in Vietnam

Summary: The issue of school violence in Vietnam has previously been addressed in some papers, but only with reference to a specific locality or combined with other issues under the broader theme of child abuse. However, news about school violence is now appearing in Vietnam's national daily media at an increased frequency and intensity, and attracting general public attention. Despite the existence of legal regulations related to child protection in general and prohibiting school violence in particular, cases of school violence still appear regularly in the media. This raises questions about the enforcement of current legislation and whether the key causes of violence have been properly addressed. There is no generally applicable definition of school violence but the term "school violence" used in this paper includes both acts of violence and bullying among students and those performed by teachers on students within the school grounds. In terms of physical violence, quantitative evidence from the Young Lives study shows a higher level of fighting reported by 8-year-olds in 2009, as compared with children of the same age in 2002. Such incidents were common among students in the sample, regardless of their economic status. The data from Young Lives also allow us to track changes in the rate of physical violence as the same group of children grow up (so picking up differences by child age). The rate of children beaten by other children more than tripled between Rounds 1 and 2 (when the Older Cohort were aged 8 and 12). In contrast, cases where teachers beat students dropped from 3.84 per cent in Round 1 to an insignificant level in Round 2. However, when comparing 8-year-old children at two different times (2002 and 2009), we see an increasing trend in physical violence across the board. Analysis of emotional violence was more difficult because the data recorded both answers by caregivers and by students themselves. It is interesting that students reported a lower rate of peer bullying (19.7 per cent) than that reported by caregivers (24.8 per cent). Results from the qualitative data collected from interviews with 36 of the Young Lives children uncovered the long-term impact of school violence as well as its causes. Causes of violence among students vary greatly, and sometimes there is no explicit reason. Therefore, more weight should be given to preventative measures such as improving children?s life skills or raising their awareness about the impacts of school violence. Responses from parents and school to violence among students are very important. The ways in which violence is addressed and disputes are settled can have long-term, even lifelong, impacts on children's futures. The right intervention, therefore, requires effort and closer co-operation between families and schools. Key policy implications of this paper include closer cooperation between the school, family, community and police, accompanied by the introduction of life skills for children into the school curriculum, training in positive discipline for teachers and better data collection.

Details: Oxford, UK: Young Lives, 2013. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Young Lives Vietnam Policy Paper 1: Accessed March 29, 2017 at: http://www.younglives.org.uk/sites/www.younglives.org.uk/files/YL-Vietnam-PP1.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Vietnam

URL: http://www.younglives.org.uk/sites/www.younglives.org.uk/files/YL-Vietnam-PP1.pdf

Shelf Number: 144624

Keywords:
Child Protection
School Crime
School Safety
School Security
School Violence

Author: Hemphill, Sheryl

Title: Positive associations between school and student problem behaviour: Recent Australian findings

Summary: School suspension- the temporary removal of a student from school-is one of the most severe responses to student misbehaviour in Australian schools. Evidence suggests school suspension is associated with negative behavioural outcomes in adolescence. Using data from the International Youth Development Study, a large longitudinal study of adolescent development, this research found positive associations between school suspension and adolescent problem behaviour. These associations remained after taking into account other known risk factors for such behaviours. The paper discusses the implications for policy development around the management of student misbehaviour and conduct breaches.

Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 531: Accessed June 5, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi531.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi531.pdf

Shelf Number: 145924

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
School Safety
School Suspensions

Author: New York (City). Mayor's Leadership Team on School Climate and Discipline

Title: Safety with Dignity: Phase 1 Recommendations

Summary: Safety with Dignity details policy recommendations made by the Mayor's Leadership Team on School Climate and Discipline ("Leadership Team"). The Leadership Team is a one-year task force that was launched by Mayor Bill de Blasio in February 2015 with the mission of developing recommendations to enhance the well-being and safety of students and staff in the City's public schools, while minimizing the use of suspensions, arrests and summonses. Co-chaired by Ursulina Ramirez, Chief of Staff, NYC Department of Education and Vincent Schiraldi, Senior Advisor, Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice, the Leadership Team was charged with the task of examining data and studying best practices in order to: Improve the use of data to assess the effectiveness of current policy and practice, and spread promising positive discipline innovations system-wide; Reduce the frequency and duration of suspensions and minimize arrests and referrals to the justice system for school-based disciplinary offenses; Reduce disparities by race, gender, disability and Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender (LGBT) status in student discipline, arrests and summonses; Increase access to mental health and other community-based supports for high-need students; and Update the Discipline Code and the Memorandum of Understanding between the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the Department of Education (DOE) to align the use of school discipline and security personnel and security measures with supportive school climate goals. To meet its objectives, the Leadership Team developed five Working Groups that involved more than 150 stakeholders, including representatives from city agencies, community organizations, and unions, as well as researchers, practitioners, educators, students and parents. Over the past five months, these Working Groups convened to define a vision and system-wide approach to positive climate, discipline and safety in schools, as well as to develop targeted initiatives to assist schools with high rates of suspensions, arrests and summonses - and high disparities in those areas - to improve their practices.

Details: New York: The Leadership Team, 2015. 51p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2017 at: http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/sclt/downloads/pdf/safety-with-dignity-final-complete-report-723.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/sclt/downloads/pdf/safety-with-dignity-final-complete-report-723.pdf

Shelf Number: 146597

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
School Safety

Author: Broadhurst, Kate

Title: Gangs and Schools

Summary: 1.1 Following a spate of teenage murders in the last two years, the extent of youth gang culture in the UK is a growing concern. Like many of their victims, gang members seem to be getting younger. Definite figures are hard to come by but some experts estimate the number of gang members aged under 16 years old has more than doubled in the last five years alone. 1.2 The increasing prominence of gang membership amongst under-16s has raised the issue of how gangs and gang culture impact upon schools. Against this backdrop, in April 2007 the NASUWT commissioned Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International (PRCI) Ltd (a leading research and consultancy company specialising in crime reduction, community safety and security) to investigate the potential impact of gangs and gang culture on schools in the UK. 1.3 The study had four key aims to: - review and summarise previous work on gangs, street culture and their potential impact on schools; - review four case studies where gangs and street culture may have had an impact; - assess if there is a significant issue that requires solutions; - identify a typology of school interventions aimed at managing any impact. 1.4 In order to undertake the study, the team at PRCI adopted a case study approach, supported by a literature review of recently published and unpublished material covering the areas of gangs, street culture, schools and school-related interventions in the UK. Four case study schools in England were selected that had concerns with gangs and gang culture. The case studies were designed to provide some pointers to the sorts of problems that schools, teachers and others in schools face as a result of gang-related activity - this provides the basis for a more detailed investigation of the issues, including the development of a toolkit to help schools address the problem of gang-related activity in schools.

Details: Birmingham, UK: NASUWT, 2009. 116p.

Source: Accessed August 22, 2017 at: http://rageuniversity.org/PRISONESCAPE/GANGS%20AND%20TATTOOS/nasawut-gangs-schools.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://rageuniversity.org/PRISONESCAPE/GANGS%20AND%20TATTOOS/nasawut-gangs-schools.pdf

Shelf Number: 131714

Keywords:
Gang-Related Violence
Gangs
School Crime
Street Culture

Author: U.S. National Institute of Justice

Title: Sharing Ideas & Resources to Keep Out Nation's Schools Safe! Volume V

Summary: In this fifth volume of Sharing Ideas and Resources To Keep Our Nation's Schools Safe, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Justice Technology Information Center (JTIC), part of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) System, present a new compilation of articles posted on the SchoolSafetyInfo.org website in the past year. While at first glance these articles seem to profile a wide variety of projects and programs, all of them have at least one thing in common. That is, their planners, coordinators and organizers told us the same thing: We want to help other schools. We want them to know what we're doing, and we want them to feel free to call us with questions, to help them start similar projects of their own. In 2017, schools, law enforcement agencies and communities keep on coming together across the United States as they create innovative and groundbreaking solutions to the persistent problems of violence, bullying, security breaches, gang tensions and social media abuse. For the past five years, SchoolSafetyInfo. org has worked toward ensuring that schools and school administrators, local law enforcement agencies and school resource officers know that they're not alone in their quest to make their schools safer, that others are working toward the same goal. We reach out to small rural school districts and to federal government agencies, and we always get the same answer: "We're taking a proactive approach here, and we want the rest of the country to know about it." These are just some of the projects you'll read about in this fifth volume: - Training for school bus drivers that emphasizes good communications skills and situational awareness. - A free video on how to handle bomb threats. - A simple reverse checkout procedure initiated by a school in rural Alabama. - A New Jersey program for a new class of Special Law Enforcement Officers. - A wide-ranging bullying prevention program that started with a group of concerned students.

Details: Washington, DC: National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center, 2017. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 19, 2017 at: https://justnet.org/pdf/Sharing-Ideas-and-Resources-Schools%20Safe_Vol5.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United States

URL: https://justnet.org/pdf/Sharing-Ideas-and-Resources-Schools%20Safe_Vol5.pdf

Shelf Number: 147394

Keywords:
School Bullying
School Crime
School Resource Officers
School Safety
School Security
School Violence

Author: U.S. National Institute of Justice

Title: Sharing Ideas & Resources to Keep Our Nation's Schools Safe! Volume IV

Summary: Apps. Databases. Tiplines. Videos. Educational campaigns. Throughout the United States, schools, law enforcement agencies and communities keep on coming together, continuing to create innovative and groundbreaking solutions to the persistent problems of violence, bullying, security breaches, gang tensions and social media abuse. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Justice Technology Information Center (JTIC), part of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) System, bring you more of these solutions in this fourth volume of Sharing Ideas and Resources to Keep Our Nation's Schools Safe. We want you to know about the people who are searching for, and finding, positive ways to address these problems. We want to tell you about the technologies and strategies that are working across the country, and we want to hear from you about what's going on in your area. In addition to the success stories that fill the three previous volumes in this series, we continually post new ones on SchoolSafetyInfo.org, the JTIC website dedicated to school safety news, information and technology. In addition to downloadable files of Volumes I, II and III, our site includes links to a wide range of resources and materials produced at the federal, state and association levels, and provides access to school safety-related publications and videos from NIJ and the NLECTC System. You can also learn about School Safe - JTIC's Security and Safety Assessment App for Schools, and obtain instructions on how to download it. In this fourth volume, you will read about an educational video on cybersafety produced by a concerned law enforcement officer in Georgia; new approaches to training implemented by the Indiana State Police and the campus police at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst; a free campus safety app developed by a team of students at the University of Michigan; an educational campaign produced by high school students in Connecticut; and a number of other school-community-law enforcement collaborative projects.

Details: Washington, DC: National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center, 2016. 104p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 19, 2017 at: https://justnet.org/pdf/00-Sharing%20Resources_Vol4_FINAL_508_06282016.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: https://justnet.org/pdf/00-Sharing%20Resources_Vol4_FINAL_508_06282016.pdf

Shelf Number: 147395

Keywords:
Cybercrime
Cybersecurity
School Bullying
School Crime
School Resource Officers
School Safety
School Security
School Violence

Author: U.S. National Institute of Justice

Title: Sharing Ideas & Resources to Keep Out Nation's Schools Safe! Volume I

Summary: Tragic events lead to new prevention and response strategies. We recognize that there are dangers in our communities and in our schools. These realities call for an enhanced focus on safety. The decades-old school fire drill has evolved to active shooter/ threat drills as threats have escalated and materialized, often with tragic outcomes. Our nation is seeking new and innovative ways to keep children and adults safe in school settings. Far from simply developing techniques to respond efficiently to an active incident, public safety officials are also exploring technologies to gauge and prevent potential crises. And they are sharing their ideas and results. Across the country, entire communities are rallying and dedicating themselves to being proactive in preventing school violence. There is much talk about how existing programs can be reinvigorated, what new technologies can be created and how training tools can be distributed to school resource officers (SROs), administrators and local law enforcement agencies. Modern threats are being addressed with modern technology, strategy and resolve. The U.S. Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is a leader in identifying and sharing new training and technology with law enforcement and other first responders. Since Congress passed the Safe Schools Initiative 15 years ago, NIJ has worked collaboratively with other federal agencies on behalf of our nation's law enforcement to answer the call to develop tools and strategies to boost security in our schools. Front-line professionals are working more closely with teachers and administrators, students, parents and community leaders to create alliances that will transform our nation's schools. NIJ, through the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC), is helping communities gather and share their success stories in this publication and at SchoolSafetyInfo.org. In this guide, you will read about new uses for familiar, standard-bearing technologies such as: - Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT). - NIJ's School Critical Incident Planning-Generator (SCIP-G) tool. - NLECTC System video "It Can Happen Here." - Free online training from International Association of Chiefs of Police. - School Safety Audits. In addition, you will read about new products and apps such as: - Anne Arundel County (Md.) Police Department's Speak Out app. - Tucson's Mass Casualty Trauma Kits. - SmartPhone app for students to communicate with police. - See-Hear-Report text a tip program. - Real Time Location Systems (RTLS). This guide also reports on unique collaborative community efforts that are succeeding in cities and rural areas alike.

Details: Washington, DC: National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC), 2013. 82p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 19, 2017 at: https://www.justnet.org/pdf/SharingResources_508.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: https://www.justnet.org/pdf/SharingResources_508.pdf

Shelf Number: 147398

Keywords:
School Bullying
School Crime
School Resource Officers
School Safety
School Security
School Violence

Author: Diliberti, Melissa

Title: Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools: Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2015-16 First Look

Summary: This report presents findings on crime and violence in U.S. public schools,1 using data from the 2015-16 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS:2016). First administered in school year 1999-2000 and repeated in school years 2003-04, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009- 10, and 2015-16, SSOCS provides information on school crime-related topics from the perspective of schools. Developed and managed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the Institute of Education Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education and supported by the National Institute of Justice of the U.S. Department of Justice, SSOCS asks public school principals about the prevalence of violent and serious violent crimes in their schools. Portions of this survey also focus on school security measures, disciplinary problems and actions, school security staff, the availability of mental health services in schools, and the programs and policies implemented to prevent and reduce crime in schools. SSOCS:2016 is based on a nationally representative stratified random sample of 3,553 U.S. public schools. Data collection began on February 22, 2016, when questionnaires were mailed to principals, and continued through July 5, 2016. A total of 2,092 public primary, middle, high, and combined schools provided complete questionnaires, yielding a response rate of approximately 63 percent once the responding schools were weighted to account for their original sampling probabilities. Per NCES Statistical Standards, a unit nonresponse bias analysis was performed due to the weighted response rate being less than 85 percent. The results suggest the characteristics of nonresponding schools differed significantly from those of responding schools. However, the unit nonresponse bias analysis also provided evidence that the nonresponse weighting adjustments used for SSOCS:2016 removed the observed nonresponse bias in characteristics known for both respondents and nonrespondents. This suggests that the weighting adjustments likely mitigated nonresponse bias in the SSOCS:2016 survey estimates, although some bias may remain after adjustment. For more information about the methodology and design of SSOCS, including how response rates were calculated and the details of the nonresponse bias analysis, please see Appendix B: Methodology and Technical Notes in this report. Because the purpose of this report is to introduce new NCES data through the presentation of tables containing descriptive information, only selected findings are presented below. These findings have been chosen to demonstrate the range of information available when using SSOCS:2016 data rather than to discuss all of the observed differences. For a more detailed description of the variables presented in the tables, please see Appendix C: Description of Variables in this report. The tables in this report contain totals and percentages generated from bivariate crosstabulation procedures. All of the results are weighted to represent the population of U.S. public schools. The comparisons drawn in the bulleted items below have been tested for statistical significance at the .05 level using Student's t statistic to ensure that the differences are larger than those that might be expected due to sampling variation. Adjustments for multiple comparisons were not included. Many of the variables examined are related to one another, and complex interactions and relationships have not been explored. Due to the large sample size, many differences (no matter how substantively minor) are statistically significant; thus, only differences of 5 percentage points or more between groups are mentioned in the findings.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2017. 83p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2018 at: https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2017/2017122.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United States

URL: https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2017/2017122.pdf

Shelf Number: 149323

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
School Safety
School Violence

Author: James, Nathan

Title: School Resource Officers: Law Enforcement Officers in Schools

Summary: Some policymakers have expressed renewed interest in school resource officers (SROs) as a result of the December 2012 mass shooting that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. SROs are sworn law enforcement officers who are assigned to work in schools. For FY2014, the Administration requested $150 million in funding for a Comprehensive Schools Safety Program under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. The proposed program would provide funding for hiring school safety personnel, including SROs, civilian public safety personnel, school psychologists, social workers, and counselors. Funding would also be available for purchasing school safety equipment, developing and updating public safety plans, conducting threat assessments, and training crisis intervention teams. Data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics show that the number of full-time law enforcement officers employed by local police departments or sheriff's offices who were assigned to work as SROs increased between 1997 and 2003 before decreasing slightly in 2007 (the most recent year for which data are available). Data show that a greater proportion of high schools, schools in cities, and schools with enrollments of 1,000 or more report having SROs. Two federal grant programs promoted SRO programs: the COPS in Schools (CIS) program, which was funded until FY2005, and State Formula Grants under the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA), which was funded until FY2009. The CIS program provided grants for hiring new, additional school resource officers to conduct community policing services in and around primary and secondary schools. Local educational agencies could use funds they received under the SDFSCA State Formula Grant program for, among other things, hiring and training school security personnel. The body of research on the effectiveness of SRO programs is limited, both in terms of the number of studies published and the methodological rigor of the studies conducted. The research that is available draws conflicting conclusions about whether SRO programs are effective at reducing school violence. Also, the research does not address whether SRO programs deter school shootings, one of the key reasons for renewed congressional interest in these programs.

Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Office, 2013. 35p.

Source: Internet Resource: CRS R43126: Accessed march 14, 2018 at: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43126.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43126.pdf

Shelf Number: 149462

Keywords:
School Crime
School Resource Officers
School Safety
School Security
School Violence

Author: Hall, Marquenta Sands

Title: Functionality of School Resource Officer Arrests in Schools: Influencing factors and circumstances

Summary: School resource officer programs, characterized as a major crime control model and violence prevention program have earned the designation as an effective prevention strategy to mitigate against student misconduct and violations of the law. This study explored school resource officers' perceptions of how arrests decisions influenced order within middle and high schools. The purpose of the study was to determine if a relationship existed between factors, circumstances, and the arrest decisions in middle and high schools. It was assumed the officers' decision to arrest or not arrest were dependent upon factors and circumstances that were interconnected to the functionality of maintaining social order within the school setting. The structural-functionalism theory offered a comprehensive approach to explore the relationship between the social structure of schools, functions of school resource officers and the impact of their arrests decisions in creating balance and stability in the school environment. For this study, the dependent variable was the arrest decisions of school resource officers and the independent variables were factors, circumstances and years of experience. The study hypothesized a correlation between the dependent variable (arrests decisions) and the independent variables, which were collapsed into three facets - factors, circumstances and years of experience. Although, it was presumed years of experience would influence arrests decisions, logistic regression analysis revealed it did not influence the arrest decision as much as the facet factors. The study further revealed females were more likely to arrest than males and more students were arrested at the high school level than at the middle school level. Academic achievement and criminal records were considered at the middle school level with little consideration in high school.

Details: Minneapolis, MN: Capella University, 2015. 156p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 27, 2018 at: https://pqdtopen.proquest.com/doc/1755643157.html?FMT=ABS

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: https://pqdtopen.proquest.com/doc/1755643157.html?FMT=ABS

Shelf Number: 149599

Keywords:
School Crime
School Disciplilne
School Resource Officers
School Security
School Violence

Author: Payne, Allison Ann

Title: Creating and Sustaining a Positive and Communal School Climate: Contemporary Research, Present Obstacles, and Future Directions

Summary: Although school-related deaths, violent victimizations, and overall school crime have declined over the past two decades, crime and victimization in schools are still a cause for concern (Robers et al., 2015). As attention to school safety has increased over the past two decades, research has highlighted a variety of school-related factors shown to influence school disorder. Among these is school climate, the importance of which has been recognized for over a century (Perry, 1908; Dewey, 1916). Interest in school climate continues to grow, particularly as recent federal initiatives reflect increased recognition of the importance of school climate for positive youth development (U.S. Department of Education, 2010, 2014). School climate has a clear impact on all members of the school community. Students in schools with a positive and communal climate demonstrate stronger academic achievement and engagement, better socio-emotional health, and lower levels of absenteeism, truancy, dropping out, and victimization (Cohen and Geier, 2010; Payne et al., 2003). They also display lower levels of substance use and aggression, are subjected to fewer suspensions and expulsions, and engage in fewer deviant and criminal acts (Payne, 2008; Thapa et al., 2013). Additionally, teachers in a school with a positive and communal climate experience higher levels of efficacy, morale, and satisfaction, and lower levels of absenteeism, turnover, and victimization (Cohen and Geier, 2010; Gottfredson et al., 2005; NSCC, 2007; Payne et al. 2003). It is clear that this type of school climate has great influence on the safety and success of a school and the behavioral and academic outcomes of its students. Unfortunately, the benefits resulting from a positive and communal school climate have not been translated into effective educational practices. This "translation gap" - the gap between school climate research and policy - stems from several problems. One is the lack of an agreed-upon definition of school climate (NSCC, 2007). Researchers define school climate in countless ways and continue to debate the key components of a positive and communal school climate. While many focus on the relationships among school community members and the commonality of the school's goals, norms, and values, there is no consensus on a universal definition. Without a clear definition that fully articulates exactly what constitutes school climate, school leaders are left without a roadmap for school climate improvement, and the translation gap continues to widen. A second matter that contributes to the gap between research and policy stems from this lack of a universal definition. Because there is disagreement on what constitutes school climate, there is also disagreement on how it can best be assessed. This has led states, districts, and schools to use tools that have not been tested for reliability and validity or have come up short in this area, and that do not capture the comprehensive nature of school climate, either in terms of components or in terms of school community members (Cohen, 2013). It is imperative that school climate is assessed using reliable and valid instruments that capture all elements of school climate and recognize the voices of all school members. Results from such an assessment can provide useful and accurate data to inform the school improvement process. Another area that has not been fully explored is the process that links school climate to its beneficial outcomes. Some have proposed that a positive and communal school climate leads to a greater sense of belonging, which, in turn, leads to more prosocial behaviors: Schools with such climates meet the needs of both teachers and students, who therefore become more attached to other school community members, more committed to the school's mission and goals, and more likely to internalize school norms and rules (Payne, 2008). This process is key for schools because students who are well integrated are not only more likely to have a positive learning experience but are also less likely to engage in deviance and crime. Although research has begun to document the relationship between positive and communal school climates and school bonding, more work is needed. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie this relationship is vital as school leaders work to develop successful school improvement plans. A lack of school climate leadership also plays a role in the gap between school climate research and policy. Having strong and defined leadership roles at the state, district, and school levels is integral for school climate policies and practices to be effectively developed and implemented (NSCC, 2007). In addition, many school climate improvement efforts are generally isolated within a narrower focus, such as student health or school safety, rather than holistically implemented into larger school-wide changes that include a focus on accountability, school community norms and beliefs, and other dimensions of school climate (NSCC, 2007). It is abundantly clear that creating and sustaining a positive and communal school climate would lead to beneficial improvements in students' academic and behavioral success. By engaging in a school climate improvement process, education leaders at the state, district, and school levels can increase the safety and success of all members of the school community.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2018. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 10, 2018 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/250209.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/250209.pdf

Shelf Number: 149755

Keywords:
School Crime
School Discipline
School Safety
School Security
School Shootings
School Violence

Author: Citizen Action of New York

Title: Restoring Justice in Buffalo Public Schools: Safe and Supportive Quality Education for All

Summary: In June 2010, Jawaan Daniels, a freshman at Lafayette High School in Buffalo, New York, was shot and killed at a bus stop near his school, after having been suspended from school for insubordination while roaming the halls. Jawaan's untimely passing brought attention to the zero tolerance, punitive nature of Buffalo Public School's (BPS) discipline policies, which for many years exacerbated the School-to-Prison Pipeline in Buffalo. Under these policies, many students, especially students of color, were suspended and expelled out of school for minor, non-violent infractions. The Buffalo community deserved and demanded better. Outraged by this situation, Citizen Action of Western New York and Alliance for Quality Education (AQE) launched a Solutions, Not Suspensions campaign, and have led the fight to improve BPS ever since. Over the next five years, Citizen Action and AQE, in partnership with Advancement Project, galvanized a community to action through organizing, door knocking, rallies, protests, policy drafting, and community education. In April 2013, these efforts resulted in BPS adopting a new Code of Conduct, one of the most progressive in the country, replacing punitive zero tolerance with positive interventions and responses. And while BPS still has a long way to go, the data shows these policies have helped BPS achieve significant progress in just the last two years. In the 2014-2015 school year, improvements in the discipline rates continue, showing the commitment of BPS and the continued success of the Citizen Action and AQE accountability model. Restoring Justice captures Citizen Action's, AQE's, and Advancement Project's efforts so that our story can serve as an example for others. In this report, we share background regarding the city of Buffalo and its schools, and then provide a brief national overview of the School-to-Prison Pipeline. We follow with a timeline of the Solutions, Not Suspensions campaign, and an overview of the changes that made Buffalo's Code of Conduct one of the best in the country. We end by looking at the data, showing how far we have come, how far we have left to go, and our plan to make the situation even better. We hope our story motivates, inspires, and challenges others who are working to end the School-to-Prison Pipeline, by showing how a local grassroots group can lead the way to change and create a more just democracy for all.

Details: Albany: Citizen Action of New York, 2015. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2018 at: http://www.aqeny.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Buffalo-Report-Restoring-Justice-FINAL-WEB.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://www.aqeny.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Buffalo-Report-Restoring-Justice-FINAL-WEB.pdf

Shelf Number: 1498967

Keywords:
Racial Disparities
School Crime
School Discipline
School Suspensions
School-to-Prison Pipeline

Author: Anyon, Yolanda

Title: Taking Restorative Practices School-wide: Insights from Three Schools in Denver

Summary: Through interviews and focus groups with staff members at three Denver schools that have successfully implemented restorative practices (RP), four essential strategies for taking this approach school-wide were identified: strong principal vision and commitment to RP; explicit efforts to generate staff buy-in to this conflict resolution approach; continuous and intensive professional development opportunities; and, the allocation of school funds for a full-time coordinator of RP at the site. Additional approaches that supported school-wide implementation of RP are described in the full report. Principal Vision & Commitment Taking restorative practices school-wide was possible because administrators held the following beliefs: - Exclusionary discipline practices, such as expulsion and suspension, generally fail to change student behavior. - Students' time in class is a key factor in determining their educational success. - Proactively teaching students social, emotional, and conflict resolution skills improves their behavior and promotes their academic achievement. - Standing by the philosophy of restorative practices when faced with resistance to change is worth the effort. Staff Buy-In Widespread buy-in to restorative practices among stakeholders was generated using the following strategies: - Involving teachers, service providers, and community members in development of policies and protocols that guide the delivery of restorative practices and their integration into discipline processes. - Soliciting regular feedback from staff throughout the implementation process. - When hiring new staff, including teachers, assess their support for the restorative practices philosophy. Professional Development Capacity to implement restorative practices throughout the school was supported by: - Initial commitment of substantial professional development time to new discipline policies and protocols, restorative practices, and allied relationship-building approaches. - Availability of "booster sessions" for revisiting discipline processes and restorative practices. - Allocation of additional resources for individualized coaching among staff members who have difficulty aligning their practices with a restorative philosophy. Full-Time RP Coordinator To sustain all the other essential strategies for success, schools had to dedicate funding for a person with the following responsibilities: - Develop positive relationships with students, teachers and families. - Facilitate formal conferences and mediations. - Monitor student agreements to repair harm caused. - Provide coaching and training to other staff members

Details: Denver, CO: Denver School-Based Restorative Practices Partnership, 2016. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2018 at: https://www.du.edu/socialwork/media/documents/taking_restorative_practices_school-wide.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: https://www.du.edu/socialwork/media/documents/taking_restorative_practices_school-wide.pdf

Shelf Number: 149869

Keywords:
Restorative Justice
School Crime
School Discipline
School Suspensions

Author: Advancement Project

Title: Police in Schools Are Not the Answer to School Shootings

Summary: Today, we are reissuing Police in Schools are Not the Answer to the Newtown Shootings, an issue brief that our organizations released in the wake of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. At the time, many of the responses to the shooting focused on placing more police officers and more guns in schools. Research and the experiences of countless students, teachers, and parents have taught us that while these proposals may create the appearance of safety, the actual effects wreak havoc on school culture and fuel the school-to-prison pipeline. After Newtown, we urged lawmakers at the local, state, and national level to resist policies that would turn even more schools into hostile environments where students, especially Black and Brown students, are more likely to be arrested, harassed, and assaulted by police. Five years later, in the wake of the tragic Parkland shooting, we have yet again seen calls to militarize and weaponize our schools, despite no evidence that these policies will protect our students. Our position remains the same: proposals that increase the presence of police, guns, and other law enforcement approaches to school safety should not be the response to school shootings. This foreword includes new evidence and experiences that demonstrate why police do not belong in schools. Police do not contribute to positive, nurturing learning environments for students. The increased presence of police officers in schools across the country discipline has been linked to increases in school-based arrests for minor misbehaviors and negative impacts on school climate. In the last five years, the evidence against placing police in schools has only grown. National School Survey on Crime and Safety data show that having a School Resource Officer at a school on at least a weekly basis increases the number of students who will be involved in the justice system. Arrest rates for disorderly conduct and low-level assault substantially increase when police are assigned to schools. The evidence does not suggest that police are the best way to improve school safety; rather, increasing their numbers comes at an unacceptable cost in the form of the criminalization and overincarceration of students. Although students of color do not misbehave more than white students, they are disproportionately policed in schools: nationally, Black and Latinx youth made up over 58% of school-based arrests while representing only 40% of public school enrollment and Black and Brown students were more likely to attend schools that employed school resource officers (SROs), but not school counselors. Black students were more than twice as likely to be referred to law enforcement or arrested at school as their white peers. Research shows that police officers perceive Black youth differently than they do white youth, and this bias, not any actual difference in behavior, leads to the over-criminalization of students of color. Police see Black children as less "childlike" than their White peers and overestimate the age and culpability of Black children accused of an offense more than they do for white children accused of an offense.

Details: Los Angeles: Advancement Project, 2013. 19p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2018 at: https://advancementproject.org/resources/police-schools-not-answer-school-shootings/

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: https://advancementproject.org/resources/police-schools-not-answer-school-shootings/

Shelf Number: 149870

Keywords:
Mass Shootings
Racial Disparities
School Crime
School Resource Officers
School Safety
School Security
School Shootings
School Violence

Author: Madan, Gita Rao

Title: Policing in Toronto Schools: Race-ing the Conversation

Summary: In 2008, fully armed and uniformed police officers were deployed to thirty public high schools in Toronto to patrol the hallways on a full-time basis. The permanent assignment of police to the city's schools represents an unprecedented turn toward a disciplinary strategy rooted in a paradigm of security and surveillance. This institutional ethnography traces the chronology of the program, exploring how race-absent official discourses of safety and relationship building are used not only to legitimize the program but also to conceal how it works to produce and sustain social inequalities in schools. I argue that racial power is constitutive of the SRO program itself-that it is not simply an effect or consequence of the program's existence but the very instrument through which it operates. As such, a framework for school discipline that is rooted in equity and justice would require the complete removal of police officers from school spaces.

Details: Toronto: University of Toronto, 2016. 101p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed Mary 4, 2018 at: https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/71685/1/Madan_Gita_R_201603_MA_thesis.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Canada

URL: https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/71685/1/Madan_Gita_R_201603_MA_thesis.pdf

Shelf Number: 150047

Keywords:
School Crime
School Resource Officers
School Safety
School Security
School Violence

Author: Losen, Daniel J.

Title: Suspended Education in Massachusetts: Using Days of Lost Instruction

Summary: Missed instruction can have a devastating impact on educational outcomes. Scholars have found that missing three or more days of school in the fourth grade predicts a reduction in reading achievement by one full grade level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (Ginsburg, Jordan, & Chang, 2014). Of course, some reasons for missed instruction are beyond the control of schools and districts: some students miss school due to mental or physical illness or injury, and transportation problems sometimes are to blame. These external reasons for missed instruction contribute a great deal to chronic absenteeism, but they are difficult for schools to address because they are not caused directly by a school policy or practice. One major reason for missed instruction that schools can directly influence is the decision school administrators make to suspend students, as well as the length of suspensions. In 2015-16, students in Massachusetts missed an estimated 156,793 days of school, or approximately 16 days per every 100 enrolled students, all due to suspension. School policy and practice varies widely in Massachusetts, but because the majority of schools use suspension as a measure of last resort, most parents don't realize the massive amount of instruction time children lose due to disciplinary removal in some schools and districts. Discipline reform efforts have been built around extensive research that has tracked individual students over many years, which shows that suspensions are among the leading predictor of failing to graduate high school and involvement in the juvenile justice system. (Fabelo et al., 2011). In fact, leading scholars estimate that suspensions can lower graduation rates by six to 14 percentage points, depending on the state (Balfanz, Byrnes, & Fox, 2015; Marchbanks et al., 2015; Rumberger & Losen, 2016). This is critically important given that after controlling for race, poverty, students' prior behavior, and 80 other variables, the factors schools control are powerful predictors of whether suspensions are used frequently or rarely (Fabelo et al., 2011). Another leading predictor of disparities in suspension rates was found to be the school principals' attitudes toward school discipline. (Skiba et al., 2014). Specifically, after controlling for demographic differences in enrollment, in response to a statewide survey, principals of schools that embraced harsh discipline as a needed punitive response and blamed parents and children for problematic behavior had higher suspension rates and lower achievement scores than those principals that framed their discipline approach as part of their school's educational mission, to help ensure that students learned appropriate behavior, rather than a punitive response. As this report will demonstrate, numerous schools in the Commonwealth regularly remove a high number of students, culminating in large amount of lost instruction time. Furthermore, the impact of discipline has more to do with the conditions of learning than of safety, as most missed instruction is the result of suspensions for minor behaviors that do not involve violence, drugs, or criminal activity.

Details: Los Angeles, Center for Civil Rights Remedies, 2017. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2018 at: http://schottfoundation.org/report/suspended-education-massachusetts

Year: 2017

Country: United States

URL: http://schottfoundation.org/report/suspended-education-massachusetts

Shelf Number: 150078

Keywords:
School Attendance
School Crime
School Discipline
School Safety
School Suspension

Author: Liu, John C.

Title: The Suspension Spike: Changing the Discipline Culture in NYC's Middle Schools

Summary: Research findings have established that a middle school pattern of even mild behavioral issues, either alone, or in conjunction with several other factors including absenteeism and academic performance in English and Mathematics, is an early warning that a student may be on the path to potentially dropping out of school. The Department of Education's current disciplinary approach, rooted in "zero-tolerance" philosophy, relies heavily on punitive measures, including suspensions, as a response to a wide array of behaviors. In the 2011- 2012 school year, more than 18,000 suspensions were meted out to students in grades 6 through 8 attending standalone middle schools. Yet, lengthy and repeated suspensions for disruptive behavior such as speaking disrespectfully to a teacher or fellow student result in lost learning days, contribute to students' feelings of alienation from school, and perhaps most importantly, do little or nothing to address the root causes of the behavior. Moreover, there are significant racial, ethnic, and other disparities in suspension rates. Maintaining a calm, respectful, and secure school climate is critical to the success of New York City's approximately 210,000 middle school students. Middle school is the last chance to "catch up" on both the academic and social-emotional skills needed to be successful in high school. Accordingly, concerns about improving New York City's middle school grades are well-deserved. Despite the myriad studies and good intentions, however, the middle school years have not received the same sustained focus and resources as educational reforms targeted at younger children. In particular, the interplay between school climate and behavioral issues and its relationship to academic achievement merits greater attention at a time when graduating from high school and pursuing post-secondary educational attainment is more important than ever. Violent, disruptive behavior that compromises the safe and supportive learning environment that all students deserve is not acceptable. The proposals in this report identify a range of positive approaches to promoting a safe and considerate learning environment for middle school students, teachers, and administrators that recognize the social-emotional and behavioral issues of this age group, particularly for students most at risk of eventually dropping out. A pilot program to introduce a whole-school climate change program based on the principles of restorative justice offers new tools for addressing and repairing the harm created by behavioral issues. Increasing the availability of school counselors and social workers would provide critical front-line support for struggling students. To advance these recommendations, system-wide changes should be made to the Department of Education's Discipline Code, the oversight of School Safety Agents, and the collection of data on suspensions and arrests.

Details: New York: New York City Comptroller, 2013. 65p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2018 at: https://comptroller.nyc.gov/wp-content/uploads/documents/NYC_MiddleSchools_Report.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: https://comptroller.nyc.gov/wp-content/uploads/documents/NYC_MiddleSchools_Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 150080

Keywords:
Restorative Justice
School Crime
School Discipline
School Safety
School Suspensions
Zero Tolerance Policies

Author: Stevens, W. David

Title: Discipline Practices in Chicago Schools: Trends in the Use of Suspensions and Arrests

Summary: The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) have initiated a number of reforms to reduce the use of exclusionary practices that remove students from the classroom, like suspensions. This report, the first in a series on discipline practices in CPS, provides an overview of the use of suspensions and arrests in Chicago schools and the degree to which practices have changed from 2008-09 to 2013-14. Districts and policymakers across the United States are in the midst of a fundamental shift in how they approach school discipline. During the 1980s and 1990s, schools increasingly enacted discipline policies that mandated the use of suspensions, expulsions, and police arrests for student misconduct. In recent years, the general public, policymakers, and school administrators, from the federal level down, have strongly questioned this approach. Critics highlight the growing number of schools with very high suspension rates, as well as inequities in suspension rates by race, gender, family income, special education status, and sexual orientation. They point out that students who are suspended or expelled are more likely to struggle academically and drop out of school. There is evidence that students who attend schools with zero-tolerance approaches to discipline are also likely to experience negative school environments. As a result, national and local policymakers have called on schools to reduce the use of exclusionary disciplinary practices-those that remove students from the classroom (see box Definitions of Key Terms on p.8 for a description of various discipline practices we highlight in this report). Key Findings Out-of-school suspensions have been declining in CPS, but are still given frequently, especially at the (ISS). In-school suspensions are given more frequently to African American students than students of other racial/ethnic groups and the use of in-school suspensions have been increasing over time. ISS rates nearly doubled for African American high schools students between 2008-09 and 2013-14, but remained the same for other student groups. In-school suspensions are rare outside of the high schools; 4 percent of middle grades students received an ISS in the 2013-14 school year. Some schools may be using in-school suspensions in instances where they previously used out-of-school suspensions, or shortening the length of out-of-school suspensions while also giving students a day or two of ISS. In-school suspensions tend to be shorter than out-of-school suspensions and they allow for the possibility that students could receive an intervention or support while serving the suspension. Yet, they still result in a loss of instructional time for students. Suspension rates are strongly related to students' prior test scores, their race, and their gender. African American students are much more likely to be suspended than students of other races/ethnicities. Suspension rates are particularly high for African American boys in high school. About a third of African American boys in high school (33 percent) received an OSS in 2013-14. In comparison, 13 percent of Latino boys in high school and 6 percent of white/Asian high school boys received an OSS in 2013-14. African American girls also have high OSS rates in high school, at 23 percent in 2013-14. This compares to high school OSS rates of 6 percent for Latina girls and 2 percent for white /Asian girls. ISS rates are also much higher for African American students than for Latino or white/Asian students. Suspension rates are also high for students with disabilities and for students who begin the school year with test scores that are below average. OSS rates for students with identified disabilities were 24 percent at the high school level and 16 percent in middle grades in the 2013-14 school year. Among students with low test scores (scores in the bottom quartile in the prior school year), suspension rates are also very high: 27 percent received an OSS at the high school level and 17 percent received an OSS at the middle school level in the 2013-14 year. Thus, students who start the year with the weakest academic skills are more likely than other students to receive a suspension that removes them from classroom instruction. Most suspensions in high schools result from acts of student defiance-where students refuse to comply with adults' demands. At the high school level, about 60 percent of out-of-school suspensions and almost all in-school suspensions result from defiance of school staff, disruptive behaviors, and school rule violations. While administrators we interviewed recognized fights as a primary concern in their schools, 27 percent of out-of-school and 7 percent of in-school suspensions in high school are for physical conflict or threats to safety, meaning most suspensions result from conflicts that involve no physical harm. In the middle grades, conflicts between students and acts of defiance toward teachers account for most out-of-school suspensions, at about equal rates. Arrests for incidents at school are uncommon, though African American high school boys are more likely to be arrested than other students. In the 2011-12 school year (the most recent year for which we have Chicago Police Department data), 1.8 percent of high school students and 1.1 percent of middle grades students were arrested for incidents occurring at school. Arrest rates were twice as high among African American boys as for the district as a whole-3.6 percent of African American high school boys enrolled in CPS were arrested for at-school incidents in the 2011-12 school year, which is about 1-in-28 students. In comparison, 1.6 percent of Latino boys and 2 percent of African American girls and fewer than 1 percent of white/Asian students or Latina girls in high school were arrested for at-school events. Students are arrested more often for incidents that occur outside of school than for incidents at school. Over 4 percent of CPS high school students were arrested in the 2011-12 school year for incidents occurring outside of school. Combining arrests inside of school and outside of school, 6 percent of CPS students were arrested in the 2011-12 school year. Schools tend only to involve police in incidents for which the SCC requires police notification. Incidents for which police notification is optional but not required high school level. In 2013-14, about 1-in-7 high school students (16 percent) received an out-of-school suspension (OSS). This number is down from the highest point in the 2009-10 school year when about 1-in-4 high school students (24 percent) received an OSS. Since 2009-10, OSS rates in high schools have declined each year. At the middle grades level (grades 6-8), OSS rates were unchanged, at around 13-14 percent from 2008-09 to 2012-13, but they dropped in the 2013-14 school year to 10 percent. The average length of suspensions has also been declining over time, with the largest drop occurring in the 2012-13 school year. This drop coincided with changes to the CPS Student Code of Conduct (SCC) which explicitly constrained the use of long suspensions. The decline in high school OSS rates has been accompanied by a doubling of in-school suspension rates among African American high school students. In the 2013-14 school year, 15 percent of high school students received at least one in-school suspension solicit police notification only 22 percent of the time. Even when an infraction is serious enough to require police notification, schools only notify police 43 percent of the time. When they occur, infractions that involve drugs or weapons are most likely to result in a police notification. That is, about one out of every three incidents that involve drugs or weapons at a school result in police involvement. However, drug and weapons infractions represent a small portion of the discipline infractions at schools, so they are not the source of most arrests. Physical altercations, or physical fights among students, are the source of most police involvement at schools. Arrest rates for both in-school and out-of-school incidents have declined over time for CPS students. The declines in arrest rates have been driven by declining arrest rates for African American boys, who have consistently been much more likely to be arrested than other students. Both out-of-school arrests and in-school arrests of CPS students declined after 2009-10, up until 2011-12. At the same time that OSS rates and arrests have declined, students and teachers are reporting that they feel safer at school. At the high school level, student perceptions of safety and teacher perceptions of order have been improving since the 2008-09 school year; this is also the period during which OSS rates declined in high schools. At the middle grades level, there have been only marginal improvements in students' feelings of safety at school. However, there was a more marked improvement in the 2013-14 school year, which was the first year that OSS rates declined in the middle grades. This research suggests three major areas of focus if the district is to reduce the use of exclusionary disciplinary practices in Chicago schools: 1. High schools. Students are suspended at all grade levels, but very high suspension rates in high schools account for 56 percent of out-of-school suspensions districtwide. If the district is to reduce the use of suspensions and disciplinary disparities substantially, it will require changes in high school practices. Efforts aimed at lower grades will do little to reduce the overall use of exclusionary practices in CPS, unless there are concurrent changes in high schools. 2. Disparities in suspensions for African American students, especially for African American boys, and for students with low incoming achievement. While students of all races are occasionally suspended, suspension rates are much higher for African American students, and especially high for boys. Students with low incoming test scores are also at high risk for being suspended. The fact that high suspension rates persist for certain groups of students, despite policy efforts aimed at reducing the use of exclusionary practices, suggests a need for better support around reducing exclusionary practices in schools and classrooms that serve student groups with a higher likelihood of being suspended. 3. Prevention and de-escalation of conflict, especially between students and teachers. Most suspensions and arrests at school are a result of conflict between students and teachers-such as disobedience and defiance-or conflicts among students, especially in high schools. This suggests a need for increased training for teachers and school staff to prevent and de-escalate conflict, as well as to develop students' social-emotional skills, particularly at schools with high suspension rates.

Details: Chicago: The University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research (UChicago CCSR). 2015. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 21, 2018 at: https://consortium.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/publications/Discipline%20Report.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: https://consortium.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/publications/Discipline%20Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 150318

Keywords:
Racial Disparities
School Crime
School Discipline
School Misconduct
School Suspensions

Author: Anyon, Yolanda

Title: Spotlight on Success: Changing the Culture of Discipline in Denver Public Schools

Summary: This mixed methods study draws on district discipline data, interviews, and focus groups to identify characteristics of DPS schools who met the district's discipline goals of a 0-3% suspension rate for their student population overall and for Black students in particular during the 2014-2015 school year. Quantitative Findings Statistical analyses comparing schools who met the district's discipline goals to those who did not revealed that low-suspending schools had the following features: - More racially and economically integrated - Fewer serious discipline incidents (type 2-6) reported by school staff - Greater use of Restorative Practices in response to discipline incidents - Less frequent use of in- and out-of-school suspension among disciplined students Qualitative Findings Principals and school staff from a subset of low-suspending schools reported the following common strategies, conditions, and district resources were used to meet the district's discipline goals: Positive Behavior and School Culture Systems - Relationship Building - Behavioral Recognitions and Rewards - Social-Emotional Skill Building - Restorative Practices Inclusive Policies and Protocols for Responding to Misbehavior - Start with Classroom-Based Interventions - Connect Misbehaving Students to Support Services - Use Punitive and Exclusionary Discipline Practices as a Last Resort Supportive Implementation Conditions - Robust School-Based Student and Family Services - Professional Learning, Training and Coaching - Strategic Hiring for Culture Fit Awareness of Racial Inequalities and Bias - Strengthen Staff Members Knowledge about Racial Disparities - Prioritize Relationship Building with Black Families and Students District Supports - Policy & Intervention Consultations with Discipline Coordinators - Professional Development Units on Restorative Practices and Equity

Details: Denver: University of Denver (DU) Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) and the Office of Social-Emotional Learning at Denver Public Schools (DPS), 2016. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 21, 2018 at: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3022172/Spotlight-on-Success-Changing-the-Culture-of.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3022172-Spotlight-on-Success-Changing-the-Culture-of.html

Shelf Number: 150622

Keywords:
Racial Disparities
Restorative Justice
School Crime
School Discipline
School Suspensions

Author: UNICEF

Title: An Everyday Lesson: #ENDviolence in Schools

Summary: Nqobile is taking a stand against violence in and around her school. And she is starting by speaking up about what happened to her. At age 13, Nqobile was sexually assaulted on her way home from school in South Africa. In the aftermath, she struggled with self-confidence and feelings of shame. "In school, I never told anybody," Nqobile said. "It was so difficult. In my culture, it's such a taboo." Now a peer counsellor and Deputy President of her school, Nqobile, 18, encourages others to speak out and offers support to students who have experienced violence. One day, she hopes to study psychology so she can counsel children who have faced trauma. "I'm opening up to people about this for the first time," she said. "I knew what I needed the moment that I needed it at school," she added. "I don�t want any other girl to go through what I went through at school." For millions of students around the world, the school environment is not a safe space to study and grow. It is a danger zone where they learn in fear. For Nqobile and many others, the trip to and from school is perilous. In school, they face dangers that include threatening teachers, bullying, cyberbullying, sexual assault and violence that pushes into schoolrooms from the world outside. Far too often students are forced to take cover as gunfire invades their classroom. Sometimes this violence is caused by war or community conflict; other times it is a student with a gun. A UNICEF analysis of data underscores how common violence is in schools around the world. Globally, half of students aged 13-15, about 150 million, report experiencing peer-to-peer violence in and around school. This number includes students who report having been bullied in the last month or having had a physical fight within the past year. But bullying and physical fights are only two types of violence. Students routinely deal with corporal and other degrading forms of punishment, physical and sexual attacks and gender-based violence. For example, about 720 million school-age children live in countries where they are not fully protected by law from corporal punishment at school. Indeed, violence in schools puts bodies, minds and lives at risk. It causes physical injury and can lead to depression, anxiety and suicide. It has short-term effects on students' educational achievement and leaves a long-term impression on their futures. In El Salvador, 23 per cent of students aged 13-15 said they had not attended school on one or more days in the past month due to safety concerns. The impact of violence in schools places an economic burden on society. It has been estimated that the global costs of the consequences of violence against children are as high as US$7 trillion per year.

Details: New York: UNICEF, 2018. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2018 at: https://www.unicef.org/publications/files/An_Everyday_Lesson-ENDviolence_in_Schools.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: International

URL: https://www.unicef.org/publications/files/An_Everyday_Lesson-ENDviolence_in_Schools.pdf

Shelf Number: 152856

Keywords:
Costs of Violence
Cyberbullying
School Bullying
School Crime
School Violence
Sexual Assaults

Author: Great Britain. Department for Education

Title: Bullying: Evidence from LSYPE2, wave 3

Summary: This research brief examines the prevalence and nature of bullying. It is based on data from the second Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE2). In 2015, LSYPE2 interviewed 10,010 young people in year 11. This was an important year for these young people, with the vast majority sitting their GCSEs. Here, their responses to questions about bullying are compared with the answers they gave the previous year when they were in year 10. Their responses are also compared with those of an earlier cohort of young people who were in year 11 in 2006 (those interviewed as part of LSYPE1). This report is largely based on bivariate analyses describing the level of reported bullying when looking at different groups. This does not show whether belonging to a group is one of the main causes of higher or lower levels of bullying - this would require multi-variate analysis, an approach that may be undertaken in the future.

Details: London: Department of Education, 2018. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Brief: Accessed october 11, 2018 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/715469/Bullying-Evidence_from_LSYPE2__wave_3.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/715469/Bullying-Evidence_from_LSYPE2__wave_3.pdf

Shelf Number: 152901

Keywords:
Bullying
School Bullying
School Crime
School Discipline

Author: Marchbanks, Miner P., III

Title: Assessing the Role of School Discipline in Disproportionate Minority Contact with the Juvenile Justice System: Final Technical Report

Summary: The purpose of this project was to assess the predictors of school discipline contact and the consequences of this contact on educational and juvenile justice outcomes of racially and ethnically diverse students. Further, this project examines the predictors of moving through the various stages of juvenile justice system. Last, the analyses look at the relationship between school strictness and various outcomes of great importance including school achievement and juvenile justice contact. Across analyses, the impact of race was considered. The research conducted here is a more complex and in-depth continuation of an investigation began by the Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI) at Texas A&M University (TAMU). PPRI subsequently received funding under the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP) 2012 Field Initiated Research and Evaluation Program to more closely examine the school discipline policies and the juvenile justice process across ethnic minority groups. A series of studies using a variety of advance statistical methods establish strong evidence of racial bias in school discipline contact, severity of punishment, poor educational outcomes, and justice system referrals across various types of schools and communities. We utilize quantitative methods ranging from structural equation models, an ordered probit with Heckman selection, clustered standard errors, to generalized linear models to highlight findings consistent with the "school-to-prison pipeline" model. The key measures of racial composition of school, teacher diversity, student-teacher racial/ethnic incongruence, and proportion of students receiving free or reduced lunch, were used as controls to investigate the prevalence of harsh discipline, poor educational outcomes, and justice system referrals across harsh/lenient schools and rural-urban communities. This report summarizes key findings from 14 manuscripts, including articles/book chapters. Many are published or in the process of being published in refereed journals. Dependent variables are at the case, student and school level. At the student level, these include encountering the school disciplinary system, juvenile justice referrals, standardized test failure and severity of punishment. At the school/campus level, outcomes include grade retention rate, dropout rate, and juvenile justice referral rate. In measuring cases where students enter the juvenile justice system, we use three dependent variables including referral to prosecutor, prosecutorial action, and case outcome. The results of this study will help advance the field on a theoretically grounded and statistically rigorous model for understanding school the racial lines of the "school-to-prison pipeline".

Details: College Station, TX: Public Policy Research Institute, Texas A&M University, 2017. 72p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2018 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/252059.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/252059.pdf

Shelf Number: 152937

Keywords:
Racial Disparities
School Crime
School Discipline
School Security
School-to-Prison Pipeline

Author: Stringer, Scott M.

Title: Safe and Supportive Schools: A Plan to Improve School Climate and Safety in NYC

Summary: At a time when the nation is deeply embroiled in concerns around school safety, it is not surprising that many strategies for creating safe school environments are under renewed consideration - everything from providing more mental health services to students, to expanded school lockdown drills, to extreme responses calling for arming teachers with guns. The horrific school shooting in Parkland, Florida served as a catalyst to this debate, forcing communities across the country to consider how best to safeguard their students. It is an important and overdue conversation - and one that New York City should seize as an opportunity to re-evaluate its own approach to creating safe and supportive school environments. To help guide the discussion, this report by the Office of the Comptroller Scott M. Stringer presents a review of current data related to school safety in New York City, and from that data draws a series of holistic recommendations on how to make City schools healthier and more secure.[i] It is based on the premise that "school safety," as a goal, extends beyond protecting children from external threats, and must include universal school-based mental health services, anti-bullying programs, and school disciplinary systems that students and teachers alike perceive as fair, not only in the rules they establish, but also in how equitably those rules are applied to different students and situations. Unfortunately, progress in improving the climate of New York City schools has been uneven. When surveyed, students disclose the fact that bullying remains common in schools, and has climbed in recent years. Additionally, despite the significant long-term impacts on students' academic outcomes, suspensions, issuing summonses, and even arrests continue to be used frequently in schools. These punishments continue to fall disproportionately on students of color. At the same time, while some schools are adopting less punitive, more restorative approaches to conflict resolution and behavioral challenges, without a system-wide, strategic implementation plan to support student mental health in schools and professional development of all school staff in trauma-informed crisis prevention and de-escalation, many schools are poorly equipped to significantly improve school climate. Research indicates that arrest or court involvement involving students doubles the likelihood that a student will not complete high school. Similarly, suspension from school increases the likelihood that a student will drop out by more than 12 percent. The higher risk of drop out due to arrests and suspensions translates to significant costs, including lost tax revenues and additional social spending to taxpayers. And yet, despite recent improvements, such extreme responses are still common for students in New York City. Specific findings of this report include: In the 2017 student survey, 82 percent of students in grades 6-12 said that their peers harass, bully, or intimidate others in school, compared with 65 percent of students in 2012. In 2017, over 17 percent of students in grades 6-12, disagreed or strongly disagreed that they felt safe in hallways, bathrooms, locker rooms, or the cafeteria of the school. Likewise, 23 percent of students in the same age groups disagreed or strongly disagreed that they felt safe in the vicinity of the school. In 2017, 17 percent of students surveyed feel that there is no adult in the school in whom they can confide. Despite supporting policies to reduce suspensions, the most recent data shows that suspensions increased in City schools by more than 20 percent in the first half of the 2017-18 school year compared with the same time period the year before. Black students are suspended at more than three times the rate of white students. Of the 612 schools reporting the most violent incidents in the 2016-17 school year, 218 (36 percent) have no full-time social worker on staff. Of those that do have a social worker on staff, caseloads average over 700 students - well above the minimum recommended level of one social worker for every 250 general education students. School Safety Agents and NYPD officers issued over 2,000 arrests or summonses in schools in the 2016-17 school year for charges including marijuana possession and disorderly conduct. In newly released data on law enforcement activity in the City's schools, during the first quarter of 2018, there were 606 summonses and arrests, down from 689 in the same time period in 2017. In the 2016-17 school year, students were handcuffed in over 1,800 incidents, including children as young as five years old. More than 90 percent of students handcuffed were Black or Latinx. Similarly, 90 percent of all arrests or summonses involved Black or Latinx students. These trends underscore the urgency to apply new strategies to the long-running challenge of system-wide school safety and discipline reform. Without investments in school-based mental health, fostering student social and emotional growth, and clear accountability measures for school climate improvement, too many students will be left to feel that schools are not doing enough to keep them safe and to provide the healthy environment necessary for building strong communities and advancing academic progress. To address these issues, the Comptroller's Office recommends that the City and the Department of Education: Expand small social emotional learning advisories in all schools. Students who have a trusted group of peers and at least one adult to confide in have greater academic outcomes as well as more positive social attitudes and behaviors. Offering a daily or weekly advisory period within the school-day schedule, complete with a structured curriculum and teachers who are supported in implementing it, provides a framework to support and encourage students as they navigate social challenges. Many smaller schools already offer an advisory program and understand the benefits of a small group dynamic. To scale the advisory program to all schools, the DOE should begin by surveying schools to learn how many offer an advisory program within the school day. Additionally, the DOE should mandate that all middle and high schools have advisories in place and ensure schools have access to adequate curriculum supports and professional development. Expand the Ranks of Social Workers and Guidance Counselors in Our Schools. In most cases, in-school behavior incidents are best dealt with by professionals who are trained in the appropriate responses to emotional or behavioral crises. Yet many schools do not have even a single social worker on staff to respond to school incidents in a trauma-informed way. The City should invest in social workers, ensure they have dedicated time and space in schools to work with students, and ensure school management has the capacity to help them succeed. Add More Clarity to the Role of School Safety Agents. School Safety Agents (SSAs) are well-equipped to protect students from threats that may exist outside a school building, and to maintain secure school buildings and property. However, their training cannot prepare them - and they should not be expected - to police student behavior or manage mental health crises. In some cases, school administrations rely on Safety Agents or NYPD officers to respond to in-school incidents. In other cases, SSAs may interact with students in a way that is at cross purposes to a school culture based on trust and mutual respect. When Safety Agents interactions with students hinder a supportive school climate, other efforts to build trust within a school are minimized. This misalignment of resources has high economic costs to the City, as well as long-term social costs for children who end up diverted into the criminal justice system as a result of policing in schools. The City should update the Memorandum of Understanding that governs DOE's relationship with NYPD to clearly outline the appropriate SSA interventions for specific student misconduct scenarios. Fund a Comprehensive Mental Health Support Continuum. Nationwide, approximately two-thirds of youth with a mental health disorder go untreated. In New York City, with the launch of the ThriveNYC mental health initiative, more supports have become available in schools. However, to address mental health challenges for students - especially in schools with the highest incidents of suspensions and arrests - more targeted interventions and direct services for students are needed. The City should fund a continuum of mental health supports for the highest-need schools including hospital-based mental health partnerships, mobile response teams, and school-based mental health care. Establish and Oversee System-Wide Trauma-Informed Schools. Students impacted by trauma are present in every school in the City, particularly when that trauma is linked to the chronic stresses of poverty. Because trauma can severely disrupt a student's academic potential, schools need to support educators in taking a trauma-informed approach to students, through recognizing the signs in children and understanding how to positively respond to their academic and social-emotional behaviors. Classroom discipline that is trauma-informed is consistent, non-violent, and respectful. The Positive Learning Collaborative, an innovative pilot launched in 20 New York City Schools in partnership with the United Federation of Teachers, provides in-depth training to teachers in therapeutic crisis intervention, and supports school-wide bullying prevention and gender-inclusive schools. The City should create a system-wide trauma-informed approach at all City schools. Expand Baseline Funding for Restorative Practices. Restorative practices, an alternative to exclusionary discipline, emphasize empathy, personal responsibility, and restoring community in the conflict resolution process. Examples from around the nation show that the approach has been highly effective in improving school climate and reducing suspensions. But transitioning to restorative practices requires investment in school-based consulting on implementation and capacity-building, and centralized program supports and evaluation. The City should adopt and sustain funding for restorative justice initiatives for a minimum three-year implementation period, and expand the initiative's reach to more schools. School climate is a bedrock education issue. Without cultivating safe and supportive schools for students and teachers alike, other initiatives aimed at improving academic outcomes will not be maximized.

Details: New York: New York City Comptroller, 2018. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2018 at: https://comptroller.nyc.gov/wp-content/uploads/documents/School-Climate.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: United States

URL: https://comptroller.nyc.gov/wp-content/uploads/documents/School-Climate.pdf

Shelf Number: 153288

Keywords:
School Bullying
School Climate
School Crime
School Discipline
School Safety
School Security

Author: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Title: Behind the numbers: ending school violence and bullying

Summary: School-related violence in all its forms is an infringement of children's and adolescents' rights to education and to health and well-being. No country can achieve inclusive and equitable quality education for all if learners experience violence and bullying in school.This UNESCO publication provides an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of global and regional prevalence and trends related to school-related violence and examines the nature and impact of school violence and bullying. It reviews national responses, focusing on countries that have seen positive trends in prevalence and identifies factors that have contributed to an effective response to school violence and bullying.Addressing school violence and bullying is essential in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, and SDG 16, which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies. Monitoring progress in this regard requires accurate data on prevalence and trends in school violence and bullying, and on how effectively the education sector is responding to it. This publication aims to contribute to monitoring progress towards the achievement of safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments.School violence and bullying can be devastating for the victims. The consequences include children and youth finding it difficult to concentrate in class, missing classes, avoiding school activities, playing truant or dropping out of school altogether. This has an adverse impact on academic achievement and future education and employment prospects. An atmosphere of anxiety, fear and insecurity is incompatible with learning and unsafe learning environments can, therefore, undermine the quality of education for all learners.This publication builds on previous UNESCO work on school violence and bullying including publication of the School Violence and Bullying: Global Status Report (UNESCO, 2017), and we trust that it will be useful to everyone who has an interest in preventing and addressing school violence and bullying. We also hope that it will make an important contribution to the Safe to Learn Campaign, which aims to end all violence in schools by 2024, by raising awareness and catalyzing action to eliminate school violence and bullying

Details: Paris: UNESCO, 2019. 74p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 24, 2019 at: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000366483

Year: 2019

Country: International

URL: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000366483

Shelf Number: 154394

Keywords:
School Bullying
School Crime
School Safety
School Violence

Rutgers - School of Law, Newark

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