Until recently, school executives have been too busy responding to growing school violence to worry about their own safety. Although teachers and students are most common targets, recent murders of three superintendents and an assistant principal show top administrators are vulnerable to misdirected anger and frustration. Administrators should not…

Examines the relationship between computer use (numbers of computers used for instruction) in Florida schools and student conduct, focusing on these conduct violations related to schooling: assault/battery/robbery, breaking and entry/theft/vandalism, and disorderly conduct/fighting/harassment. Results revealed decreases in conduct violations with…

This state-mandated report presents crime statistics at higher education institutions in Florida and an assessment of physical plant security. The crime data list numbers of homicides, forcible sex offenses, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries/breaking and entering, larcenies and thefts, and motor vehicle thefts for each state university,…

This study of 60 contested custody cases in Florida found that judges appeared responsive to allegations of abuse with regard to awards of the children's primary physical residence but not with regard to shared custody. Reports of parental substance abuse had no apparent impact on judicial decision making. (Author/JDD)

Social disorganization is the primary theory by which criminologists account for crime rates. Current versions of social disorganization theory assume that strong networks of social relationship prevent crime and delinquency. A community's capacity to develop and maintain strong systems of social relationship is influenced by residential…

Study of 100 adolescent males incarcerated in a secure residential training school found no statistical differences in frequency or intensity of sexual or physical victimization between groups divided according to the crimes they committed. Findings suggest that the relationship between sexual or physical abuse victimization and subsequent…

This paper describes a program that was developed and implemented to define better the incidents used by a rural school district to report school violence to the state. The program was also designed to decrease the use of out-of-school suspension by 90 school administrators in this Florida district. Some of the strategies used for the program…

Describes efforts in South Florida to address school safety in eight troubled urban schools. The Coalition for Community Empowerment offered at-risk youth and their families a community-based program focused on strengthening family-support systems and maximizing the use of community resources through effective partnerships. (SLD)

This article presents a case study designed for use in educational leadership courses to heighten awareness of what is required of tomorrow's principals when it comes to assuming ultimate responsibility for student safety. Since the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, in April 1999, many other incidents of students bringing…

Explains how a regional community-corporate partnership in Florida addressed recommendations for reducing violence among middle school students through an innovative distance education learning project on conflict resolution. Highlights include virtual field trips; components for teachers and for parents; and project evaluation and results. (LRW)

The Florida School Violence Policies and Programs Study assessed characteristics of violence prevention and control policies and education in Florida's school districts. Most districts report increased student violence. They have responded with policies and programs to a greater extent than have districts nationwide. Most districts offer relevant…

For many decades communities have been troubled by the criminal activities of youth gangs. This report looks at almost 30 years of information collected on gang problems in nearly 4,000 communities. The number of localities reporting gang problems increased between the 1970s and the 1990s, representing a tenfold increase in the number of cities…

"Too Good for Drugs and Violence" is designed to promote high school students' prosocial skills, positive character traits, and violence- and drug-free norms. The curriculum consists of 14 core lessons and an additional 12 lessons that can be infused into other subject areas (such as English, science, and social studies). Students engage…

Four-hundred and eight 14 to 19-year-old adolescents in grades 9 through 12 participated in this study. The Adolescent Anger Rating Scale was used to assess differences in expressed anger among participants. Specific styles of anger were measured: reactive, instrumental, and anger control. Results of this study suggest that males demonstrate…

Among 17 conclusions and recommendations of a study on current policies and procedures related to campus safety at Florida institutions of higher education are the following: (1) there is a need for an expanded definition or additional category of crime for recording incidents involving students, either as victims or perpetrators, that occur in…