Violence in South African schools has various negative effects on learners. These effects include loss of concentration, poor academic performance, playing truant, and depression. School violence also affects the psychological well-being of learners, leading to absenteeism and difficulty in paying attention in class. Furthermore, school violence…

Despite its increasing recognition and use in U.S. schools, a limited amount of research has evaluated the effect of restorative justice (RJ) for school violence prevention and response. To date, there is no standardized method for RJ implementation. Therefore, this systematic literature review investigates peer-reviewed studies on the application…

We propose that intergroup contact provides an effective means by which to reduce, resolve, and prevent conflict of all kinds, including violent conflict. We review the vast literature on the effectiveness of intergroup contact and discuss when and how it reduces prejudice. We also discuss key features of successful interventions, highlighting …

Bullying, a serious issue in today's schools, negatively impacts children. This article summarizes research and emphasizes the need for effective tools, such as bibliotherapy, to deter bullying. To assist professionals in selecting books for bibliotherapy, 38 bully-themed children's K-3 picture books ranked 1-4 by "The Horn Book Guide"…

This booklet is part of a series of reports on "hot topics" in education. It presents information intended to cut through the hype and hysteria that often surrounds the subject of school violence. The booklet offers an overview of current research on school violence prevention, outlines some practical ideas for use in the classroom, and…

Peer mediation is one of hundreds of programs schools are using to enhance security or prevent violence. The Winning Against Violent Environments (WAVE) conflict-resolution program in Cleveland, Ohio, is one of the oldest in the country. Lists seven sources of information. (MLF)

Reviews historical and currently available literature and resources on education for peace. Peace education is enhanced by a comfortable, stress-free classroom environment and by literature-based, creative-arts, compassion-building, and conflict-resolution activities. The teacher is the key element in creating the environment and modeling…

This article focuses on several approaches for schools to use of improve school climate, in part to prevent violence or at least to improve student behavioral conflicts, including: parent and community involvement, character education, violence-prevention and conflict-resolution curricula, peer mediation, and bullying prevention. (Contains…

Many schools and educational programs are successfully responding to the problem of student violence. This article explores a variety of techniques that include school or program-wide initiatives, partnerships, or collaborations with outside agencies; partnerships with families; and classroom curricula that help youth learn to resolve conflicts…

This paper provides a description of the history and advancements made in peace education during the past century. By the end of the 20th century, 200 colleges in the United States had peace studies programs and approximately 1 in 10 of the public schools had conflict resolution programs. The paper focuses on four challenges faced by peace…

Youth violence is widely recognized as a critical social issue in the United States, and many approaches to prevention have been developed in recent years. Emerging research suggests that only approaches that are deeply embedded in cultural, community, and organizational contexts are likely to be powerful enough to have a meaningful collective…

There have been a number of empirical approaches to understanding the factors that contribute to violence among black males, and there are a number of theories that try to explain black-on-black violence. After a review of some of these theories, this paper suggests certain aspects of programs to combat violence among African American males.…

Reviews available research studies of high-conflict divorce and its effects on children. Factors believed to contribute to high-conflict divorce are explored, and a model of their interrelationships is proposed. Dispute resolution, intervention, and prevention programs are discussed, and implications for social policy are outlined. (SLD)

Information regarding school-based programs designed to promote safety and civility as well as reduce violence and disrespect toward school personnel and fellow students is provided in this document. It describes primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions. Primary interventions are defined as universally administered to all students and are…

Explores the relationship between conflict and violence by reviewing literature about young children's peer conflict, focusing on questions about the nature of peer conflict and teachers' responses. Concludes that peer conflicts do not necessarily lead to violence, but when children are unable to resolve their own conflict and are not supported in…