School psychology professionals should provide a primary leadership role in school safety initiatives based on their professional training and expertise. Furthermore, the tensions created by social expectation to implement violence prevention and intervention will provide the incentive and momentum for school psychology to redefine itself in the…

Study addresses school violence and dropout and proposes that the underlying factor of school connectedness/school climate should guide preventive and intervention efforts. Principal components analysis revealed five distinct factors: school connectedness/positive school climate, causes of violence, causes of school dropout, interventions for drop…

Safety belts are not installed in school buses for several reasons. School buses are constructed differently from automobiles in terms of (1) the locations of doors and instrument panels relative to passengers, (2) outer construction, (3) seat design and padding, and (4) visibility on the road. Under current regulations, bus seats are constructed…

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…

Initiation traditions and rites of passage are important for group and team membership, but the violent behavior and alcohol abuse involved in hazing constitute serious campus crime. This article helps campus administrators to develop new strategies for attacking the hidden crime of hazing. (Contains 32 references.) (Author)

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2002) has generated controversy and support since its inception. Parents, teachers, researchers, authors, advocates, protesters, and politicians have shared views and opinions based on "political" beliefs, biases, and anecdotal and research-based evidence that supports their stance. In attempt to…

Assesses student attitudes about campus safety through a student survey distributed at the residence halls of Alabama A&M University. Students answered a survey containing questions related to staff interactions with students, cleanliness, routine activities, and safety in general. Calls for student affairs professional to become more organized,…

Introduces this special issue on safe schools. Two articles concentrate on educational theory related to safe schools, and two articles discuss the analysis of data about school safety. The final three articles describe the activities of three safe-school programs. (SLD)

Reviews the literature on quality schools and safe schools, and proposes two testable hypotheses: (1) the greater the school quality, the fewer the school crimes; and (2) the greater the school quality, the more safe-schools components are in place. Supports both hypotheses with examples. (SLD)

Discusses the various contributions school counselors can make to violence prevention, intervention, and crisis response efforts. Proposes that understanding the counselor's role in prevention, intervention, and crisis response must lead to the professional development that will ensure that counselors will be equipped to handle what is asked of…

Fear over violence in schools has prompted increased requests for psychologists, educators, and law enforcement professionals to assist in preventing future school violence incidents. Attempts to lay a foundation for developing effective assessment and prevention approaches by first distinguishing planned school-based attacks from other forms of…

An awareness of the empirical knowledge concerning school violence and programs that have been supported by research is essential for the successful adaptation of school violence prevention programs. Yet, knowledge of national trends and model programs is not sufficient. School social workers must also balance the importance of research-supported…

Boredom and violence are not disconnected, and kids who aren't engaged in what they must spend more than twelve years doing, day after day, are at risk. But are schools safe even in more favored neighborhoods? Not in the deeper sense of safe. Not only are children verbally and physically abused in many public schools in minor ways--in ways that…

Describes a study to assess perceptions of campus judicial officers/members of the Association for Student Judicial Affairs (ASJA) regarding the effectiveness of the Clery Act (Campus Security Act) on campus judicial practices. In addition it provides information regarding overall effectiveness of Clery as perceived by the respondents. (Contains…

The purpose of this chapter is threefold. First, the chapter summarizes what is known about the prevalence of violence and weapons in U.S. schools. Second, the chapter examines theories that bear on school violence and the empirical evidence linked to those theories. Third, the chapter looks at attempts to prevent school violence and,…