More than half of all school fires are started intentionally, and students (particularly older students) are responsible for a large percentage of those fires. Having a troubled background is a strong predictor for a student setting a fire. This article highlights one Texas community's experiences and reaction when its high school was burned by…

Offers superintendents several suggestions for helping building-level administrators to cope with the physical and psychological stress they often experience following a violent incident in their schools. (PKP)

This report contains a summary of a survey of violence prevention programs and a conference on the state of the art in evaluating such programs, as well as conclusions and recommendations. The survey of 51 violence prevention programs focused on evaluation activities. Analysis of the data indicated: frequently the goals have not been used to…

This paper presents the results of a survey of 51 violence prevention programs around the country, including detailed case studies of a select sample, reviews of the evaluations of these programs, and recommendations for next steps to be explored during the conference. Part I discusses the survey of violence prevention programs. It describes a…

The notion of alienation as presented in the writings of Frantz Fanon needs a theoretical analysis which considers its economic, racial and political aspects. Marx wrote on alienation in a similar way portraying it as a self-fulfilling prophecy which is fraught with violence and dehumanization. (VM)

This report studies patterns of violence among White youth, aged 15 to 24. Results show that youth death rates have been far higher in the rural West than in other areas of the country for most of the twentieth century. One possible cause may be the rural White ethos of the American West. (PS)

Reports that threats of violence and actual assaults against therapists are both real and frequent occupational hazards. Offers suggestions for prevention of violence such as anticipating the behavior, having well defined procedures for managing the behavior, and helping the patient verbalize angry or resentful feelings. (LLL)

Addresses the problem of cruelty to animals from a research perspective. Studies of possible causes of childhood cruelty to animals are reviewed and common contributing environmental factors are identified. Implications for educators are discussed and directives for detection and prevention of cruelty are suggested. (ML)

Presents a family systems perspective on wife battering and treatment implications for mental health counselors. Focuses on the processes and interrelatedness between events and people in a battering relationship. Discusses some of salient literature on wife battering from an individual perspective and suggests that future models and theories…

Presents a group treatment model using Thought-Feeling-Action (TFA) Systems, an offense- and offender-specific group treatment for abusers. Describes use of TFA Systems in group of court-referred male spouse-abusers. Reviews evolution of TFA Systems, then focuses on TFA Systems treatment of spouse abusers. Notes that system can be adapted to other…

Discusses psycholegal issues involved in intraspousal and interfamily law suits. Delineates six categories of lawsuits. Suggests that conflicts in families are already fairly extreme when adult children sue parents and that family lawsuits often make rifts irreparable. (Author/CM)

This report provides an executive summary and overviews of the transcripts of each of the seven National hearings held prior to the White House Conference on Families. Involving testimony of citizens and experts, and site visits to innovative programs and groups serving families, the Hearings were held in Kansas, Tennessee, Colorado, Connecticut,…

Religious organizations have played an important part in the national movement to combat sex and violence in television programing. Attempts by religious organizations to exercise some control of the visual media began in 1907 with a concern for movies and has continued to the present. Although many churches and church organizations have expressed…

Presents a theoretical construct (prostrate-detonate-dominate-ingratiate) to explain the development and maintenance of wife-battering. Ties the construct to research evidence and, along with clinical observations, uses it to develop a rationale for a type of therapy deemed effective with wife-batters: group marital Relationship Enhancement.…

The Kalevala, Finland's national epic, is a crucial element of Finnish cultural identity and important to Finnish culture. Violence, death, and suicide are often repeated themes in Finnish folklore. The Kalevala provides insight into past attitudes toward death. Traditions passed through generations have influenced people's attitudes toward…