One of a series of state profiles, this report describes the dimensions of the problems caused by alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in Kansas and the public and private initiatives to reduce these problems. It highlights positive developments and identifies areas to be strengthened. Demographic characteristics, state agency organization, and state…

An ongoing, multiphased project to measure and reduce book loss due to theft was instituted in the main library at the University of Kentucky. Though book loss was significantly reduced, the issue of whether an electronic security system is more effective than a manual checking procedure remains unresolved. (6 references) (EJS)

Summarizes key predictors of offending discovered in longitudinal study of 411 males. Most important childhood predictors of offending were socioeconomic deprivation, poor parenting, family deviance, school problems, hyperactivity-impulsivity-attention deficit, and antisocial child behavior. Proposes theory to explain results, including…

Correctional facilities are under increasing pressure to respond to the treatment needs of mentally disordered offenders during their incarceration and to arrange for treatment post release through reentry planning. This paper constructs cost estimates for three different reentry investments using data on the population (n = 2715) of male mentally…

Problem solving begins with problem identification. Conventional knowledge suggests that because patrol officers work specific geographical areas (beats) on a fairly constant basis, they come to see where the problems exist; thus, police experience alone can be relied on to identify crime problems. However, few have examined whether officers are…

This report describes a project to teach young children strategies to resist the lures of strangers and to produce and disseminate a training manual for teachers in mainstreamed preschool classes. Project activities and accomplishments of the project are described. The project involved a study of 47 children (ages 3 and 4), 6 of whom had…

In July 2002, the National Association of School Resource Officers (school-based police officers) administered a 52-item questionnaire to its members attending the Association's annual conference. The survey covered the officers' views on school security and safety. This report presents the results of that survey. A total of 658 surveys were…

Schools are not the safe havens they once appeared to be; college women are at higher risk for sexual assault than their non­-college-­bound peers. Congress has enacted several laws requiring schools to disclose their security procedures, report crime data, and ensure victims' rights. In 1999, Congress asked the National…

Reports on a study of 110 Detroit (Michigan) domestic assault cases to determine whether victim preference about arrest of the assailant had an impact on police behavior and the recurrence of violence. Finds that mandatory arrest policies reduces police discretion and ignores victim preference. (CFR)

Ethnographic data from a black middle-class Chicago neighborhood indicate that dense social networks fostered by residential stability facilitate informal supervision of neighborhood youth and enhance formal crime-prevention activities. Nevertheless, inclusion of gang members and drug dealers in networks of law-abiding kin and neighbors thwarts…

A study was conducted to gain a better understanding of problems facing limited resource families, specifically residents of four public housing communities. A needs assessment was developed and administered by a resident team from the housing communities. Through a systematic sampling technique, 100 households were selected from a target…

Chicago public elementary school students and teachers report a growing number of crimes and violent incidents on school property. This paper, which includes a lengthy literature review (14 pages), describes a study conducted to examine the opinions of one group of teachers regarding the safety and security climate in the school where they teach.…

This report summarizes results of two 1996 surveys of campus safety at public four-year institutions of higher education. Major findings included: (1) liquor law violations and burglary were the most common crimes, averaging 2.5 to 2.8 per 1,000 enrolled students; the incidence of violent crimes was much lower (.1 to .4 per 1,000 students); (2) 58…

This report describes a national telephone survey of randomly selected middle and high school principals to measure the impact of school-uniform dress codes on perceived level of school violence. In addition to measuring the impact of school uniforms on principals' perception of violence, selected variables such as region, gender, and educational…

A study involving 199 eighth graders in British Columbia assessed the use of conceptual, analogical, and outline methods of organization of textual material concerning computer crime and prevention. Findings indicate that simple presentation of a genuine advance organizer does not guarantee that students will use it effectively. (TJH)