The number of school police officers, School Resource Officers (SROs), is increasing on school campuses to assist in preventing school violence, and in particular bullying. This mixed-methods study was conducted to compare the knowledge and perceptions of SROs (N = 184) hired by independent school districts (ISD SROs) and those contracted from law…

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)

Identifies principles of violence prevention derived from the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP), which operates in schools throughout North America. Focuses on societal changes, appropriate responses to these changes, and examples of ineffectual punishment. Describes RCCP, offers an evaluation of the program, and charts a course for the…

Violence-prevention measures at railroad crossings may not work at schools! This special issue highlights three approaches to dealing with youth violence: prevention (peace building); intervention (peace making); and security (peace keeping). The problem stems from incivility, lack of respect, and unconstructive communication. Diverse perspectives…

This document presents an effective way to view, select, and integrate school safety policies and programs. It offers a typology of school safety approaches, examines within the context of this typology a broad range of current policies and practices to prevent or manage violence, and provides a set of prompting questions for each of the three…

Since June 1999, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Secret Service have been working as a team to better understand--and ultimately help prevent--school shootings in America. Findings indicated that incidents of targeted violence in school were rarely impulsive; that the students who perpetrated attacks usually planned them out in…

In 1997, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation requiring local school boards to conduct school safety audits for each school under their jurisdiction. Guidelines for helping educators conduct these audits are presented here. This guide is designed to help administrators chart an informed, responsible, and proactive course toward…

This paper presents findings of a study that examined the effects of a violence-prevention program on students' acquisition of knowledge about violence. The violence-prevention program, an adaptation of the Prothrow-Stith (1987) curriculum model, was implemented in seventh-grade health-education classes in a rural Mississippi River-delta…

In August 1990, the Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management initiated a three-year School Conflict Management Demonstration Project. This publication is the final report on the Project. Twenty schools, which reflected the state's diversity, were selected to help assess the impact of the conflict management programs. The…

Reports on violence prevention in an inner-city middle school. Interviews of students, deemed by peers and teachers as good at managing conflict, revealed eight themes. For example, student experts inoculated themselves in attitude to avoid violence; de-escalated situations when provoked; and believed the cost of fighting exceeds the reward. (RJM)

Current efforts to create safe schools concentrate on peace-keeping and peace-making strategies (negative peace), that may enforce mutual mistrust and marginalize "suspicious" persons. Peace building tries to build beloved communities by providing nonviolent ways to empower students, model appropriate behaviors, and manage conflicts.…

Preventing high school violence takes more than security measures alone. Problem-solving approaches involve skill-building strategies that teach students conflict-resolution skills that become alternatives to the use of violence. Peace-making strategies seek to improve school climate by targeting key relationships in the school. Lists eight steps…

This handbook was designed to serve as a resource guide for Washington State school employees. It provides a beginning framework for addressing violence in schools, districts, and communities. It outlines Washington State laws regarding school violence, suggests curriculum resources for preventing violent acts and dealing constructively with…

The effect and efficiency with which an administrator manages crises may well determine his or her degree of success in resolving the situation. This book serves as a guideline to help administrators prepare for and respond to a wide variety of crisis situations. Following the introduction titled "Advance Preparation for Crises," five chapters…

This document provides guidelines for gang awareness and prevention in the California school system. It is based on the belief that inservice training programs help school staff recognize early signs of gang activity, a necessary step to intervention. Following the introduction, chapter 1 offers descriptive information on gangs and their members,…