Schools are an important part of any community, and are increasingly considered responsible for the social education of young people as much as their academic instruction. In doing so, many schools have adopted a 'zero tolerance' response to student conduct that involves harsh penalties for minor infractions. At the heart of this zero tolerance…

Although research has explored the effects of protective factors on fostering resiliency within "individuals," the same level of inquiry has not emerged investigating the causes of why high-risk "organizations" are resilient to serious violent delinquency. One type of organization that seems particularly appropriate for…

This report analyzes the national 2000 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), which surveyed 2,270 regular public K-12 schools regarding school crime and safety. The study asked school principals about the characteristics of school policies, school violence prevention programs and practices, violent deaths at school and elsewhere, frequency of…

This report analyzes data from the 2000 School Survey on Crime and Safety presented in "Violence in U.S. Public Schools: 2000 School Survey on Crime and Safety. Statistical Analysis Report." Principals at 3,314 nationally-representative K-12 schools described incidents of crime and violence, disciplinary problems and actions, use of…

Educators and parents have begun to focus on the environment in which education takes place as well as on the nature of the education that children receive. Children learn most effectively when they feel safe and secure, and when they are free from fear. Behaviors such as bullying and sexual harassment that in the past were assumed to be part of…

This collection of papers reveals the systemic violence, poverty, educational neglect, and social disregard that shape the lives of poor children in the United States. After an introduction, "Savage Policies: Systemic Violence and the Lives of Children" (Valerie Polakow), there are eight chapters: (1) "A Crucible of Contradictions:…

This book explores factors that contribute to antisocial behavior among students and reviews the literature on preventing and responding to antisocial behavior. Chapter 1, "A Culture of Violence," links the widespread perception that school violence is increasing to a broader culture of violence. Schools are increasingly turning to…

An increase in gang violence and mobility in the last 20 years has alarmed members of the public school community. Gang membership, formation, location, and growth are described. Strategies to counteract gang activity, such as school discipline policies, school and community prevention programs, information sharing networks, and state legislation,…