As a school bus comes to a halt on a busy street, the driver swings out the vehicle's stop arm and turns on flashing red lights. Most drivers know what those signals mean--they are required by law to stop their vehicles so that children can safely cross the thoroughfare. However, many drivers simply choose to ignore the law. Thousands of…

The purpose of this article is to analyze and explore the various uses of zero-tolerance among youth in the United States. The authors illustrate the origin, goals, problems, and perceptions associated with this "crime-control measure" among youth within educational settings.

The "ERIC Review" announces research results, publications, and new programs relevant to each issue's theme topic. This issue focuses on school safety and violence prevention. An introductory section includes two articles: "How Safe Is My Child's School?" (Kevin Mitchell) and "Making America's Schools Safer" (U.S.…

The National Center for Educational Statistics 1998 Report stated that one in ten schools in their sample reported at least one violent crime over the past year. To promote school safety, educators have used traditional law enforcement methods that rely heavily on surveillance, penalties, and punishment. These methods applied to schools can be…

Presents four key steps in planning for school security and creating a safe, secure environment for students: deterring the possibility of crime; detecting when something potentially troublesome has occurred; delaying criminals in order to give law enforcement officials the additional time needed to catch them; and recovering and continuing the…

Presents a road map for colleges and universities to follow when establishing an in-house protective services department, focusing on: the leadership and command structure, screening and hiring of security officers, training of campus security personnel, documentation of officers' actions, policies and procedures (particularly regarding the use of…

Describes one high school's use of video cameras as a preventive tool in stemming theft and violent episodes within schools. The top 10 design tips for preventing crime on campus are highlighted. (GR)

Discusses how schools can reduce the occurances of physical injury, vandalism, and break-ins by properly lighting school areas. Several examples of lighting strategies are highlighted, including determining proper illumination levels for specific areas. (GR)

Provides administrative advice on how some safety experts have made college campuses safer and friendlier without breaking the budget. Tips on security and advice on safety management that encompasses the whole environment are highlighted. (GR)

Crime is increasingly characterizing the contemporary college experience. In a post-Columbine, post-Sept. 11 world, the "It can't happen here" response to such violence has been replaced with "Oh Lord, not again." In response to the loss of their daughter, and the lack of institutional support they received, Howard, and Connie Clery filed suit…

Objective: Although a variety of sexual assault prevention programs are currently available to college health professionals, there is a dearth of information about the effect of these programs on sexual assault victimization rates. Participants: The authors evaluated the efficacy of a sexual assault prevention program for first-year students at a…

Describes the Texas School Safety Center, established by the Texas legislature to provide interdisciplinary resources to promote school safety statewide through activities such as regional training institutes, youth leadership training, and technical assistance. Provides an example from the "Proactive Guide for Threat of Terrorism in Schools,"…

More U.S. young people have been gunned down during the past 13 years than died in the Vietnamese War. Crimes against juveniles are increasing; also, the intensity of today's youth violence is increasing. Over 3 million crimes (11% of all crimes) occur each year in America's 85,000 public schools. Sources, predictors, and solutions are discussed.…

Describes the importance of developing a school violence prevention and crisis response plan, explaining what an effective plan should include; how to establish a school-based team; essential components of a crisis response plan; how to ensure safety via contingency provisions to the crisis response plan; and how to handle the crisis aftermath. A…

More than ever, our public school system must confront weapons in schools and become aware of steadily rising statistics on youth homicide and suicide. This report delineates the problem, discusses why children carry weapons to school, and outlines strategies for keeping weapons out of schools and for improving school safety. Although some…