This brief summarizes what is presently known about violence in schools and provides recommendations for preventing the violence. The following findings are presented concerning the prevalence of school violence: (1) both teachers and students are in greater danger of losing their property through theft than of being assaulted or robbed; (2) both teachers and students tend to be victimized more violently in larger cities; (3) rates of assaults on and robberies of students were twice as great in junior high schools as in senior high schools; and (4) there is no difference in the robbery rate of teachers in junior and senior high schools except in the largest cities. The following survey findings are presented concerning reactions to school violence: (1) four percent of all secondary school students said that they stayed home from school out of fear at least once in the past month; and (2) 12 percent of secondary school teachers said that they had hesitated to confront misbehaving students in the past month. The following findings are presented concerning perpetrators of school violence: (1) students are the main perpetrators nationwide; and (2) in large cities the majority of perpetrators are strangers to the victims. Recommendations are made to lower the compulsory attendance age to 15 or lower in order to eliminate those students who view school as a prison or as a compulsory recreation center, and thus provide a safe environment for those who want to attend. Six tables and seven references are included. (JS)