This paper reviews the literature on violence and crime in schools and on prevention strategies and programs. A section on demographics examines incidence of crime and victimization in school, age of students involved, and types of violent behaviors. Underlying causes and conditions include family breakdown, substance abuse, poverty, and fear.…

Dress codes directed at gang attire present school officials with the dilemma of ensuring the safety of the students in a school environment versus the First Amendment rights of students to express themselves. A review of some of the court decisions limited to freedom of expression and general dress code cases serves as a foundation from which to…

The purpose of this comic-activity book is to teach children how to be safe and how to deal with peer pressure. The book centers on the characters McGruff the Crime Dog, his nephew Scruff, and American Indian children living on a reservation. Scruff, who is a child figure, encounters situations that children may experience or worry about,…

Youth violence and the juvenile justice system in the United States are explored. Part 1 takes stock of the situation. The first chapter discusses the origins and evaluation of the juvenile justice system, and the second considers the contributions of the Federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act to the existing juvenile justice…

Maslow's theory of a hierarchy of needs is used to analyze Navajo youths' struggles for identity, fulfillment, and self-esteem. Answers to the challenges of substance abuse, violence, and gang membership are offered based upon George Bearden's eight-step plan, which stresses the importance of understanding human needs to perceive and transform…

Focuses on judicial reception of schools' attempts to curb violence, particularly predatory violence and psychopathological violence. School responses have been to create violence-prevention policies based on punitive measures or punish offending behavior after it has occurred. Such reactions may result in finding that schools have abridged…

Research investigating perceptions of guns, gangs, drugs, and violence in rural schools surveyed 266 principals and counselors in rural elementary, middle, and high schools in northern Missouri. Smaller schools and elementary schools had fewer problems than larger and middle/high schools. Community collaboration is essential to solving…

A superintendent interviewed gang members in northeastern cities to determine their views about school and discover what gang-culture characteristics might improve their school success. Many were discouraged by teachers' low expectations. Prevention/intervention strategies include empowering students, encouraging a sense of belonging, and…

Describes efforts such as diversity tolerance, gang resistance, and summer youth programs at Walnut Middle School (Nebraska) to help reduce incidents of bullying and violence. States that the number of assaults dropped from 146 in 1998-99 to 51 in 2000-2001, after the anti-violence campaign was implemented. (Contains 12 references.) (NB)

Some of the common characteristics associated with juveniles who become involved in gang activities are identified. Programs that attempt to alleviate the situations that lead to gang involvement and programs that deal with juvenile delinquents are discussed. The history of the juvenile justice system is also traced. Characteristics that can…

Some of the most critical and troubling issues in juvenile justice are addressed to serve as a catalyst and resource for developing sound juvenile justice public policy decisions. The following chapters examine juvenile court policies, special issues, and cost-effective interventions, and present findings of a national survey of public attitudes…

This booklet, designed for use in secondary social studies classes and adult groups, explores the differing perspectives on the causes and prevention of violent crime. The problem, according to the first perspective, is that the sharp increase in crime is due to the absence of punishment. The most promising solution is to get tougher with all…

Juvenile delinquency can be expected in capitalist societies where the lowest level workers encounter coercive control in the workplace and reproduce this in their families. Their children are the most likely to be placed in coercive school situations, encounter peer pressure to participate in delinquent behavior, and become delinquent. (IS)

This article describes the results of a study on interagency collaboration required to make major systemic changes in order to address the needs of emotionally and behaviorally disturbed youth. Interviews were conducted with practitioners from a cross-section of agencies that worked with high-risk gang youth. The intent was to examine both the…

A survey of 41 rural high school counselors from eight western states indicates an emerging problem with crime and youth gangs in rural schools and communities. In addition, school counselors do not feel adequately trained or equipped to deal with gang-related activity in their schools. Includes survey questionnaire. (LP)