School violence can lead to a disruptive and threatening environment, physical injury, and emotional stress, all of which can be obstacles to student achievement. Educators have responded to the perceived threat of school violence by implementing programs designed to prevent, deter, and respond to the potential for violence in schools. In addition, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 emphasizes the importance of safe learning environments by requiring schools to have a safety plan in place and to fund programs and practices intended to prevent and reduce violence in schools. The needs and capabilities of schools may differ; thus, schools implement a variety of practices intended to prevent and reduce violence. This study: (1) examines principals' reports of the prevalence of formal practices in public schools designed to prevent or reduce school violence; and (2) describes the distribution of these practices by selected school characteristics. The analysis is based on school-level data reported by principals participating in the school year 2003-2004 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), and complements the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) report "Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2006", which reported on the safety and security measures taken by schools in school year 2003-2004. In addition to including updated estimates, this study examines (1) efforts to involve parents in preventing and reducing violence; (2) safety and security procedures; and (3) allowable disciplinary policies. In addition to reporting the data by standard school characteristics, the study presents results by principals' self-reports of community crime. The study found that schools implemented a variety of school violence prevention and reduction practices and that some practices were more commonly used than others. In addition, practices differed by school level and other selected school characteristics. Schools in rural areas showed different patterns of practices than those in urban areas. (Contains 6 endnotes and 1 table.).

In recent years, different regions of the world have been unfortunately experiencing an increase in violent acts within various communities. For example, the United States has seen an emergence of severe violence within schools over the past two decades. This tragic phenomenon is causing administrators and practitioners to rethink teaching techniques and implement concepts of violence prevention within schools and other social organizations. Preventing and Reducing Violence in Schools and Society is a collection of innovative research on the evolution and implementation of nonviolence concepts within social settings in order to repent oppression and violence among global communities. The book explores the effective diffusion of violence through masterful negotiation and mediation skills as well as mentoring, counseling, and related processes. While highlighting topics including nonviolent teaching, active shooter training, and LGBT-phobia, this book is ideally designed for UN, governments and their heads, politicians, NGOs, communities riddled with gang and other violence, schools, educational leaders, social organizations, community leaders, teachers, preachers, religious leaders, mediators, peace activists, law enforcement, researchers, and students seeking current research on contemporary nonviolence techniques to facilitate change in schools and other societal environments.

Most schools are safe places for children but that does not mean that members of a school community live and learn together in harmony at all time. Violence towards children can take place in a variety of forms, including physical and verbal abuse and bullying. This is a practical handbook for schools to use when training staff in techniques for reducing violence. In particular, it addresses two issues: how to establish and maintain a learning environment where violence is not tolerated and how to respond to violence when it occurs so that this environment is protected. Each chapter covers a critical area for school policy, describes the issues, and proposes activities designed to be combined into a training programme to meet the specific needs of a group of staff. This includes teachers and the growing number of support staff in European schools. School leaders, administrators and educationalists should find this guide a useful addition to the resources for reducing violence in schools available in their own country.

The Handbook of School Violence and School Safety: International Research and Practice has become the premier resource for educational and mental health professionals and policymakers seeking to implement effective prevention and intervention programs that reduce school violence and promote safe and effective schools. It covers the full range of school violence and safety topics from harassment and bullying to promoting safe, secure, and peaceful schools. It also examines existing school safety programs and includes the multi-disciplinary research and theories that guide them. Examinations of current issues and projections of future research and practice are embedded within each chapter. This volume maps the boundaries of this rapidly growing and multidisciplinary field of study. Key features include... Comprehensive Coverage – The chapters are divided into three parts: Foundations; Assessment and Measurement; Prevention and Intervention Programs. Together they provide a comprehensive review of what is known about the types, causes, and effects of school violence and the most effective intervention programs that have been developed to prevent violence and promote safe and thriving school climates. Evidence-based Practice – Avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach to prevention and intervention, the focus throughout is on the application of evidence-based practice to address factors most commonly associated with school violence and safety. Implications for Practice – Each chapter bridges the research-to-practice gap, with a section delineating implications for practice of the foregoing research. Chapter Structure – To ensure continuity and coherence across the book, each chapter begins with a brief abstract and ends with a table showing the implications for practice. International Focus – Acknowledging the fact that school violence and safety is a global concern, this edition has increased its focus on insights learned from cross-national research and practice outside the USA. Expertise – The editors and authors are experienced researchers, teachers, practitioners, and leaders in the school violence field, their expertise includes their breadth and depth of knowledge and experience, bridging research, policy, and practice and representing a variety of international organizations studying school violence around the world.

The results of a survey on school violence, which was conducted with a national sample of 1,234 public elementary, middle, & secondary schools in all states in 1997. It requested information on 4 main topics: the incidence of crime & violence that occurred in public schools during the 1996-97 academic year; principals' perceptions about the seriousness of a variety of discipline issues in their schools; the types of disciplinary actions schools took against students for serious offenses; & the kind of security measures & violence prevention programs that were in place in public schools. Charts & tables.