Introduction to Miniseries: School Violence and Safety in Perspective

Abstract

VioLit summary: OBJECTIVE: The goal of this article by Furlong and Morrison was to summarize the major findings of research on school violence and school safety. METHODOLOGY: The authors employed a non-experimental research design in this study relying on data gathered in previous research. The data they used were gathered using three different research methodologies: surveys of school officials about the frequency and severity of different crimes on campus, victimization surveys of students, and surveys which aimed to assess the opinions of students, educators and the general public regarding school crime and violence. The authors recommended that any findings about school violence be examined critically due to the different methods used to gather this information. FINDINGS/DISCUSSION: It was found that violent crimes that occurred in school were less likely to be reported to police than those that occurred elsewhere. In 1989, 9% of students aged 12-19 reported being the victims of crime in or around school in and 2% reported being the victims of violence. It was argued that violence in school is becoming more lethal, just as violence elsewhere is. From 1987-1994, homicides committed with firearms among youth increased significantly, particularly among African-American males. There is no database to track homicides occurring on school campuses but an examination of media reports revealed that between 1986 and 1990, 65 students and 6 school staff members were killed with firearms on school property, and another 201 were seriously injured. Studies investigating the prevalence of bringing weapons to school indicated that between 1 and 4% of students carried guns to school and between 15-23% carried knives. It was found that students reported being less concerned about their safety in the 1990's than they were in the 1970's. A 1987 study revealed that students were more concerned about how they were doing in school and how they looked than about school violence. The authors noted that these findings may be a result of a growing desensitization to crime and violence and not an indicator of schools being safer. Certain students were more likely to feel unsafe in school than others. Specifically, those students who had been victimized before and those who went to schools where they believed drugs were available were more likely to report feeling unsafe in school than other students. The authors concluded that school psychologists should insist that their schools provide data about the frequency and severity of crime and violence on their campuses so that the problem may be effectively addressed. (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado) Violence Causes School Violence Research Juvenile Offender Juvenile Violence Student Violence Violence Effects School Personnel School Mental Health School Psychologist 01-00