School Security Measures, School Environment, and Avoidance Behaviors

Abstract

ABSTRACT Important aspects of the school context include the presence of physical security measures, especially those that focus on the monitoring and control of students such as security guards and security cameras, and social school environment factors, such as adult support and perceived fairness. Using data from the 2015 National Crime Victimization Survey – School Crime Supplement, the current study explored the relationships between school security measures in schools, school social environment factors, and student fear of crime and avoidance behavior. The results indicate that the school security measures and school social environment are associated with students’ fear of crime and avoidance, and they suggest that schools need to reconsider the use of security measures and to focus on fair development and implementation of school rules instead.