Preventing School Violence: Methods and Strategies for US Schools

Introduction

The recent upswing in high-profile violent incidents in the United States has focused increasing attention on the causes of this public health threat and what types of response are most appropriate. The debate over the most appropriate responses to increased violence in American society has also extended to the nation's schools. Although it has always been present to some extent, violence has become a major problem in the nation's schools in recent years (Kelly, 2010; Killam & Roland, 2014). While the potential for enhanced awareness of the problem and improved reporting mechanisms may account for some of the reported increase in school violence in recent years (Blosnich & Bossarte, 2011), the research that follows will clearly show that any level of violence in the schools can be enormously harmful to students and staff alike (Robers & Kemp, 2012), making investigations of this problem timely, relevant, and important for policymakers and educators today.

The purpose of the proposed study is to explore the secondary literature and collect primary data concerning the causes of violence in the nation's schools and what steps can be implemented to prevent it. This purpose is highly congruent with the guidance provided by Johnson, Burke, and Gielen (2012), who note that the vast majority of schools in the United States (90% or more) have already implemented school-based initiatives designed to prevent school violence. In addition, school-based violence prevention programs can also help reduce the incidence of violent behaviors such as bullying through coursework in empathy and character building (Gibbone & Manson, 2010).

The following definitions of key terms will be used for the purposes of this study.

Methods: This term includes both school- and community-based initiatives that are specifically designed to prevent school violence.

School violence: This term generally includes all forms of physical and emotional abuse, including teasing, bullying, stabbings, shootings, assaults, and fights involving students (King, 2014).

Violence: More specifically, the proposed study uses the definition provided by the World Health Organization, which defines violence as "the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation" (cited in Kelly, 2014, p. 42).

The following research questions will be used to develop the information needed to confirm or refute the proposed study's hypotheses:

What are the main causes of violence in the schools?

What methods have proven effective in preventing school violence?

The following hypotheses will guide the proposed study's research into the causes of school violence and what steps can be implemented to prevent it:

H1: There is a statistically significant correlation between gang activity and the prevalence of violence in a school.

N1: There is no statistically significant correlation between gang activity and the prevalence of violence in a school.

H2: There is a statistically significant correlation between school violence and the racial makeup of a school's student body.

N2: There is no statistically significant correlation between school violence and the racial makeup of a school's student body.

H3: School-based interventions are more effective in preventing violence in the schools compared to community-based initiatives.

N3: School-based interventions are not more effective in preventing violence in the schools compared to community-based initiatives.

The proposed study anticipates three main limitations:

The number of educators willing to participate in a survey concerning the causes of violence in the schools will likely be relatively small compared to the total number of educators actively teaching in the United States, and the findings may not be reflective of the nation as a whole.

The Midwestern school district from which the respondent educators will be drawn may not be representative of other school districts across the country.

The potential for researcher bias concerning which studies are included for analysis is always present during the conduct of a literature review (Karimov, Brengman, & Van Hove, 2011).

The proposed study is significant for a number of reasons, especially with respect to the need to identify optimal responses to a multifaceted and complex problem (Fox & Burstein, 2010). Students who are victims of violence as well as those who witness violent acts in their schools can experience a wide range of adverse outcomes that may extend into adulthood (Grantham, 2013). Although longitudinal studies tracking young victims of violence into adulthood remain limited, current research indicates that young people who experience or witness violent acts can suffer from: (a) externalizing behaviors such as conduct problems and aggression; (b) internalizing problems such as fears, phobias, depression, and somatic complaints; (c) a diminished sense of self-worth; (d) social and emotional adjustment difficulties; (e) difficulties maintaining positive relations with peers and adults; (f) decreased social competence; (g) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); (h) anxiety; (i) depression; (j) elevated anger levels; (k) increased delinquent behaviors; (l) increased violent behaviors; and (m) an elevated potential for involvement in abusive relationships in the future (Smith & Eklund, 2015, p. 21).

Likewise, the short-term adverse effects of school violence on teachers and educational staff include acute stress disorder — encompassing anxiety, dissociation, numbing, depersonalization, and dissociative amnesia — as well as long-term effects such as PTSD, illness, divorce, burnout, and career change (Brock, 2009, p. 16). In sum, the effects of school violence can be life-altering, and despite being made a national priority, this problem not only remains unresolved but appears to be worsening.

Literature Review

The data for the preliminary literature review were collected from university and public libraries, as well as reliable online academic research resources such as EBSCOHost and Questia. The data search was limited to peer-reviewed and scholarly texts published in the English language, with a preference for those published within the last five years. Search terms included "school violence," "bullying," "school assaults," "student-on-student assaults," and "assaults against teachers."

Although all young people differ in their specific needs, they share a common need for a school environment conducive to learning (Brown & Meredith, 2014; Janson & King, 2006). Many young people already struggle with demanding educational requirements and high-stakes standardized testing mandated by federal and state authorities, and this struggle is further exacerbated by the prevalence of violence in the schools (Lawrence & Jefferson, 2015). As King (2014) emphasizes, "Violence in schools has become a significant public health risk. School violence, such as shootings, weapons in schools, assaults, fights [and] bullying can all impact the ability of children to function in school" (p. 58).

School violence can also adversely affect others in the school system, including the adults responsible for preventing it (Brock, 2009). Killam and Roland (2014) report that "while the focus is often on violence against students, it is important to note that violence in schools can also include violence against teachers, principals, counselors and other school-based personnel" (p. 5). Violence perpetrated by students against teachers has resulted in deaths and numerous injuries in recent years, and many educators have left the profession out of fear for their personal safety (Brock, 2009; Wheeler & Stomfay-Stitz, 2008). While precise figures remain elusive (Devoe & Bauer, 2011), current estimates indicate that school teachers in the United States are three times as likely as students to become victims of violence, including incidents of "theft, rape, robbery, sexual assault, and aggravated and simple assault" (Brock, 2009, p. 16). There have even been calls to allow teachers to carry firearms in the classroom for self-protection and as a last-resort response to student shootings in a growing number of American school districts (Blackler, 2013).

Against this backdrop, the complex problem of violence in the schools demands complex solutions, yet there has been considerable divisiveness in this area. Research to date indicates that policymakers and educators remain divided on what types of responses are required. Some authorities maintain that only "zero-tolerance" policies, lengthy or permanent school expulsions, additional juvenile corrections facilities, and expanded gun control measures can be truly effective in preventing school violence (Crews, 2014). Others argue that expanded in-school counseling services and character-building courses are more appropriate responses (Crews, 2014).

Because young people are at high risk of gang membership — which can lead to violent behaviors — some educators recommend that school-based prevention programs be implemented in districts where gang activity is especially prevalent (Kelly, 2014). These school-based initiatives proceed systematically: first measuring the extent of the problem to establish benchmarks, then identifying salient protective and risk factors that can ameliorate or exacerbate the problem, respectively (Kelly, 2014). The next steps in developing a gang-focused prevention program involve creating appropriate prevention initiatives, implementing them, and then measuring their effectiveness against the established benchmarks to identify further opportunities to reduce this cause of school violence (Kelly, 2014). Importantly, these programs are targeted at the entire student body. As Kelly (2014) notes, "Prevention programs are geared toward universal education about gangs; educating those at risk for gang involvement; and youth already involved in gang activity" (p. 43).

Taken together, the evidence suggests that although school violence is on the rise, evidence-based interventions can be implemented to help reduce and even prevent it. Since the causes of violence in the nation's schools are complex and multifaceted, identifying optimal prevention methods remains challenging. Nevertheless, the severity of the problem demands responsive solutions, and the study proposed herein can provide valuable benchmarks and findings upon which to base future research.