Meadows, Understanding Violence and

Victimization, 7/e

Chapter 6: School Violence and

Victimization
PSY 3090 – Human Violence and Individual
Change,
Dr. Alexandrea Park

© 2014 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc

1 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
 CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

6.1 Understand the major research findings on school violence

6.2 Learn why some youth become violent

Understand how schools influence violence and student

6.3 disruption

6.4 Identify the warning signs of violent youth

Become familiar with the strategies for controlling school

6.5 violence

© 2014 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc

Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Factors to Consider in School Violence

• Micro societies
• Cultural differences
• Forced environments
• Stresses from home, etc.
• Student differences ( maturity, seeking
identity, etc.)
• Security measures suggest potential violence

Copyright © 2019, 2014, 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Ten Myths about School Violence
MSNBC 10/3/06
• He didn’t fit the profile
• He just snapped
• No one knew
• He hadn’t threatened anyone
• He was a loner
• He was crazy
• If only we’d had a SWAT team or metal detectors
• He’d never touched a gun
• We did everything we could to help him
• School violence is rampant

Copyright © 2019, 2014, 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Understand the major research

6.1 findings on school violence.
Bullying (1 of 2)
• Bullying is more than just one single act of aggressive teasing or
fighting. Current definitions of bullying behavior stem from the
original research conducted with Norwegian and Swedish students
by Dan Olweus, who stated, "a student is being bullied or victimized
when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time to negative
actions on the part of one or more other students.
• Includes physical contact, words, making faces or dirty gestures, and
intentional exclusion from a group.
• the hallmark of bullying behavior is an ongoing pattern of physical or
psychological aggression that is threatening, coercive, relentless,
and leaves the victim feeling powerless.
• Boys bully boys, girls bully girls. Girl bullying more psychological

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 6* Cyberbullying
 Cyberbullying, which is sometimes referred to as online
social cruelty or electronic bullying, is an aggressive,
intentional act carried out by a group or individual, using
electronic forms of contact, repeatedly and over time
against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself
 Sending mean, vulgar, or threatening messages or images;
posting sensitive, private information and/or lies about
another person; pretending to be someone else in order
to make that person look bad; and intentionally excluding
someone from an online group

Mike Wiederhold, Vice President, Specialty Markets, Munich Reinsurance America, Inc.
7
Jack McCalmon, Esq., The McCalmon Group, Inc.
What kind of kid is likely to become a bully?
• have higher levels of anger
• lack confidence in the use of nonviolent strategies
• accept aggression as justifiable and satisfactory
• are unhappy at school
• are impulsive
• have feelings of depression
• lack a sense of belonging in school
• dislike or are dissatisfied with school
• have problems at home

Copyright © 2019, 2014, 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
What kind of kid is likely to become a victim?
• tend to score higher on internalizing and psychosomatic behaviors
meaning that instead of aggressively acting out they are prone to
anxious and depressed feelings, perhaps to the point of displaying
physical symptom s .
• may contribute to bullying by virtue of their being irritating (e.g.
hyperactive, ADD different), or socially awkward or insecure.
• may be "physically weak...quick to submit to their peer's
demands...reward their attackers by displaying signs of distress...and
by giving up desired resources...be low in social skills...use
inappropriate group entry tactics, and they lack humor and pro-social
skills" .
• may have few friends, thus have less peer protection, and more often
be rejected.
• Physical limitations shorter than most kids

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Bullying (2 of 2)
• During the 2009–10 school year, 23 percent of public
schools reported that bullying occurred among students
on a daily or weekly basis, and 9 percent reported student
acts of disrespect for teachers other than verbal abuse on
a daily or weekly basis. With regard to other discipline
problems reported as occurring at least once a week, 5
percent of schools reported student verbal abuse of
teachers.
• Individual changes against bullying- Batkid & 20,000
San Franciscans:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr_ZKkumfNs

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6.1 Research on School Crime and Violence

* *Studies of school violence have used the following

terms to describe the sources of the problem:

• Teen aggression
• Conflict
• Delinquency
• Conduct disorders
• Criminal behaviors
• Antisocial behaviors

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6.1 Research on School Crime and Violence

Recent data reports that, of the 33 student, staff,

and nonstudent school-associated violent
deaths occurring between July 1, 2009, and
June 30, 2010:

• 25 were homicides
• 5 were suicides
• 3 were legal interventions

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, 2012

12
6.1 Research on School Crime and Violence

• From July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010, there

were 17 homicides and 1 suicide of school-age
youth (ages 5-18) at school.

• During the school year 2008-2009 there were

1,579 homicides among school-age youth ages
5-18, of which 17 occurred at school.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, 2012

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6.1 Research on School Crime and Violence

In 1978, the National Institute of Education

undertook the first comprehensive study of
school crime and safety.
• The main purpose was to investigate the extent of student
and teacher victimization.

Findings from the Safe School Study included:

• About 7% of high school students stay at home at least 1

day each month because they fear being victimized.
• About 24% of students avoid three or more places at
school because they fear being victimized.
• More than 29% of teachers are threatened with physical
harm each month.
Source: National School Safety Center, 1990

14
6.1 Research on School Crime and Violence

Top 10 Causes of Violence

Based on interviews with youth in the nation’s most violent neighborhoods

Source: Anderson, J. 2000. Lucifer on the Loose. Meridian Magazine. Retrieved from
http://www.ldsmag.com/article/4577?ac=1.
6.1 Research on School Crime and Violence

Teachers at Risk
• Students are not the only victims of violence and crime at
school.

• From 1998 to 2003, teachers were the victims of about

234,000 total nonfatal crimes at school, including 144,000
thefts and 90,000 violent crimes (rape, sexual assault,
robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault).

• During the same time period, male teachers were more

likely than female teachers to be victims of violent crimes.

• Teachers who are considered to be strict are at most risk of

being victimized.
Source: National Center of Educational Statistics, 2003.

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Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Learn why some youth become

6.2 violent.
6.2 Explaining School Violence

There are a number of theories that explain

violence and deviance in youth, but it is fair
to say that many offenders are also victims of
biological, psychological, and social
conditions that may drive their propensity
toward violence.

18
6.2 Explaining School Violence

Categories of risk factors associated with youth violence:

Under- Presence of
Family
Character developed early
relationships
risk mental aggressive
and influences
abilities behaviors

The role of
Exposure to
the media General
violence
and its influence of The schools
and victim-
impact on our culture
ization
violence

19
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Understand how schools influence

6.3 violence and student disruption.
6.3 Schools’ Influence on Violence

Factors that contribute to sources of violence:

• Overcrowding

• High student-to-teacher ratios

• Insufficient curricular and course relevance

• Low student academic achievement and

apathy

• Poor facilities design

21
6.3 Schools’ Influence on Violence

More factors that contribute to sources of violence:

• The perception of violence and crime makes it

difficult to attract and retain good teachers.

• School discipline may suffer because teachers

hesitate to confront misbehaving students
because the teachers fear for their own safety.

• Students recognize that teachers are limited

where discipline is concerned.

22
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Identify the warning signs of violent

6.4 youth.
6.4 Warning Signs of Violent Youth

* Explaining Violent Behavior

• Teens who are severely abused at home or raised in

a dysfunctional family environment with criminal
parents

• Many troubled teens give potential signals, like

writing a note or journal entry

• Some teens make a threat to a teacher or student

• Teens who constantly fight, steal, set fires, show

disrespect for the rights of others, threaten violence,
and destroy property
24
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Become familiar with the strategies

6.5 for controlling school violence.
6.5 Controlling School Violence

Many schools have increased their security

policies and systems to address the problems
of crime and violence.

• Numerous school districts employ security officers.

• Some have gang units.
• Many have installed metal detectors.
• Many have banned gang clothing and insignias.
• http://foreverymom.com/family-parenting/the-three-
rules-i-made-my-daughter-swear-to-obey-in-college-21st-
century-
mom/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Susannah&
utm_campaign=3+rules

26
Discipline
• Discipline problems reported by public
schools varied by school characteristics. In
2009–10, a higher percentage of city schools
than rural schools and suburban schools
reported various types of discipline problems.
• A greater percentage of city schools (28
percent) than suburban schools and rural
schools (15 percent and 9 percent,
respectively) reported any occurrence of
gang activities during the school year.

Copyright © 2019, 2014, 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
6.5 Controlling School Violence

* Zero Tolerance

• Policies that require mandatory expulsion

whenever a violation occurs, no matter how small
the infraction.

• The intent is preventive and punitive.

• There can be a threat of over-enforcement.

28
6.5 Controlling School Violence Cont.’

* Zero Tolerance

29
6.5 Controlling School Violence Cont.’

* Zero Tolerance

30
 What’s All This Got to Do with Me?

 “CSULA Is Great!,” said the U.S.A. Dept. of Education!

 http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2015/10/value-
university
 https://www.economist.com/united-states/2015/10/31/wheres-
best

 CSULA on CSULA
 http://www.calstatela.edu/univ/ppa/publicat/cal-state-la-
ranked-number-one-nation-upward-mobility

31
Questions for discussions
• Are zero tolerance policies in schools effective?
• Why are some schools more violent than others
and what can or should be done to control?
• Should schools adopt dress codes?
• Should continually disruptive students who fail to
conform be expelled?
• Should some teachers /or administrators be
permitted to carry firearms if properly trained?

Copyright © 2019, 2014, 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
 CHAPTER SUMMARY

School violence has increased dramatically in the past decade

6.1 and research indicates that the violence will continue to
increase.

Many offenders are also victims of biological, social, and

6.2 psychological conditions that increase the likelihood of
criminality.

There are many school-related factors that increase violence

6.3 and student disruptions.

Students struggling in their personal lives or suffering from

6.4 assorted risk factors are candidates for failure and victimization.

Many schools have increased their security policies and systems

6.5 to address the problems of crime and violence.
© 2014 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved