Gangs and School Violence

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how the causes of school violence extend beyond gangs and gang membership, but how gangs are a significant contributing factor. It analyzes how gang members participate in violent acts at school and how the presence of gangs increases both the availability of weapons and the perceived need to seek the protection of a gang. It looks at the typically three different approaches that are used to manage the risk of school violence-- precaution, intervention and enforcement. Precaution includes taking steps to minimize the opportunity for violence such as metal detectors, intervention typically focuses on providing alternative activities for at-risk youths, such as after-school programs and extra-curricular activities and enforcement are those actions taken once an act of violence has occurred.

From the Paper:

"Intervention typically focuses on providing alternative activities for at-risk youths, such as after-school programs and extra-curricular activities, and on crisis intervention for students who participate in violent (or pre-violent) acts. Effective intervention requires that school personnel and law enforcement work together to ensure that incidents are reported accurately and that opportunities for early intervention are not missed. However, some school officials note that while law enforcement has been generally helpful in areas such as how to conduct a search legally, there remains a lack of knowledge among school personnel about how to conduct such a search effectively (Zolkos, 1996, p. 3)."

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