Amy E. Boice Counseling 511 Spring 2008 Research Paper Violence in Schools

1. Amy E. BoiceCounseling 511Spring 2008Research Paper Violence in Schools http://amyboice.angelfire.com/index.html

2. My Presentation • Overview • Findings from the Websites • Conclusion • Actions Recommended

3. Detailed Findings – My Top 5 Recommended Websites • National Criminal Justice Reference Service http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Topics/Topic.aspx?TopicId=122 • Philadelphia Courts – First Judicial District of Pennsylvania http://courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/family/juvenile/ • National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/topics/school.asp

4. My Top 5 Recommended Websites (continued) • Kansas Safe Schools Resource Center http://www.ksde.org/KS_SAFE_SCHOOLS_RESOURCE_CENTER/resources.html • Philadelphia School District http://www.phila.k12.pa.us/

5. My Findings…. • Currently, in the United States, juvenile crime and delinquency has been becoming a big problem in cities, towns, and schools countrywide. In the last decade, the crime rate of juveniles has nearly doubled.

6. Another frightening fact: • One can put on any nightly news, and on any given day, there is a story about a juvenile, between the ages of 10 to 18, committing some type of crime. It is disturbing and frightening at the same time, since these children are our future.

7. More about my research: • Some factors consistently associated with delinquency include such issues as abuse history, family distress, substance abuse, mental illness, teenage parenting, and academic failure. Teens dealing with one or more of these issues can tend to push them over the edge, or to turn to a life of crime, because they do not know any other way. That is where guidance counselors come into play as the ears to listen to what they are going through, and to understand, and help lead them in another path, away from a life of crime, being involved with the courts, or in the worst cases, jail.

8. More Interesting Facts: • And if these juveniles do get caught up in the statistics, there should be answers available to them as to what they can expect, what they will need to do, and most importantly, the reassurance that if they do take care of this, that there is a way to turn things around, before it is too late. Some teens find themselves in some type of trouble, but have nowhere to turn, or know how to access the answers they need to avoid getting into further trouble (recidivism). The answers to their questions could alleviate any further problems in the future, and helps them contemplate on what they did, and to deal with the consequences of their actions.

9. Some possible solutions: • Along with the delinquency rates increasing annually, there is also an alarming rate of school violence occurring. These acts of violence happening in the schools are making schools a dangerous place for our children to be, when it should be the exact opposite, a safe place for them to grow and learn. • Throughout my research as a guidance counselor, it has been proven that those teens that have someone to turn to, to understand, and to lead him or her in the right direction to a life filled with promise, hope, and a clear record.

10. National Criminal Justice Reference Servicehttp://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Topics/Topic.aspx?TopicId=122 • This website contained many useful facts and links for both counselors and teens to use to research such topics as recidivism and early intervention for teens. This page had many links to click on to research further, which made things more clear, understandable, and full of useful knowledge. What I liked best about this site is the Keyword Search, in which one can type in anything to do with juvenile justice, and it would take you to information and other sites covering that desired topic. This website and the information provided is geared towards juveniles, and attempts to give alternatives to a life of crime, with special programs, workshops, and counseling sessions to participate in. The idea behind these is to occupy the juvenile’s time, and keep them off the street, if only for a couple hours a day.

11. National Criminal Justice Reference Servicehttp://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Topics/Topic.aspx?TopicId=122 • NCJRS • What is the national juvenile recidivism rate?According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) report, Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National Report, "there is no national recidivism rate for juveniles. Such a rate would not have much meaning since juvenile justice systems vary so much across states." The OJJDP report does contain a summary of findings from recidivism studies conducted at the state-level.

12. Philadelphia Courts – First Judicial District of Pennsylvaniahttp://courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/family/juvenile/ • This website was rich with information for those juveniles that found themselves caught up in the Judicial system and needs answers to the many questions that can arise. This website can be utilized by counselors, teens, and their parents who do not know where to turn, or what to expect from the courts, when a juvenile does find them in some type of legal trouble.

13. Philadelphia Courts – First Judicial District of Pennsylvaniahttp://courts.phila.gov/common-pleas/family/juvenile/ • Specialized Probation Units and Programs: • Community Based Probation - Harrowgate Plaza (215-685-9900). The Community Based Probation office located at Harrowgate Plaza, I and Tioga Streets, serves the communities of Kensington, Port Richmond, Harrowgate, Fairhill, Hunting Park, and Juniata Park. Juvenile Probation in conjunction with various city agencies such as the Department of Recreation, Philadelphia Police Department, the Department of Human Services, Philadelphia Anti-Drug / Anti-Violence Network and other social service providers offers positive support for youth under court supervision. Our objective is to serve the needs of the victim, offender, and community in a balanced approach. • The School-Based Probation Unit (215-686-4200) places probation officers in schools to work with probationers enrolled in the school.

14. The Different types of Probation offered: • The mission of Juvenile Probation in the context of Pennsylvania's Balanced & Restorative Justice Model of Juvenile Justice is to serve the needs of the victim, offender, and the community in a balanced manner in each individual case. The goals are accountability to the victim and community, protection of the community, and the development of competencies in individual offenders. • The department is responsible for the implementation of the Balanced & Restorative Justice Model (BARJ) in the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice System. The goal is to provide balanced attention to the protection of the community, the imposition of accountability and the development of competencies. Victims of crime, the community and the juvenile offenders as well, should receive balanced attention from the juvenile justice system and each should benefit from their interactions with the justice system.

15. National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Centerhttp://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/topics/school.asp • "Being on either end of a violent situation, whether you seem to have come out with the upper hand or whether you don't seem to, it doesn't resolve anything.  It escalates the problem.  Hatred leads to more hatred.  Violence leads to more violence."   - Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys

16. National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Centerhttp://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/topics/school.asp • This website contained information pertaining to ways to prevent juvenile violence and crime. It also concentrated on how to make our schools safer, which is a big concern for counselors, parents and teens alike. The fact that it also focused on after school programs, and basically keeping teens busy after school to prevent crime and violence was an important factor in keeping teens safe and out of trouble.

17. Kansas Safe Schools Resource Centerhttp://www.ksde.org/KS_SAFE_SCHOOLS_RESOURCE_CENTER/resources.html • Did you know that research has found that remarkable things can happen if parents and caregivers spent at least 15 minutes of undivided time a day listening and talking with their children? Research also tells us that children really do look to their parents and caregivers for advice and help about difficult choices and decisions. Bullying is defined by a power imbalance between the bully and the target.

18. Some characteristics a bully may possess: • A bully's power can be derived from physical size, strength, verbal skill, popularity, or gender. • A bully's target feels tormented, helpless, and defenseless. • Bullying can include hitting, name-calling, threatening, intimidating, kicking, spreading rumors, teasing, pushing, tripping, excluding someone from a group, or destroying someone's things.

19. Is your child being bullied?? A Checklist A child being bullied often: • Withdraws socially; has few or no friends. • Feels isolated, alone and sad. • Feels picked on or persecuted. • Feels rejected and not liked. • Frequently complains of illness. • Doesn't want to go to school; avoids some classes or skips school. • Brings home damaged possessions or reports them “lost.” • Cries easily; displays mood swings and talks about hopelessness. • Has poor social skills. • Talks about running away; talks of suicide. • Threatens violence to self and others. • Changes in eating or sleeping patterns. • Takes, or attempts to take, “protection” to school (a stick, knife, gun, etc.). • Displays “victim” body language—hangs head, hunches shoulders, avoids eye contact. Children being bullied may show some of these signs, or may show few.

20. Kansas Safe Schools Resource Centerhttp://www.ksde.org/KS_SAFE_SCHOOLS_RESOURCE_CENTER/resources.html • This website was geared towards bullying, the effects of it, and many ways to detect it, begin to prevent, and how to deal with it when it does occur. Bullying is very prevalent and an important topic that counselors, teens, and parents should focus on, and deal with, instead of allowing it to transpire. It had been found in studies that a high percentage of the school violence that occurs has something to do with the effects of bullying that was not identified or dealt with appropriately.

21. Philadelphia School Districthttp://www.phila.k12.pa.us/ • Lastly, this website is resourceful for all Philadelphia teachers, counselors, students and their parents. This page contains valuable information about the school district as a whole, what is going on in Philadelphia schools, and the views the school district possesses about current hot topics. This page also has a keyword search in which you can type in anything from school locations to violence, and it offers valuable information about that topic, what the district provides as far as classes, workshops, and support. All Philadelphia school district students, counselors, and teachers should utilize this page for the wealth of information that is made available.

22. Philadelphia School Districthttp://www.phila.k12.pa.us/ • This past November, the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of the Chief of Staff will host the 5th Annual Student Anti-Violence Movement. This year’s Movement not only is a milestone--the fifth straight year the Office has spearheaded this activity-- but also is an important District and community collaboration. The goal is to initiate conversations on continuing practices that will lead to the eradication of youth violence within our communities and schools. 

23. Philadelphia School Districthttp://www.phila.k12.pa.us/ • With a faith-based approach this year, the District is presenting a multi-day schedule of events. The schedule is filled with activities featuring powerful speakers, educational workshops, student performances and information about free community resources for families and children.

24. Actions Recommended • In this day and age, juvenile delinquency and crime rates are higher than they have ever been before. School violence is even more prevalent and the statistics are staggering, as well as frightening. Schools should be a safe haven for students, but in some cases, they are becoming a war zone, causing fear to be instilled in some teens, instead of enlightening them with the knowledge they need and deserve.

25. More Actions Recommended: • When teens do get caught up in delinquency, it is very important for them to be educated in what is going to happen next, what will be expected of them, and to help them understand that there are consequences to every action. Although it may be discouraging when another teen falls victim to the system, but it should our responsibility as counselors to hold these teens accountable for their actions, and help them realize the error in their ways, and assist them in turning things around, to lead a bright future, without crime.

26. In conclusion…… • Many Americans are aware of the violence occurring in schools, as they are reported sometimes daily on the news. It is upsetting to hear, and even imagine what is going on in schools in this day and age, and anyone aware of these overwhelming statistics want to do what they can to make it end, and protect our future, the teens.

27. What can we do? • Focusing on the problems in the schools, such as bullying, is one way to start to bring the horror out of the schools, and begin focusing on what schools are designed for, to build teen’s wealth of knowledge, and prepare them for a brighter future without the crime and violence.

28. What I have found that could be helpful…. • There are many preventive websites and workshops available for teens to take part in, and again, it is our responsibility as counselors to make these preventive tactics accessible to teens. It is believed that if these teens are kept busy and stimulated to avoid the criminal life, or free time to get into trouble. Making it a priorityfor teens to be aware of these activities, and to take part in them can be the first step in bringing the juvenile crime rate down.

29. Appendix • http://amyboice.angelfire.com/index.html • Internet Address Book • Research Excerpts