Problems and Solutions to Violence in Schools

Violence is a very important issue that is coming to the front in today's school systems. School violence is a `complex social policy problem' and is considered very complicated and hard to define. My paper is on school violence and the methods in which the government and schools can provide support and/or programs to help stem the recent rash of incidents. These steps include: use of `less violent' materials, peer mediation interventions, police presence and action, individualizing of the troublemaker(s), safety measures [in schools, and at home], and raising deviancy awareness. Through using these methods, hopefully we can start to stem the amount of, and types of violence that has been ruling the schoolyards these days. It is important to provide for these changes, so that the youth of today can become safer.

There are many goals associated with fixing school violence, and they are often varied and different. The main goal of avoiding school violence is to preserve the well being of the students and staff members. The well being of students and staff is considered to be a very minimal amount of bodily harm or injury due to school violence. There are also secondary goals that are being reached. These include anger management and classes in conflict resolution, hopefully allowing students to work out problems, instead of bringing them to light with violence. There has also been an increase in the decision to modify education to help stem the violence in schools. The introduction of `less violent' education material is one step in the process. Some school districts are also now introducing mandatory peer mediation whenever a conflict arises, hopefully preventing any further violence.

School violence negatively affects the ...

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... for the educational system. There are liberal and conservative solutions to the problem. Each offers its own solution, and each thinks that the other will not work. The liberal view focuses mainly on the social conditions, economic conditions, and strategies to fix them to prevent violence. The conservative viewpoint, on the other hand, considers the lack of order inherent in the school systems, and the loss of authority amongst school leaders to be the problem.

The problem with criminal behavior in the schools has come to the forefront of national media attention and governmental concerns. Now, more than ever, the national focus is on the education systems, reforms, and safety of the children. The institution of new programs, increased awareness of already viable problems, and the fixing of these problems will lead to a safer classroom for the youth of tomorrow.