The Rise of School Violence: A Neo Prison Industrial Complex

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While school violence can increase through neglect, it can also occur at any spontaneous moment. The alleged growing surge of school violence led the general public, state, and government to demand a higher need for security and harsher rules in the twentieth century (Packaged Facts 2000 as cited in Simmons, 2009). These strict rules and security produces the birth of a neo prison industrial complex within schools through heightened forms of surveillance and SROs.
Although minor school infractions such as chewing gum or talking in class can be a nuisance that led to small disciplinary actions. However, these infractions soon begin to expand throughout other areas of control. According to Eisenbraun, (2007), gang violence, theft, and assault …show more content…

According to Hall (2013), moral panic amongst society demands a need for social control. This social control towards school violence takes on the forms of security measures needed to …show more content…

The strategies of controlling and surveilling of the internal and external atmospheres of the school is grounded on the assumption that increased visibility deters crime (Johnson, 1999). According to Johnson (1999), research shows drug and gang-related undertakings flourish in areas of schools that are not closely monitored. In order to proactively respond to these potential events for school violence, police models are molded into crime prevention strategies within schools (Johnson, 1999). Whether that is through the use of surveillance cameras or police officers, the need for constant monitoring checks throughout the entire and after school day is mandated to prevent any possibility of school violence. Similar to how the community has utilized law enforcement officers to protect them from violence, school officials are now utilizing these officers to address the perceived increasing rate of school violence through disciplinary actions. The placement of police officers in schools dates back to 1983 (Johnson, 1999). The driving force behind the assignment of police officers in schools was an increase in school violence and the realization that deterrent methods were required to formulate a liaison between the police and community. These police officers were known as

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