A timely investigation of the history, legislation, and perpetrators of school violence, this guide debunks the myths and misconceptions about this terrible problem of national concern.
With school violence on the rise, schools have implemented security safeguards like never before in the form of metal detectors, video cameras, and armed guards. School communities have mixed opinions regarding these drastic prevention measures—many welcome the protection, while some condemn the reminders of violence these tactics evoke. This comprehensive text introduces the history of school violence in the United States, providing an overview of proposed causes—from violent video games, to inadequate parental involvement, to bullying by classmates—and detailing the pros and cons of various deterrents.
Experienced criminologist Laura Finley incorporates personal reflections, primary source data, and profiles of key figures to address the painful reality of school shootings and other violent acts. The text expounds upon the characteristics of victims, individuals who are most likely to carry out violence, and common types of assaults. Chapters include a discussion on current legislation; stories of infamous perpetrators; activists who are working to make schools safer; and school, community, and societal risk factors.
Features
- Addresses significant milestones in legislation and policies that have been enacted to respond to and prevent school violence
- Contains an informative timeline of key events in the history of school violence and prevention
- Highlights key court cases as well as data related to measuring violence
- Provides a compilation of best practices for the prevention of school violence
- Features perspectives from diverse viewpoints, including administrators, students, and academics
Contemporary World Issues
This award-winning series offers comprehensive, one-volume reference handbooks on important topics related to health, education, the environment, and social and ethical issues.
24-hour cable news. Millions of internet sites. Information overload. How can we sort through the information? Assess the analyses? Trust the sources?
A world of questions demands a library of answers.
Contemporary World Issues covers the controversial topics that students, readers, and citizens want to read about, write about, and know more about.
Features
Subject coverage spans six main categories:
- Criminal Justice
- Environment
- Gender and Ethnicity
- Politics, Law, and Government
- Science, Technology, and Medicine
- Society
Each volume offers a rich array of resources:
- A background and history essay that provides essential context and grounding for further study
- A balanced summary of ongoing controversies and proposed solutions that show numerous paths for further research on pressing, contemporary questions
- A forum of authoritative perspective essays by experts, offering a broad spectrum of arguments on the issues
- Carefully selected annotated documents, tables, and graphs that support statistical literacy and investigation of primary sources
- A chronology of events, legislation, and movements that place events in sequence and draw connections between them
- Annotated lists of print, web, and multimedia resources that power the next steps for in-depth research
- Profiles of key players and organizations
- A glossary of key terms