Guide for Creating

Safe Schools

While research shows that progress is being made, crime and safety issues still loom large for our nation’s schools. To help administrators and classroom practitioners address these important concerns, the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory has published a series of guides exploring key areas of school safety.

Each of the eight publications focuses on a different component of a school’s comprehensive safety plan. "The guide books are a prompt to get administrators and safety teams thinking about what could be in such a plan," says Ira Pollack, a safe schools associate at NWREL. The topics include prevention and intervention strategies; school policies and legal issues; staff development; quality facilities and security technologies; school-law enforcement partnerships; links with mental health and social service agencies; family and community involvement; and resources to enhance and sustain a safe learning environment.

Written in collaboration with leading experts, the guides offer a glimpse of how fellow educators are addressing issues, overcoming obstacles, and attaining success in key areas of school safety. The booklets, developed with support from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, also include lists of additional resources.

Pollack points out the statistics show schools are not becoming more violent, despite a steady stream of alarming headlines. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the percentage of students who reported being victims of crime at school decreased from 10 percent to 6 percent between 1995 and 2001. In 2000, students were two times more likely to be victims of serious violent crime away from school than at school.

At the same time, certain types of problem behavior—such as bullying—are on the rise. As one of the guides observes, "Far too many youngsters are caught up in cycles where they are the recipient or the perpetrator (and sometimes both) of harassment ranging from excessive teasing, bullying, and intimidation to mayhem and criminal acts."

Equipped with the guidebooks, schools can develop a comprehensive strategy to combat such behavior and create a safer learning environment for all. To obtain a free CD containing all eight guides or for further information about this series, call NWREL toll free at 800-268-2275. The guidebooks are also available online at www.safetyzone.org/safe_secure.html or http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/pubs/delinq.html#ss.