The Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Justice of the Committee on the Judiciary convened to discuss the federal role in combating juvenile participation in gangs. A proposed amendment to the crime bill being developed, described at the hearing by Senator Orrin G. Hatch (Utah), makes it a federal offense to engage in gang-related crime and subjects…

Two cases of youth violence in southwestern New Mexico, one involving an Anglo youth and one a Mexican American youth, highlight the diversity of the area and the biased treatment of Mexican American youth. New Mexico demographics suggest a link between diversity and high rates of crime and violence. National reports clearly report the extent of…

Argues that school and community order and safety are inextricably bound together, and, therefore, an analysis of the epidemic of school crime and violence should include community factors. Presents data from elementary schools in Chicago (Illinois) as an example of this connectedness, and suggests public policy to improve school conditions. (JS)

Although the organizational structure and activities of youth gangs have been studied, little research has focused on law enforcement strategies to handle youth gang behavior. To examine how police handle youth gangs and law violation and to identify effective prevention and control strategies, the police gang control and youth personnel…

School security directors, educators, and social scientists met in conference to explore in depth the causes of school crime and to recommend realistic means of containing and minimizing it. The conferees made the following recommendations. All school administrators should set up an appropriate recordkeeping system in order to pinpoint patterns of…

The nature of youth gangs is explored, with suggestions for gang prevention and intervention. The emphasis is on organizing citizens, especially at the neighborhood level, to affect all community institutions. Suggestions are offered for citizens' groups to look at critical areas in schooling, incarceration, law enforcement, community programs,…

In 2001, the National Youth Gang Center conducted a survey of youth gangs in Indian country. Three hundred of the 577 federally recognized tribal communities responded to the survey. Twenty-three percent of Indian communities reported active youth gangs during 2000. The extent of the gang problem varied considerably among communities, with many…

While it is generally recognized that Blacks and other minorities are overrepresented as both crime victims and as those arrested for the commission of crimes, Blacks are underrepresented in framing the issues that address a solution to this problem. The input of minority researchers and policymakers is essential. (Author/RLV)

Since the 1960s, crime and violence have been increasing in schools. This document focuses on crime involving physical harm or the threat of physical harm to a student or staff member on school grounds or at school events. Chapter 1 reviews past trends in school violence, describes the current extent of the problem, and explores some of its…

The Classroom Management and Discipline Program, initiated to assist Texas school districts in improving school discipline and dropout prevention, is a statewide university/school/community partnership. Program goals are to: provide training and technical assistance to help districts maintain and improve discipline; reduce dropout rates, school…

Believes that the drop in urban teenage crime can be attributed to the change in how communities meet the needs of children and teenagers. Compares the U.S. cities with successful youth programs to ones that lack resources. Recommends that suburban and rural communities should also adopt programs to combat youth crime and violence. (CMK)

Texas is in the middle of criminal justice reform and a large prison construction program, but it has become apparent that no amount of reform will make a long-term difference unless the flood of young people entering the system can be stopped. Children in Texas are in trouble, and the future demands that priorities be reexamined to address…

The School Crime and Misbehavior Project, conducted under the auspices of the National Alliance for Safe schools and the National Institute of Justice, was aimed at providing school districts with a system to reduce crime and the fear of crime in the schools. The Duval County (Florida) Public Schools implemented the 2-year program as a pilot…

Despite the reports of violence in schools, the vast majority of America's schools are safe places. Nevertheless, students, teachers, and parents have real fears about school crime and violence problems. This report is a guide to combat these fears and problems. The report presents an updated description of the nature and extent of crime and…

In response to instances of violent acts involving children and teens both as victims and perpetrators, the Maine Legislature passed a resolve to study the issue and to identify and describe the extent of the problem among children, teenagers, and young adults in Maine. Results of a survey (n=542) designed to: (1) ascertain the perceptions of…