This document consists of the first 10 issues of the newsletter, "Prevention Researcher," published during the 4-year period 1994 through 1997. The 1994 issues (two) focus on dating violence and youth gangs. The 1995 issues (two) focus on Internet resources for prevention professionals and on drunk driving. The 1996 issues (three) focus…

Spurred by a national dropout rate of 25 percent, educators are examining causes of leaving school early, identifying high risk students, and devising student retention programs. This paper profiles the potential dropout, describes 10 characteristics of effective student retention programs, and describes three exemplary programs in Colorado,…

The solution to the problem of violence in the schools lies not only in the protection of students, but the prevention of aggressive, antisocial behavior. This monograph is designed to help schools build a violence-prevention program from the ground up. Following the introduction, chapter 1 discusses how the causes and consequences of violence in…

Research into the characteristics of at-risk juveniles that contribute to violence and the patterns of behavior and neighborhood characteristics and patterns that are associated with youth violence or victimization are reviewed. The results of the studies reviewed cannot be generalized to the total population of juveniles, but the findings of…

Nine distinct programs aimed at reducing the dropout rate and bringing "at-risk" students back into the educational mainstream are described in this publication. The document first notes the social and economic costs to the nation of students dropping out before completing high school. The report then describes changes in Wisconsin's attendance…

This review of the literature on disabilities considers: (1) their effect on individuals, families, and society; (2) their causes; and (3) their prevention. Individual subsections address such aspects as defining disabilities; causes of disabilities at various stages of the life cycle; emotional, social, legal, and practical aspects of effects of…

Estimates of the incidence of abuse of children with disabilities range from 2 to 10 times the rate of children without disabilities All forms of abuse, including multiple types of abuse with the same child, multiple perpetrators of abuse, and multiple victims within a grouping of children, exist within the population of children with…

Research and programs concerning college student retention are considered. Based on research studies, reasons why students depart prior to graduation are examined. The literature about corrective actions that can be taken and University of Tennessee data about student retention are discussed. A recent study at the University of Tennessee,…

The main private organization in Germany dedicated to combatting drug addition--the DHS and the Federal Health Information Agency (BzGA) jointly estimate the number of persons addicted to "illegal" drugs in Germany at around 200,000. Yet, people may grow up immune to drug addiction if they acquire a stable basis for self-confidence and…

Oregon's annual dropout rate increased from 6 percent in the 1992-93 school year to 7.4 percent in the 1994-95 school year. Some schools, however, managed to reduce their dropout rate. This report explores the strategies that worked for 15 Oregon high schools that reduced their dropout rate. Interviews were conducted with representatives of Oregon…

Literature indicating high rates of abuse in this population is reviewed, as is literature indicating high rates of developmental disabilities in child victims of abuse. Problems in data collecting practices are noted. Reasons for these children's greater risk for abuse are identified, including child attributes, stress, parent vulnerabilities,…

An integrated system of academic and vocational-technical education is vital to the well-being of students and the nation. Approaches to integrated programs include requiring more academic coursework of vocational students; including academic skills in vocational courses; and integrating the entire high school. Key activities for successful…

This report summarizes research on retention and dropouts. Although there has been a recent resurgence of retention programs aimed at students who encounter subject-area difficulties, many studies have questioned the value of retention, especially if it is not accompanied by programs of remediation and individualized learning. However, researchers…

This digest is the first in a series of quarterly publications about topics related to educational equity, which will also include reviews of related resources. Its main article examines the adverse lifetime consequences for females of dropping out from school. Women who fail to complete high school are penalized both by their lack of education,…

This issue of Emphasis contains 10 articles dealing with important issues for the 1980s. "A Place for Youth" (L. Lefstein) discusses programs for latchkey children. "Transcending the Norm" (S. Miller Perry) describes a black single parent program in Washington, D.C. "Safety First" (M. Stone and L. Loontjens) presents…