Although school districts are critical to the operation of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) Program, relatively little is known about how they plan, implement, and evaluate their SDFSCA-funded prevention activities. The U.S. Department of Education initiated this study to provide a more complete description of the ways…

This bulletin is intended to inform juvenile justice practitioners and other youth service providers about the work of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) in developing and demonstrating a Community Assessment Center (CAC) model, and to increase awareness about some of the challenges associated with its…

This paper focuses on assisting families who have been damaged by substance abuse and on constructive involvement of families to help all members cope. The four main topics are: (1) "Substance Abuse and Family Systems," including the effects of substance abuse on families and children; (2) "Theories and Approaches to Family…

This paper reports on the development of an empirically valid and reliable assessment instrument that identifies areas of need in violence prevention skills within the student population. The completed instrument should allow a school district to choose a curriculum that aligns with their identified need at each developmentally-appropriate level…

This brief presents the assumptions underlying the approach taken by the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution, Teachers College, Columbia University, in creating a nonviolent school. It also provides specific program components that schools can implement. The approach is based on the recognition that violence is a function…

This book examines multicultural awareness training through a three-stage developmental sequence as a primary prevention strategy in counseling. It attempts to lead readers to find examples of how multicultural awareness can make their counseling task easier rather than harder and can increase their satisfaction in working with clients from other…

Much-needed initiatives to treat the immediate and long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect are costly. To address steadily growing needs cost-effectively, federal programs increasingly require community agencies to collaborate in providing services to children, youth, and families. Moreover, policymakers increasingly aim to capture the…

Risk taking is a natural part of teenagers' lives. They need to take some risks in order to grow. However, they can also get into trouble with their risk taking when it involves behaviors such as sex, drinking, smoking, violence, and drug use. Interest in the role that decision making plays in adolescents' involvement in high-risk behaviors led…

This book examines the role child abuse plays within a victim's individual development from childhood through their adult life. It begins by describing the different types of child abuse, prevalence rates, and risk factors. It also describes four types of child maltreatment that include: physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse.…

Greater use of expensive equipment by schools has also increased the potential for vandalism and theft, giving an increased role to intruder alarm systems. This document provides guidance on the management and technical aspects of forming policies for installing and operating intruder alarm systems in educational buildings. Also provided are…

Recent years have shown a rise in crimes committed in English schools necessitating the need to formulate security policies. This document examines the use of security lighting and provides guidance and technical advice on policy to assist those responsible for design, specification, purchase, installation, maintenance, operation, and management…

This bulletin summarizes the results of a training and technology transfer program focussing on strengthening families for the prevention of delinquency. A national search was conducted for representative family strengthening programs, and through a process that involved national conferences, regional training sessions, and technical assistance,…

This kit contains materials to assist a school indoor air quality (IAQ) coordinator in conducting a school IAQ program. The kit contains the following: IAQ coordinator's guide; IAQ coordinator forms; IAQ backgrounder; teacher's classroom checklist; administrative staff checklist; health officer/school nurse checklist; ventilation checklist and…

This monograph examines four aspects of the problem of bias, prejudice, and hate crimes on American college and university campuses. First, the monograph examines the prevalence of hate crimes on campuses, considering who is targeted, the kinds of crimes that are committed, and the frequency and impact of bias incidents. The monograph then…

College students are engaging in a form of destructive behavior known as binge drinking. The Harvard University College Alcohol Study defines binge drinking as consuming five or more drinks in a row for males and four or more drinks in a row for females. This Join Together packet provides tips, and resources to help professionals undertake…