CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE - JOINT COMMITTEE ON REVISION OF THE PENAL CODE - HEARINGS ON SCHOOL VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM, DECEMBER 8, 1977 AND DECEMBER 15, 1977, V 2

• NCJ Number: 48349
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 189 pages
• Corporate Author: California Legislature
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A TRANSCRIPT OF THE LOS ANGELES HEARING IS PROVIDED, AND A SUMMARY OF THE TWO HEARINGS IS INCLUDED.

Abstract

THE JOINT COMMITTEE FOR REVISION OF THE PENAL CODE, WHICH CONDUCTED THE TWO HEARINGS ON SCHOOL VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM IN SAN FRANCISCO AND LOS ANGELES, SOLICITED AND RECEIVED TESTIMONY ON THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF SCHOOL CRIME, AND ON PROGRAMS FOR COMBATING SCHOOL CRIME. MOST OF THE WITNESSES AGREED ON TWO CENTRAL POINTS: THAT SCHOOL CRIME IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, BUT THE INADEQUACY OF AVAILABLE DATA OBSCURES ITS TRUE NATURE AND EXTENT. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT LOCAL RECORDKEEPING PRACTICES BE UPGRADED AND THAT A MORE UNIFORM SYSTEM OF REPORTING BE ADOPTED. MORE COOPERATION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL WAS RECOMMENDED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC USEFUL INFORMATION. AVAILABLE STATISTICS ON THE TYPE, NUMBER, AND COST OF CRIME IN THE SCHOOLS REVEALS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND IT IS BELIEVED THE SITUATION IS MUCH WORSE THAN STATISTICALLY INDICATED DUE TO THE TENDENCY OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO UNDERREPORT WHAT IS HAPPENING. MANY DESCRIBED THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE SCHOOLS TO BE LIKE A 'COMBAT ZONE,' NOURISHING A SIEGE MENTALITY THWARTING TEACHING AND LEARNING. A VARIETY OF COUNTERMEASURES WERE REPORTED BY WITNESSES, WHICH HAVE BEEN TRIED WITH SOME ENCOURAGING RESULTS. PROGRAMS FOSTERING STUDENT PARTICIPATION HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL. SOME STUDENT PARTICIPATION PROGRAM COMPONENTS INCLUDE STUDENT-RUN COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS FOR RUMOR CONTROL; STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN SELECTION OF ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, AND SECURITY PERSONNEL; PEER COUNSELING; AND STUDENT MURALS ON SCHOOL WALLS. ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO THE USE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SECURITY PERSONNEL HAVE ALSO SHOWN PROMISE. INCREASED PENALTIES FOR VANDALISM, THE BROADENING OF CITIZEN ARREST POWERS WITH REFERENCE TO JUVENILES, THE SETTING OF MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR THE SELECTION AND TRAINING OF SCHOOL SECURITY PERSONNEL, THE STRENGTHENING OF SCHOOL TRESPASS LAWS, AND THE BROADENING OF LOITERING LAWS WERE SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS FOR REVISIONS AND ADDITIONS IN THE LAW. THE APPENDIX PROVIDES INFORMATION ON THE CHARACTER AND EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM WHICH IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE TRANSCRIPT. SEE NCJ-48350 FOR VOLUME 1. (RCB)