Reducing School Violence in Detroit: An Evaluation of an Alternative Conflict Resolution Intervention

• NCJ Number: 161364
• Author(s): T S Bynum; W S Davidson
• Date Published: 1993
• Length: 91 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Michigan State University
• Sale Source: Michigan State University
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This document proposes an evaluation plan for a program designed to reduce violence in Detroit public schools.

Abstract

The intervention program follows a model developed by Rothrow-Stith (1987), which uses conflict resolution training, peer mediation, and teacher dispute mediation. The conflict resolution component of the intervention consists of weekly 1- hour sessions for 10 weeks. The peer mediation component of the intervention will build upon the conflict resolution component. This component will consist of the establishment of student tribunals. The third component of the intervention is the teacher dispute mediation training. This training will impress upon teachers the need to support the conflict resolution training and how to reinforce the alternatives learned in the student conflict resolution training. Two evaluation components are planned. The first will study all 10 locations that are implementing the program compared to those schools not participating in the program. The second component will involve a more comprehensive study of the effect of the program in two schools compared to two matched comparison schools. The evaluation will use both process and outcome approaches to isolate implementation issues, document program operations, and determine the impact on student behavior, attitudes, and perception of the school environment. 60 references and appended supplementary material