NCJ Number
197295
Journal
American Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 26 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 2002 Pages: 269-285
Date Published
2002
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the effects that highly publicized school crimes have had on campus policy.
Abstract
The effects and changes in school policies following highly publicized school crimes is the focus of this article. After introducing school violence as a growing public concern in the aftermath of the Columbine shootings, the authors state that fear of crime is often attributed to the influence of the mass media. Arguing that media accounts of school shootings are often inaccurate, magnifying public concern regarding school safety issues, this article maintains that national crime studies indicate no strong evidence that serious crime in schools is increasing or is truly problematic. Perceptions of unsafe schools, however, have led to increased usage and reliance on security devices. Conducting a mail-in survey of 3,058 public and private middle and high school administrators in Texas yielded 336 usable surveys. Chi square analysis of the returned surveys indicated that school safety policies were most often changed in response to either parental complaints about school policies or to administrators’ perceptions that students felt unsafe. The authors conclude that school administrators should exercise caution when implementing improved safety measures so as not to instill fear and panic in student populations. Tables, references