Springer Preventing Lethal School Violence (Advancing Responsible Adolescent Development)

Bullying. Gang assaults. Rampage shootings. School violence, especially when it turns deadly, has enduring social and psychological effects on students, faculty, staff, and the community. And though a great deal of research focuses on the significant role children’s positive social development plays in reducing incidents of school violence, in-depth examinations of evidence-based preventive measures have remained minimal until now. With its focus on averting lethal school violence, this unique volume translates the prosocial findings into practicable preventive measures that can be put to use in school settings. Making expert use of news reports as well as scholarly data, Preventing Lethal School Violence clarifies the links between bullying and lethal violence and delineates typical characteristics of school shooters while cautioning against outright profiling. Students’ awareness of self and others, strong connections with adults, and other social and ethical skills form the basis of a comprehensive, research-based model for reducing―and potentially eliminating―lethal incidents at school. This accessible volume: Outlines the scope of school violence as a broader social problem. Summarizes current information on the traits common to students who commit lethal violence at school. Examines the relationship between bullying/cyberbullying and rampage incidents. Analyzes examples of successful prevention of violent acts and resolution of hostage situations. Describes in detail the concept of positive school climate and introduces the Safe School Communities Model. Synthesizes key research data into violence prevention skills for students, teachers, administrators, and all professionals working in schools. Preventing Lethal School Violence is a must-have resource for researchers and professionals in school psychology and allied education disciplines, including school administration, school counseling, and social work. Review From the reviews: "During the mid-90s, as incidents of lethal violence spiked in schools across the United States, the issue of children's safety took center stage. In response, numerous publications and programs sprung up, focusing primarily on the underlying issues of school bullying and other forms of abuse. Still, little attention was paid to the violence itself, the people involved, how to deal with such events, or how to prevent them. By focusing directly on those involved in and affected by the most lethal events, Preventing Lethal School Violence bridges an important gap in the literature on school violence, addressing not only what we know about these events but how to put a stop to them."- Richard Hazler, Ph.D., PCC, NCCProfessor-in-Charge of Counselor EducationThe Pennsylvania State University --- “School violence (due to, for example, rebellion, anger, protest, random acts) has become a major concern around the globe. Daniels (counseling psychology, West Virginia Univ., Morgantown) and Bradley (counselor education, Indiana Univ., Southeast) look at a range of situations, from barricaded captives to suicide, domestic murder, and death related to fights, gangs, and rampage shootings. … They point out that mental-health intervention should be available to teachers and administrators as well as students. … Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals.” - S. M. Valente, Choice, Vol. 49 (1), September, 2011 --- "Daniels and Bradley have done an excellent job. They have given us a convincing and compelling summary of what is known about the causes and conditions surrounding lethal school violence and have illustrated how this knowledge can be used to develop a culture in schools that avoids the conditions sometimes resulting in lethal school violence. The two final chapters make a strong contribution to the literature. Here the authors describe their model and the positive steps that schools and communities can take to create a climate