Presents indicators of various aspects of school crime and safety, including new data on hate-related language and updated data on student and teacher victimization, students' perceptions of safety and the presence of gangs, and students' avoidance of places at school. Data present a mixed picture of school safety, although overall crime rates…

Reviews contents of "Safe Schools: A Handbook for Practitioners" (1994), produced by NASSP and Dyncorp. Part one introduces the first comprehensive methodology for identifying a school's security problems, evaluating potential solutions, and creating an implementation plan. The second part includes the tools, worksheets, and surveys needed to…

Seeks to place the post-9/11 risk agenda for colleges and universities in historical perspective by offering a refresher on some of the most serious perennial risks for U.S. higher education. Offers an eight-point road map of how to enhance boards' risk management efforts. (EV)

Discusses the September 11 terrorist attacks' implications for school safety. Explores various schools' security procedures and any changes that have been made in the aftermath. Includes a sidebar on dealing with suspicious packages. (EV)

Describes the physiological effects of anger, effects of unhealthy anger in schools and society, short-term solutions for unruly classrooms, and ways to create cooperative classrooms. (SK)

Discusses the origins of school fires and the components of the fire protection code called the Life Safety Code (LSC). Three of the following LSC requirements are described: means of egress; protection from hazards; and fire suppression and alarm systems. Information on who starts fires is highlighted along with preventive measures. (GR)

Provides administrative advice on how some safety experts have made college campuses safer and friendlier without breaking the budget. Tips on security and advice on safety management that encompasses the whole environment are highlighted. (GR)

An awareness of the empirical knowledge concerning school violence and programs that have been supported by research is essential for the successful adaptation of school violence prevention programs. Yet, knowledge of national trends and model programs is not sufficient. School social workers must also balance the importance of research-supported…

Crime is increasingly characterizing the contemporary college experience. In a post-Columbine, post-Sept. 11 world, the "It can't happen here" response to such violence has been replaced with "Oh Lord, not again." In response to the loss of their daughter, and the lack of institutional support they received, Howard, and Connie Clery filed suit…

Boredom and violence are not disconnected, and kids who aren't engaged in what they must spend more than twelve years doing, day after day, are at risk. But are schools safe even in more favored neighborhoods? Not in the deeper sense of safe. Not only are children verbally and physically abused in many public schools in minor ways--in ways that…

Natural and man-made disasters represent an ominous threat to the research, instructional and public service missions of colleges and universities. From the bombings in Oklahoma City to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 to last year's Hurricane Frances, the potential damage to campus buildings, human life and irreplaceable archival resources is a…

Mercury tends to vaporize when exposed to air. The warmer the air, the more quickly it vaporizes. Although swallowing mercury can be a problem, the greater risk results from inhalation and skin absorption. Symptoms and health-related problems can result within hours of exposure. Spilled mercury settles in cracks and absorbent material such as…

Getting the school year off to a good start is the hope of every teacher. As the school year opens, a teacher has a brief window of opportunity to create a positive impression for the year that lies ahead. However, a teacher may face a dilemma in the process if he or she create a warm and welcoming classroom as it may invoke a doormat syndrome…

For many people, the idea of safety in an educational context brings to mind the problem of school violence and specifically the string of shootings at schools across the US in recent years. Here, the author begins by noting that the coverage of those events has obscured several important facts. For one, he emphasizes that there is a tendency,…

Some students with disabilities find that skilled companion dogs can help them achieve their goals, but schools do not always welcome the animals. Legal experts say that the law is generally on the side of people with disabilities who require assistance animals, but that the issues can become more complicated in the public schools. Guidelines ask…