ABSTRACT
In many American communities, schools are no longer safe environments for students or teachers. Violence in schools is a serious public health problem and includes overtly violent acts such as homicide and battery, as well as concealed crimes like child sexual abuse. School violence is one kind and an important form of youth violence. Youth violence is contributing substantially to the epidemic of violence in America. School and youth violence tend to cut across all social classes and exist in all areas of the country. The perpetrators of school violence can include fellow students as well as non-student peers. The 1996 CDC report on school-associated violent deaths found that victims were more often urban, minority, and male secondary school students. Firearms were responsible for three-fourths of the deaths. In the school-aged child, note whether he or she has difficulty paying attention and concentrating in school or disrupts the class frequently.
