Muschert, Peguero article addresses possible negative effects on school anti-violence policies

Glenn Muschert, associate professor, and Anthony Peguero, assistant professor, both in the department of sociology and gerontology at Miami University have published an article that, according to Muschert, is the first social science piece systematically to link the phenomenon of fear of crime in schools with school anti-violence policies. 

Muschert and Peguero’s “The Columbine Effect and School Anti-Violence Policy” is featured inPart IV: Violence and Schools of New Approaches to Social Problems Treatment: Research in Social Problems and Public Policy, Volume 17. 

The chapter examines the development of the “Columbine Effect” – a set of emotions surrounding youth social problems, particularly violence in schools – and its relation to the development of policies to mitigate school violence. Six anti-violence policies are examined: crime prevention through environmental design; zero-tolerance; anti-bullying programming; emergency management planning; peer mediation; and school climate programming. The analysis indicates the level(s) of violence each type of policy is designed to address and identifies research evidence regarding the efficacy of each policy. 

Muschert and Peguero also identify a number of detrimental effects that have resulted from school violence policy initiatives, such as the socialization of youth toward a society of control and authority. The authors suggest the need for broader analysis in this area. 

The volume is available through Emerald Books and targeted to academic sociologists interested in understanding how social science can inform policy. More than 3,000 university libraries worldwide subscribe to Emerald journal collections.