Littleton, Colorado. Conyers, Georgia. Pearl, Mississippi. Jonesboro, Arkansas. Springfield, Oregon. In the aftermath of the latest incidences of school violence, Kids Killing Kids: Managing Violence and Gangs in Schools tackles the tough questions: How do we find out which students are potentially violent? What do we do with them? Is there an epidemic of children whose psychological problems go undetected until they erupt in violence? Are the parents really responsible?
Parents, administrators, fellow students, the media: we all look for someone to blame. Kids who look or act different fall under suspicion. The cry goes out for more gun control, less violence in television, movies and video games. President Clinton calls a conference to address violence in the media.
Add gangs to this mix and the situation becomes explosive. A factor in inner-city schools for years, new evidence suggests that gangs are now recruiting new members from suburban schools. Violence from conflicts between rival gangs adds to the already volatile atmosphere in schools.
While not all violence can be anticipated, there is no substitute for being proactive. Kids Killing Kids: Managing Violence and Gangs in Schools serves as a guide for detection, intervention, and prevention - providing solutions for our schools.