Chapter 24: Crime and the Citizen
Getting Involved in Fighting Crime
Polling Report: Crime Public opinion polls on crime and related issues. Despite statistics to the contrary, Americans still believe there is more crime in America than the previous year.
Vigilantes in American History
San Francisco Committees of Vigilance Articles on the 1851 and 1856 committees. (Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco)
The Vigilance Committee of 1856 A narrative history of the San Francisco committee.
Regulator-Moderator War An account of the Shelby County, Texas, incident from the Handbook of Texas Online.
Vigilantes A short article on the phenomenon and primary source documents (poster and letters). (Spartacus)
Indicators of School Crime and Safety The latest in school crime statistics. (National Center for Education Statistics)
School Violence Prevention Publications, resources, and links. (National Mental Health Information Center)
Preventing School Violence (Text) (PDF) National Institute of Justice research papers on school violence.
The School Shooter: A Threat Assessment Perspective (PDF file) A report presenting a model for assessing threats at schools and intervening. (FBI)
A Time Line of Recent Worldwide School Shootings A listing of school shootings from 1996 to the present. (InfoPlease)
The Killer at Thurston High A report delving into what led a 15-year-old Oregon boy to kill his parents and two classmates and shoot and injure 25 others. (PBS Frontline)
Are U.S. Schools Safe? A 1998 report following the Columbine shootings with links to related stories and features, the Columbine attack, and other school shootings. (CNN)
Center for the Prevention of School Violence Gives a map of a typical school and resources for addressing problems in different parts of the school.
Keep Schools Safe A site dealing with the many issues related to the safety and security of our schools.
School Violence Links to articles, web sites, and resources. (National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center)
Youth Violence: A Fact Sheet Statistics, facts, and links on youth and school violence. (Centers for Disease Control)
Youth Gangs in Schools A report on the characteristics of gangs in schools, reasons that some schools have a greater prevalence of gangs, and the impact of gangs on schools. (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)
Toward Safe and Orderly Schools—The National Study of Delinquency Prevention in Schools A 2004 report. (National Institute of Justice)
Safe School Initiative A 2002 study of school shootings and other school-based attacks. (Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education)
NCJRS: School Safety Publications and links from the federal government. (National Criminal Justice Reference Service)
NCJRS: In the Spotlight: School Safety Facts & figures, legislation, publications, programs, and related resources.
OJJDP Topics:
Bullying
Dropout / Expulsion
School Involvement
School Safety
Truancy
A Guide to Safe Schools Research-based practices designed to assist schools identify warning signs early and develop prevention, intervention and crisis response plans. (U.S. Department of Education)
Manual on School Uniforms A report on where school uniforms are used and how effective they are. (U.S. Department of Education)
Zero Tolerance Policy A 2001 report highly critical of zero tolerance policies at schools. (American Bar Association)
Reports pointing out that school violence has declined dramatically in recent years. (Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice):
School House Hype: The School Shootings, and the Real Risks Kids Face in America
School House Hype: Two Years Later
Yahoo Directory: School Violence Links.
Yahoo Full Coverage: School Violence The latest news.
School Violence Links (Constitutional Rights Foundation)
Burglary Prevention Tips Ten tips to protect a home from burglars. (Austin, Texas, Police Department)
Burglary Prevention Checklist for Homes A detailed home protection survey. (Ruston Police Department and National Sheriffs’ Association)
Tips on burglary prevention for students and other residents (Ohio State University Department of Public Safety)
Topics in Crime Prevention Links to articles on many topics, including burglary, which details how to start and run a neighborhood watch group. (National Crime Prevention Council)
A Checklist For Starting a Neighborhood Watch Program (PDF file) A detailed list. (National Crime Prevention Council)
Joining a Neighborhood Watch (PDF file) A good summary of what a neighborhood watch is and what to do to join. (National Crime Prevention Council)
Crime Prevention Unit: Home Security A lengthy article on securing a home from burglars. (Police Department, City of Simi Valley)
Preventing Crime: What Works, What Doesn’t, What’s Promising A study on which governmental programs have been most effective in preventing crime. (National Institute of Justice)
The State of Violent Crime in America The first report of the Council on Crime in America. (Heartland Institute)
Preventing Crime, Saving Children: Monitoring, Mentoring, & Ministering A summary of the second report of the Council on Crime in America. (Texas Youth Commission)
Lessons of the “Get Tough” Movement in the United States A 2004 report criticizing get-tough programs. (Sentencing Project)
Crime and Punishment in America Argues that incarceration is the most effective way to fight crime. (National Center for Policy Analysis)
Did Getting Tough on Crime Pay? This 1997 report highlights some of the negative results of “getting tough on crime.” (Urban Institute)
Diverting Children from a Life of Crime: Measuring Costs and Benefits A cost-benefit analysis of early-intervention approaches as a means of reducing serious crime. (Rand)
NCJRS: Crime Prevention Publications and links from the federal government. (National Criminal Justice Reference Service)
