Crime Prevention Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Crime Prevention Program - Essay Example Forty-seven percent of elementary schools reported one or more violent incidents compared with 74 percent for middle schools and 77 percent of high schools. The Pennsylvania Center for Safe Schools reports that nearly 2,000 Pennsylvania juveniles were arrested for weapons possession and 10 percent reported carrying a weapon in school or on a school bus at least once in the past year. (Walker 1995) Between 1988 and 1994 the rate of violent crime arrests for Pennsylvania juveniles rose by 69 percent. There are more statistics to show that school violence is on the rise. As a result of the obviously rising trends, the majority policy committee this summer launched a series of statewide hearings to examine the issue of school violence. Many different law enforcement experts, physicians, mental health providers, social service workers, teachers, school administrators, parents, concerned citizens and government officials testified to help determine the causes and possible solutions to school violence. The causes - whether the increases in single-parent families, increased violence on television, desensitization to violence by the media, or a decline in morals - can be debated over and over. Attention is now focused on how to stop these trends now and make inroads to our young children before it is too late. The General Assembly is starting to offer solutions and remedies. Several members of the House and Senate have announced introduction of legislation aimed at punishing the offender. Pennsylvania already has some of the nation's toughest statutes relating to juvenile crime, many enacted during Gov. Tom Ridge's previous special session on crime. Government is now looking into ways to strengthen and expand upon these. Too many proposals have been introduced which simply address the punishment of a child after a crime has occurred. My bills would attempt to stop the violent acts from ever occurring in the first place. THE MANDATORY SCHOOL VIOLENCE REPORTING ACT The first piece of legislation introduced is entitled the "Mandatory School Violence Reporting Act." This measure would allow schools and law enforcement officials to more easily distinguish those children most likely to commit violent acts before one occurs. Under this legislation, each principal, dean or other person who acts as the chief operating or executive officer of a public, private, parochial, vocational, or charter school, college or university shall make an incident report to law enforcement authorities concerning all incidents of a crime of violence which occur on the property or ground of the school, college or university. The incident report would include such information as the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the victim or victims, the accused and any witnesses. The names, addresses and telephone numbers of the parents or guardians of any minors involved as a victim, accused or witness to the incident also will be included in the report. Other information to be included would be a full description of the incident, what, if any, weapons were used or threatened to be used, a description of any injuries, and indication of whether law enforcement was contacted, and whether or not an arrest was made. The report would be filed with the local law enforcement agency and a copy would be provided to the Pennsylvania State Police for their use in compiling a detailed statewide report of school violence. This bill does not presume to