Pubdate: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 Source: Daily Reflector (Greenville, NC) Copyright: 2007 Daily Reflector Contact: http://www.reflector.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1456 Author: Cassondra Lampkin Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) PITT COUNTY SCHOOLS SAW A 9 PERCENT INCREASE IN REPORTED CRIMINAL ACTS Drug possession decreased the most of all criminal acts in Pitt County Schools during the 2005-06 school year, according to an annual report from the state Department of Public Instruction. At the same time, total crime increased 9 percent for the same time period which compared the last school year to the 2004-05 school year. The number of incidents of drug possession in Pitt County Schools went down nearly 19 percent from 112 acts in 2004-05 to 91 last school year. However, there were 27 more criminal incidents 324 in 2005-06 than 2004-05. Statewide, school crime increased by nearly 8 percent, compared with the 2004-05 school year. A total of 10,959 school crimes were reported last school year compared to 10,107 in 2004-05. The report looks at 17 different types of crime in schools ranging from student assault with a deadly weapon to student assault on school staff. Most of the crime committed in schools happen because of respect issues, but it's also "a reflection of what's going on in our society and in our community," said Travis Lewis, director of student services for Pitt County Schools. School is still the safest place for students, said Mike Brown, East Carolina University school psychology professor, who added children are more likely to be killed or injured outside of school. "The emphasis on large-scale shootings makes it seem that school crimes such as those are much more common than they are," he said. Crime By Type Looking at the data by type of crime, possession of weapons was the most reported criminal act in Pitt County schools last school year, with 109 incidents. In contrast, the state's highest reported crime this year was drug possession. In Pitt County Schools, assault on school staff had the largest increase of reported crimes from 2004-05 to last school year. It jumped nearly 61 percent. It was 66 last school year and 41 in 2004-05. The definition of an assault on staff is any assault that doesn't appear to result in a serious injury, according to the state Department of Public Instruction. One example happened in April when a J.H. Rose student was accused of pushing a teacher across a desk on to the floor. The incident was reported to the Greenville Police Department. However, the school system also records an incident such as a student throwing a pencil at a teacher, said Lewis. Emphasizing respect in the student code of conduct at the beginning of the year is one way of addressing assaults against staff, said Jesse Hinton, special assistant to the superintendent. "Increasing that relationship between students and adults has a direct impact on increasing safety," he said. Groups of students have been making respect presentations at school board meetings, Hinton added. "Technology, such as cameras, can help, but the biggest help is going to be developing and improving relationships between human beings," he said. Respect is a two-way street, said Misty West, teen court counselor of the Eastern Carolina Mediation Center. Students need community and parental support and examples of better relationships, she said. Discipline needs to be viewed not only as punishment but as a way to help kids learn how to behave differently and resolve conflict peaceably, Brown, the psychology professor, said. Most children who commit school crime are people who have been teased or have experienced some kind of hostility based on a difference like race or sexual orientation, he said. Solutions Recognizing where problems begin and why young people think criminal acts can solve problems is where crime solving begins. A lot of problems do not start in school but in neighborhoods and at the bus stops, said Maggie Crandall, school programs coordinator of the Eastern Carolina Mediation Center. Bullying awareness also is a big part of preventing crime, said Lewis. School guidance counselors and counselors from the East Carolina Mediation Center make bullying presentations at schools. There are a lot of kids being bullied and picked on, said Crandall, who also works in the the school system. "Some students are scared about losing, and what's the next best way to scare someone off of you?" she said. Some young people see weapons as the answer. "From what I hear, students say, 'I have to take it into my own hands,'" she said. Mediation and counseling offer an alternative approach. "We talk to them about why their communication is causing conflicts in their life," said Crandall. "We listen and show respect." Citizens United Against Violence, a group of citizens and public agencies charged with preventing crime, is also taking measures to reach youth. "If (bullying) is not addressed early, you may lose some kids," said James Tripp, the organization's vice president and chief of the Greenville Police Department's child support enforcement unit. Most bullies end up becoming criminals, he said. "We will continue efforts to break down the wall of communication and get agencies to come together," Tripp said. In the future, the group plans to offer crime prevention training to bus drivers or workers in the cafeteria, he said. The police department also is supporting GRIP, the Gang Resistant Intervention Program, a year-round offering of positive activities for children and teenagers, Tripp said. Blueprint for Peace is another crime prevention program to help resolve issues between rival gangs in the community and schools if they request it, he said. On campuses, school resource officers operate a CrimeStoppers program, where students can give anonymous tips about criminal behavior and receive cash rewards, Lewis said. Student groups such as Students Against Violence Everywhere and Students Against Destructive Decisions promote anti-violence and anti-crime activities, Lewis added. Other Systems Pitt County Schools fell to sixth in the state from fifth in 2004-05 in terms of schools with the highest number of crime. Its total number of reported criminal acts in 2005-06 was higher than six other school systems of similar size. The number of reported acts in those schools ranged from 118 to 251. Pitt County reported 324 criminal acts. The data in the school violence report reflect the school system's accurate reporting, said Heather Mayo, spokeswoman for Pitt County Schools. "If you looked at another school system's acts of crimes in a similar size district, it may make you wonder if things were slipping through the cracks," she said. "Our report shows a strong indication of the effort put forth by our staff to monitor, report and investigate incidents as they occur and to potentially negate larger incidences from occurring," Mayo said. The state requires each school system to keep its own reporting method. Fulcrum Software Corporation is the computer-based system that Pitt County Schools uses to report discipline incidents. School administrators take the lead on investigating discipline incidents and ultimately make the report to central office through Fulcrum. In addition to reporting the 17 acts the state requires, Pitt County Schools also tracks student characteristics such as race, gender, if they're in special education classes, the person a student lives with, the administrator who reported the act, if any physical force was needed for restraint, number of days suspended and if an incident was reported to law enforcement. One School J.H. Rose High School had the biggest decrease in criminal acts. It had 38 reported crimes during the 2005-06 school year and 51 in the 2004-05 school year. The school has a tough student code of conduct, said J.H. Rose Principal George Frazier. "We don't play," he said. Students understand the consequences of their actions. "They know what to expect from us in terms of discipline and consequences and that acts against the code of conduct aren't going to be tolerated," Frazier said. Student are comfortable talking with staff and the school's two resource officers. J.H. Rose had its first "lock down" spring 2005. It was a crime-prevention strategy where Greenville Police Department officers worked with Pitt County Schools to randomly search for drugs. During the "lock down" no one is permitted to leave unless there is an emergency. "As long as the students know (a lock down) can occur at any time, it helps them control their own behavior," Frazier said. It helps deter school crime, he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman