This "Theme Page" has links to two types of resources related to the study of Youth Violence. Students and teachers will find curricular resources (information, content...) to help them learn about this topic. In addition, there are also links to instructional materials (lesson plans) which will help teachers provide instruction in this theme. Please read our disclaimer.

Bully B'ware

This B.C. organization offers online assistance to schools who are attempting to raise students' awareness of the problems of bullying. Resources include information about bullying (what it is, common characteristics, what makes a bully, what schools can do, and more) as well as news stories about bullies.

Conflict Management Techniques

A grade 4-12 lesson plan designed to help students identify personal management styles and to develop an awareness of strategies used in each conflict management style.

(The) Coroner's Report

This site has information and resources on gang intervention and prevention, history and identification, warning signs, tips, and descriptions of street gangs.

Drugs and Violence in the Schools

A brief article describing the two ways in which drugs play a part in youth violence.

Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools

This U.S. Department of Education guide contains information intended to help schools identify early indicators of potentially dangerous student behaviour and to develop prevention, intervention and crisis response plans. The guide can be browsed or downloaded.

Gangs - Frequently Asked Questions

Prepared by the Dane County Narcotics and Gang Task Force, this information is applicable to cities and small towns through Canada and the U.S. The content addresses general questions about gangs. For example: Who are gangs?, What is gang activity?, What is gang structure and common identifiers?, and What can schools do to help?

National Crime Prevention Council

The National Crime Prevention Council is an independent, voluntary council of Canadians whose goal is to develop strategies to empower individuals and their communities to improve their safety, security and well-being. The above link will take you to their site map where you can browse through a wide selection of topics and articles. We have also established links to following six pages in their site which are particularly relevant for K-12 schools.

• Bullying and Victimization: The Problems and Solutions for School-aged Children
  
• Offender Profiles
  
• Picture of Crime in Canada (PDF File)
  
• Preventing Crime by Investing in Families (0-6 years old)
  
• Preventing Crime by Investing in Families (6-12 years old)
  
• Preventing Crime by Investing in Families (12-18 years old)

Preventing Youth Violence

This website is a guide to community programs to prevent youth violence. The two links below are related subject matter.

• Gangs in Schools An article discussing the characteristics of gangs, their impact on schools and the school response.
  
• Why the Brutality? An investigation into why gangs try to inflict intense pain, bodily harm, or even to kill.

Street Gangs: A Guide to Community Awareness.

San Luis Obispo County Gang Task Force provides information about gangs and indicators of gang association. Also, they suggest ways parents can discuss these issues with their children.

Student Strategies To Avoid Harm at School

This document is the results of a national American survey of 6504 students in grade 6 through 12 on student strategies to avoid harm at school.

Using Violent and Nonviolent Methods to Solve Problems

A lesson plan for grades 7-12 which encourages students to compare the differences in violent and nonviolent strategies used during a game.

Violence in the Schools

A publication written for secondary school teachers describing three majors issues and a number of intervention strategies. The issues discussed are: Female Fighting, Gangs and Violence, and Drugs and Violence. The intervention strategies include: Respect, Tips for Creating a Peaceful Classroom, How to Intervene, and Peer Mediation.

Violence Prevention

Pacific Center in California has information about what are the root causes for youth violence and has a number of fact sheets. Examples of fact sheets available are: Cost of Violence, Girls and Violence, Violence Facts, Youth Crime, Youth Incarceration, and Youth Violence: Facts in Brief. Other information related to violence is available.

Violence Prevention/Reduction

An index listing a number of issues of importance to teachers regarding youth violence. Each page has information relating to these issues and were developed as notes for staff workshops. Examples of issues presented are: Tips for Teacher's Safety, Peacebuilders, Interventions for Violent Adolescents, Basic Approaches to Violence, Violence Free Classrooms, Gang Signs and Symbols and more.

Warning Signs

This on-line brochure from the American Psychological Association covers the following topics briefly: reasons for violence; recognizing violence warning signs in others; what you can do; dealing with anger; are you at risk; controlling your own risk for violent behaviour; and violence against self.

Youth Violence

An this ERIC meta-list with links organized into the following sections: Defining Youth Violence, Targeting Gang Violence, Substance Abuse, National Programs, Community Programs, School & Parent Resources, and Publications.

Youth Violence and Youth Gangs: Responding to Community Concerns

Published by the Solicitor General of Canada, these pages give you the choice of downloading a copy of the document or scrolling down the page to read it on-line. "This how to manual describes an overview of the issue. the nature and extent of collective youth violence, as well as describing various approaches for mobilizing your community to plan for and respond to youth violence."

Note: The sites listed above will serve as a source of curricular content in Youth Violence. For other resources in Health, Nutrition, and Personal Planning (e.g., curricular content), or for lesson plans and theme pages, click the "previous screen" button below. Or, click here if you wish to return directly to the CLN menu which will give you access to educational resources in all of our subjects.