Victimization, Urbanicity, and the Relevance of Context: School Routines, Race and Ethnicity, and Adolescent Violence

The United States is undergoing a historical racial and ethnic demographic shift. There is limited criminological research exploring if and how these changes influence variation in the relationship between routine activity theory and adolescent violence. Although the link between routine activities and victimization has been tested and well established, criminologists have questioned if routine activities can explain adolescent violence across different social contexts. Prior research demonstrates that there are potential nuances in the theoretical connections between routine activities and victimization, particularly when considering race and ethnicity. This study builds on previous research by questioning if the elements of routine activities predict victimization across predominately urban, rural, and suburban schools. The implications of the relevance of school context in the relationships between routine activities and adolescent victimization will also be discussed more generally

Bullying escolar: um fenômeno multifacetado

School bullying can involve children in different ways, making them play different roles, among them, victims, bullies and bully-victims. The aim of this study was to describe how bullying occurs in high social vulnerability schools of Florianópolis metropolitan area and the roles played by students in this phenomenon. Overall, 409 children and adolescents from the 3rd to 5th grades and of two public elementary schools aged 8-16 years (X = 11.14) participated in this study. As a tool, the Olweus Questionnaire adapted to the Brazilian population was used. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were applied by the Mann Whitney and Kruskal Wallis tests. As for results, 29.8% of boys and 40.5% of girls reported being victims; 32.3% of boys and 24.6% of girls reported being bullies. Victims were the most willing to help a colleague who is suffering from bullying (X = 1.54; p> 0.001), even if they do not know the victims (X = 1.57; p> 0.004). Bullies are differentiated from the group that does not participate (X = 1.73) and the group of victims (X = 2.34), being those who felt less alone (x = 1.47; p> 0.001). It was concluded that the information obtained in this study is indispensable in the search for alternatives to reduce school bullying. The strengthening of relations between school and students and a better preparation of teachers and school staff are extremely necessary to try to minimize the effects of risk factors to which these children are exposed and consequently violence at school.O bullying escolar pode envolver crianças de diferentes maneiras, fazendo com que essas assumam papéis diferenciados. Dentre estes, têm-se vítimas, agressores e vítimas-agressoras. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever como ocorre o bullying em escolas de alta vulnerabilidade social da Grande Florianópolis e os papéis assumidos pelos alunos nesse fenômeno. Quanto ao método, participaram 409 crianças e adolescentes do terceiro ao quinto ano e da quarta à sexta série do ensino fundamental, de duas escolas públicas municipais, com idades entre 8 e 16 anos (X=11,14). Como instrumento, utilizou-se o Questionário de Olweus adaptado à população brasileira. Para a análise dos dados, empregaram-se a estatística descritiva e estatística inferencial por meio dos testes Mann Whitney e Kruskal Wallis. Quanto aos resultados, 29,8% dos meninos e 40,5% das meninas relataram terem sido vítimas; já 32,3% dos meninos e 24,6% das meninas relataram terem sido agressores. As vítimas foram as que se mostraram mais dispostas a ajudar como podem um colega que esteja sofrendo agressão (X=1,54; p>0,001), mesmo que não o conheçam (X=1,57; p>0,004). Em contrapartida, os agressores se diferenciaram do grupo que não participa (X=1,73) e do grupo das vítimas (X=2,34), sendo aqueles que menos se sentiram sozinhos (X=1,47; p>0,001). Concluiu-se que as informações obtidas neste estudo são indispensáveis na busca de alternativas para redução do bullying escolar. O fortalecimento das relações entre escola e alunos, e um maior preparo dos professores e funcionários são extremamente necessários para tentar minimizar os efeitos dos fatores de risco a que essas crianças estão expostas e consequentemente a violência na escola.CAPES - Proc. nº 0815/14-4CIEC - Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, IE, UMinho (UI 317 da FCT)Projeto Estratégico da FCT: UID/CED/00317/201

School routines and broken school windows: Race, ethnicity, and student victimization

This dissertation study investigated the multilevel relationships between students\u27 school routines, a school\u27s physical context, and student victimization at school. This research study continued and extended previous studies by examining the role of a school\u27s physical disorder, students\u27 routine activity and lifestyle, and immigration status with the property and violent victimization of public school students.At the student level, limited studies examined the association between a student\u27s school routines (i.e., classroom related, club, sports participation, and misbehavior) and being victimized at school. I hypothesized that a student\u27s routines, activity, or behavior were related with his or her odds of being a victim of a crime while at school. In addition, I suggested that racial and ethnic minorities and immigrant students were more vulnerable to school crime.At the school level, few studies investigated the relationship between physical characteristics of the school (i.e., disorder and security), and student victimization. Symbols of school disorder (e.g., broken windows, litter, and etc) may indicate the school\u27s inability to protect and maintain a safe educational environment for its students. I argued that a school\u27s physical contextual characteristics such as symbols of physical disorder and level of security and guardianship were factors in a student\u27s vulnerability to be victimized while on school grounds.The data for my dissertation research were from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002). The ELS data was a longitudinal study administered by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the United States Department of Education. ELS was designed to monitor the transition of a national sample of young people as they progress from tenth grade through high school and on to postsecondary education and/or the world of work. (NCES, 2004, p. 7). These data included information of the experiences and backgrounds of students, parents, teachers, and schools. This dissertation utilized the base year nationally represented stratified sample, of the 7,990 students who attended the 578 public schools in the ELS:2002 study

Routledge handbook on immigration and crime

The perception of the immigrant as criminal or deviant has a long history in the United States, with many groups (e.g., Irish, Italians, Latinos) having been associated with perceived increases in crime and other social problems, although data suggest this is not necessarily the case. This Handbook examines the relationship between immigration and crime by presenting chapters reflecting key issues from both historical and current perspectives. The volume includes a range of topics related to immigration and crime, such as the links between immigration rates and crime rates, nativity and crime, and the social construction of the criminal immigrant, as well as historical and current immigration policy vis-à-vis perceptions of the criminal immigrant. Other topics covered in this volume include theoretical perspectives on immigration and assimilation, sanctuary cities, and immigration in the context of the “war on terror.” The Routledge Handbook on Immigration and Crime fills the gap in the literature by offering a volume that includes original empirical work as well as review essays that deliver a complete overview of immigration and crime relying on both historical and contemporary perspectives. It is a key collection for students in immigration courses; scholars and researchers in diverse disciplines including criminal justice, criminology, sociology, demography, law, psychology, and urban studies; and policy makers dealing with immigration and border security concerns

Easy Talking With Parents as a Buffer in the Association Between Bullying Victimization and Declining Academic Performance among Foreign-Born and U.S.-Born Adolescents

The present study examines whether easy talking with parents would buffer the association between bullying victimization and declining academic performance among a nationally representative sample of foreign-born and U.S.-born adolescents. The study was drawn from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children 2009-2010 cohort study in the United States. Analyses include descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and moderated regression analysis for each group (i.e., foreign-born and U.S.-born). Results indicate a significant relationship between bullying victimization and declining academic performance for foreign-born and U.S.-born adolescents. Findings also suggest that easy talking with parents moderated the association between bullying victimization and declining academic performance but for foreign-born adolescents only. The study highlights the importance of family and parental communication to ensure immigrant adolescents’ health, well-being, and academic progress. Practice and policy implications and future research directions are discussed

Gender-Based Violence in Schools

Chapter Excerpt: Gender, understood as the socially constructed expectations for the appropriate roles, behaviors, and attributes of men and women as masculine or feminine (see West & Zimmerman, 1987), is a salient factor in multiple types of violence that occur in schools worldwide

Immigrant Generation, School Procedural Justice, and Educational Attainment

© 2019 Alpha Kappa Delta: The International Sociology Honor Society There is much educational concern about the disproportionate punishment of racial/ethnic minority students within U.S. public schools. Research evidence indicates that school punishment exacerbates the already-known racial/ethnic inequalities within the educational system. What remains uncertain is if and how school punishment, justice, and fairness are moderating educational attainment for the children of immigrants. This study utilizes data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 and incorporates multilevel analysis to examine how school punishment, justice, and fairness influence the educational attainment of children of immigrants. The study draws on straight-line and segmented assimilation frameworks to evaluate variation in these effects by immigrant generation. Findings do suggest that improved school procedural justice and fairness could enhance educational attainment as well as ameliorate the detrimental impact of school punishment; however, these patterns are segmented by immigrant generation and race/ethnicity