ERIC ED373303: Confronting Violence in Our Communities: A Guide for Involving Citizens in Public Dialogue and Problem Solving [and] The Busy Citizen's Discussion Guide: Violence in Our Communities.

67 Pages·1994·1.5 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 373 303
CG 025 720
AUTHOR
Leighninger, Matthew; Niedergang,
Mark
TITLE
Confronting Violence in Our
Communities: A Guide for
Involving Citizens in Public
Dialogue and Problem
Solving [and] The Busy Citizen's
Discussion Guide:
Violence in Our Communities.
INSTITUTION
Topsfield Foundation, Pomfret,
CT. Study Circles
Resource Center.
PUB DATE
94
NOTE
67p.
AVAILABLE FROM
Study Circles Resource
Center, P.O. Box 203, Pomfret,
CT 06258 (full guide, $5;
abbreviated version, $1;
quantity discounts).
PUB TYPE
Guides
Non-Classroom Use (055)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Battered Women; *Community
Involvement; Community
Organizations; *Discussion
Groups; Educational
Environment; Group Discussion;
Neighborhoods; School
Security; Students; *Violence
IDENTIFIERS
*Study Circles
ABSTRACT
The first guide shows individuals
how to organize a
series of small-group discussions
in order to help participants
consider ways to prevent crime
and violence in their homes,
schools,
and neighborhoods. Based
on the concept of a study
circle--small-group, democratic,
and highly participatory--these
groups bring people together to discuss
important issues, find
common
ground, and develop new
ways to solve problems. After
some
introductory notes on violence
in the United States,
an outline is
provided for four study
group sessions. Session one begins
by asking
how violence affects lives
in the United States. In
session two,
discussants examine the
reasons for violence in society, while
in
sessions three and four,
participants examine what
e.an be done to
'essen violence in neighborhoods
and schools. Each session
features
specific issues for members
to address along with
examples of
approaches that have worked to
reduce violence in
some communities.
Finally, further information
is provided on the nature
of study
circles, suggestions
on how to organize a circle
on violence, and
tips on how to lead and
participate in a circle. Also
provided are
further readings on violence
as well as resources for further
action.
The second guide is
an abbreviated version of the first
guide.
(RJM)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS
are the best that can be made
from the original document.
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Confronting Violence
in Our Communities
A Guide for Involving Citizens in
Public Dialogue and Prot),
Solving
U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office or Educational Research and improement
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reorOduced as
A;cAQA----
received Iron, the person or
orlanitalron
originating it
Minor changes have been made to improve
reproduction quality
Points of new Or OPiniOnS staled in this docu-
ment do not necessarily represent
olI crag
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
OE RI position or policy
IWORMATION CENTER (ERIC)"
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
A program of the Study Circles Resource Center, sponsored by Topsileld Foundation, Inc.
Contents
Why talk about violence?
Foreword
1
Discussion Materials
Introduction - "There's a war on at home"
2
Session 1 - How does violence affect our lives?
4
Session 2 - What are the reasons for violence in our society?
6
What can we do in our neighborhoods?
Session 3
13
Session 4 - What can we do in our schools?
17
Materials on the Study Circle Process
What is a study circle?
20
Organizing study circles on violence
22
Leading a study circle
24
Suggestions for participants
26
Supplemental Materials
Readings on violence
27
Resources for further action
32
Confronting Violence in Our Communities: A Guide for Involving Citizens in
Public Dialogue and Problem Solving is a publication of the Study Circles
Resource Center (SCRC). SCRC is a project of the Topsfield Foundation, Inc.,
a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan foundation dedicated to advancing deliberative
democracy and improving the quality of public life in the United States. SCRC
carries out this mission by promoting the use of small-group, democratic, highly
participatory discussions known as study circles. For more information, contact
SCRC at PO Box 203, Pomfret, CT 06258, (203) 928 -2616, fax [phone].
Writers: Matthew Leighninger and Mark Niedergang
Editor: Martha L. McCoy
Copyright 1994 Topsfield Foundation, Inc.
You are welcome to photocopy this publication as needed, or you can order
additional guides from SCRC for $5,00 each, with discounts available for large
orders. Also available is The Busy Citizen's Discussion Guide: Violence in Our
Communities. The Busy Citizen's booklet, designed as a participant handout for
discussion programs based on this larger guide, consists mainly of Sessions 1
through 4 of this booklet. This brief version, in a 51 x al format, is available for
$1.00, with discounts available for large orders.
3
Foreword
Why talk about
violence?
The purpose of this guide is to help you or-
tion of the main causes of violence. This session
lays out five different perspectives on the causes of
ganize a series of small-group discussions that will
help participants consider what they can do to
violence, along with some action steps that could
prevent crime and violence in their homes, schools, follow from each of the perspectives.
and neighborhoods.
What can we do in our neigh-
Session 3
Study circles small-group, democratic, highly
borhoods? is designed to help group members
have a venerable history
participatory discussions
think about what they can do to reduce crime and
in our nation's town meeting and Chautauqua
violence in the homes and on the streets of their
traditions, and are once again taking root in many
neighborhoods. It provides information about a
organizations and communities as a way to grapple
number of successful violence prevention ap-
with political and social concerns. They are an
proaches around the country.
effective way for people to meet together to dis-
What can we do in our schools?
Session 4
cuss important issues, find common ground, and
helps participants address the question of what
develop new ways to solve problems.
they can do about violence in their local schools.
Study circles on violence are valuable because
It describes some successful programs used in
they provide a flexible, democratic process that
schools around the country.
each community can adapt to its own concerns. As
Following the final session, there are addition-
people meet with and learn from each other, they
al readings on violence and a list of resources for
are building a sense of community that is basic to
further action.
effectively addressing violence. Study circles also
provide a way for citizens to become part of a
adapt it
This guide is designed to be flexible
dynamic campaign against crime and violence by
and tailor it to the needs of your community or
giving them the opportunity to "own" the issue,
organization.
analyze the problems, come to agreement, and
jointly develop solutions.
Whether you organize discussions within your
institution or in the larger community, please tell
Confronting Violence in Our Communities
us about your efforts. We can assist with your
provides general information on the study circle
program and put you in touch with others who are
process and lays out four discussion sessions:
organizing similar programs. Tell us about your ef-
Session 1
How does violence affect our
forts so that we can document the network of
lives? provides an opportunity for participants to
communities and organizations around the U.S.
talk about their own experiences with violence and
that are fostering productive dialogue on violence.
their concerns about violence in their community.
Confronting violence in our society will require
What are the reasons for vio-
Session 2
the participation of many Americans in open, pro-
lence in our society? encourages the group to
ductive dialogue. We hope that this guide is use-
look at the larger society and consider the ques-
ful to your participation.
Study Circles Resource Center
PO Box 203
Pomfret, CT 06258
[phone] FAX [phone]
4
1
Introduction
"There's a war on
at home"
Violence has commanded the attention of the
7, 1994). And increasingly, young people face the
nation, inspiring fear, anger, and grave concern. In
fear of violence in their daily lives. In a 1991 sur-
vey, one in five high school students said that they
recent opinion polls, Americans have consistently
put crime and violence at the top of the list of
carried a weapon to school at least once a month,
for self-protection or use in a fight (Centers for
issues that trouble them.
Disease Control, 1991).
Almost every day there is a story in the news
about a multiple murder or some other senseless,
vicious act. Many people agree that the media
Violence in our neighborhoods
sensationalize violent crime and give people the
idea that it is more rampant than it actually is, but
few doubt that violence in our communities is a
Over 2.9 million Americans were victims of
serious problem. Even though rates of violent
violent crime in 1990. Local governments spent
crime might shift slightly up or down each year, we
$39.7 billion on the criminal justice system in 1990
(Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1992 and 1994).
endure a great deal more violent crime than any
other industrialized country in the world
and
Approximately four million American women
that doesn't seem likely to change anytime soon.
are beaten in their homes each year (The Wall
Street Journal, August 6, 1993). About one in four
Violence has certainly become a political pre-
women is likely to be abused by her partner in
her lifetime (Congressional Quarterly Researcher,
occupation, and violence or the threat of violence
February 26, 1993).
affects the daily lives of more people than ever
before. For many people, personal safety has be-
Four out
10 Americans "have
every
of
come a constant concern
they worry about
changed their way of living" because of anxiety
something happening to them in the streets, at
about drug-related crime (The Christian Science
Monitor, April 8, 1994).
school, at work, even in their own homes. As
Newsweek columnist Jonathan Alter described the
The following figures were compiled by the
situation, 'There's a war on at home.... Even
Children's Trust Fund in Massachusetts: 95% of
now a land of real
outside major cities, ours
child abusers were themselves abused as child-
freedom only during daylight and in certain neigh-
ren; 80% of substance abusers were abused as
children; and 80% of the Massachusetts state
borhoods" (Newsweek, September 27, 1993).
were abused
prison
population
children
as
(Boston Globe, March 6, 1994).
There is concern not only about the general
level of violence, but about the kinds of violence
Eight out of ten murders are committed by
that are on the rise. The fastest growth in violent
relatives or acquaintances of the victim (Bureau
of Justice Statistics, February 1994). However,
crime is occurring among teenagers: From 1986 to
this proportion seems to be falling as violence
1V)1, murders committed by teens ages 14 to 17
becomes more random (U.S. News & World
grew by 124%, while among adults 25 and over,
Report, January 17, 1994).
murder actually declined slightly (Time, February
Study Circles Resource Center
PO Box 203
Pomfret, CT 06258
[phone]
FAX [phone]
v)
2
Introduction -"There's a war on at home"
Violence against women is also a growing
concern. Reported incidents of domestic violence
Violence in our schools
have surged; more American lives
mostly wo-
men's lives
are lost to domestic violence every
"In 1986, the last' year for which we have
five years than in the entire Vietnam war. A study
reliable data, four to five people under 18 were
conducted by the National Victim Center revealed
murdered per day. Equally chilling, three to four
that 1 in 8 adult women has been raped ("Rape in
people under 18 were arrested for murder every
America: A Report to the Nation," April 23,
day" (National Crime Prevention Council).
1992).
In 1988, only 2 percent of the nation's 50
Working to reduce crime and violence
largest school districts used metal detectors. By
1993, 50 percent of them did (Family Circle, March
16, 1994).
Some elected officials are afraid to admit that
the criminal justice system by itself can't control
survey of 2,508 students in 96 middle and
A
violent crime. However, growing numbers of may-
high schooi3 by Louis Harris in the summer of
ors, judges, police chiefs, and other public leaders
1993 found that nearly 60 percent of youngsters
are acknowledging that citizens must become in-
in grades 6 through 12 said they could get a
volved if we hope to make real changes. Senator
handgun quickly. One third of those surveyed
Bill Bradley (D-NJ) has called for a "national
said they could get a gun within an hour.
A
1991
rebellion" made up of citizens working against vio-
survey by the Centers for Disease Control
which
lence at the local level. (For excerpts from Senator
considers guns in schools a public health prob-
lem - found that 100,000 students across the
Bradley's speech on this idea, see page 28.)
country bring guns to school each day.
There are important reasons to be confident
In Detroit, student assaults on teachers rose
that citizens
make a difference in reducing
can
900% from 1985 to 1990 (National School Safety
violence. In addition to the overwhelmingly bat
Center).
news that we see every day in the media, there is
another side of the story: that _: Americans com-
communities. Citizens, teachers, parents, young
ing together to examine the violence problem and
people, police, health care workers, elected offi-
to find ways to work cooperatively to solve it.
cials, and other community leaders have designed
innovative ways to address many aspects of the
One hopeful sign is that there is growing
violence problem
substance abuse, domestic
agreement about the importance of confronting
violence. Though different people emphasize dif-
violence, gang violence, racial conflicts
within the
ferent aspects of the problem
settings of family, schools, social service agencies,
and different solu-
religious institutions, and neighborhoods. Each of
tions
almost everyone agrees that violence must
these approaches plays a part in reducing and
be addressed.
preventing violence, and affirms that citizens can
make a difference at the local level.
There is also a growing willingness to face
violence openly. Where people might once have
Reducing crime and violence is up to us
been afraid to confront the issue publicly, for fear
of harming the local tourism industry or depressing
We can't ignore or escape violence; it is
property values, they are now realizing that some-
thing must be done
spreading to communities that never before had to
and that doing something
face it. Violence is a problem that can't be solved
requires broad-based public involvement.
by police or politicians alone; working effectively
The greatest reason for hope is that, in the
to confront it will require the determined efforts
of a great number of citizens over a long period of
past few years, citizens working together to con-
front violence have made a difference in their
time.
6
3
Session 1
How does violence
affect our lives?
6. What role do you think the media have
The purpose of this session is to allow each
played in defining and portraying violence in our
group member to listen to others' experiences and
perceptions. It gives everyone a chance to talk
community?
about how violence affects them and to gain a
7. In what ways do you think that citizens can
more complete picture of the violence problems
make a real difference in addressing violence?
our community is facing.
What circumstances would prompt you to become
actively involved in anti-violence programs in the
Violence is not always an easy topic to talk
about. An understanding of and commitment to
community?
open, thoughtful, focused
the study circle process
8. How does violence particularly affect the
is essential. The core of the process is
discussion
young people in our community?
respectful listening in order to understand others'
points of view.
9. How does violence particularly affect the
women in our community?
The questions and cases below provide some
starting points for a discussion about how violence
Some cases for discussion
affects us and our community.
These cases are only brief sketches of some of
Questions for beginning the discussion
the kinds of situations citizens face daily in com-
munities all over the country. They are a starting
1. How does the possibility of violence chang:
point for thinking about the needs and concerns of
your daily life? How has direct contact with vio-
people in our own community.
lence affected your life?
As you read and discuss the following cases,
2. What are your greatest concern:: about
consider these questions: How are the cases similar
safety and security, either your own or that of the
to situations our community faces? What do you
people close to you?
think are the root causes of violence in each case?
What could be done to address the causes and to
3. How do you feel about local law enforce-
respond to the situation?
ment and the protection it provides? Is the system
fair to all? How does the way the police operate
Case #1
affect the behavior of people in the community'?
A group of kids has begun to insult, intimi-
4. How do your concerns about violence differ
date, and pick fights with other students during
from the concerns your parents had at your age?
and after school hours. As a result, many students
are tense and scared. Some have banded together
5. What do you think are the most serious
for protection, and a few have begun to carry
problems involving violence in our community?
FAX [phone]
Study Circles Resource Center
PO Box 203
[phone]
Pomfret, CT 06258
4
Session 1 - How does violence affect our lives?
badly that they needed treatment at the hospital
knives and even guns. In responding to the situa-
emergency room. The Women's Commission has
tion, a group of parents recently held a meeting
good reason to believe that domestic violence is
and demanded that security in and around the
even more frequent, and requests the mayor to
school be increased. But there is no additional
call a public meeting to hear suggestions and dis-
money in the school or police budget, and no one
cuss what can be done to reduce domestic
vio-
wants to raise taxes. The principal, who is con-
lence. The mayor knows that you are concerned
cerned about the situation, has suspended the kids
about this issue, and has asked you to express your
who have started the fights in school, but a lot of
views at the meeting. What ideas would you sug-
the incidents happen off school grounds. If you
gest for reducing domestic violence?
what
were the parent of a student at the school,
would you do? What would you want your child to
Case #4
do? What advice would you give to him or her?
The office where you work is in a large build-
Case #2
ing in an industrial area. The parking lot is large
you're not sure if people are al-
and poorly lit
You have lived in the same urban neighbor-
ways breaking the floodlights or if the company
hood for a long time. Recently, you've begun to
that owns the office building just isn't concerned
see a lot of different cars stopping in front of cer-
about safety. In the last year, two people have
tain houses on your street, with people constantly
been mugged while going to their cars after work.
coming and going. Your neighbor has told you that
Incidents of "carjacking" have also been increasing
she has seen drugs and money change hands on
in the surrounding area. What would you do, and
the street; in fact, she says that she could identify
to whom would you turn for help?
two people who are selling drugs. One evening,
she tells you that she went to a meeting of a new
Case #5
neighborhood group, and that members of the
group have asked her to testify in court against
Your suburban neighborhood is near a large
the dealers. She is afraid that the dealers may
city, but until the past year, violent crime had not
"target" her if she testifies. What do you think
been a major concern. Then, over the summer,
your neighbor should do? Is there anything you
several houses were burglarized. Two people walk-
would suggest to the neighborhood group?
ing home from the commuter station at night were
assaulted and robbed. The police have arrested
Case #3
suspects in some of the cases, but the police force
is small. Recently, the mayor created a Public
Domestic violence has increased dramatically
Safety Committee to study ways to make the com-
in your small city over the past few years. In the
munity safer. As a member of the committee, what
past month, two women have been murdered by
proposals would you promote?
their ex-husbands and several others beaten so
3
5
Session 2
What are the
reasons for violence
in our society?
Violence is a serious problem that makes
Violence in America: Some international
people want to spring into immediate action. But
comparisons
there is an important role for discussion as a part
The U.S. is by far the most violent industrial-
of action: the discussion process itself builds a
ized nation in the world, with 3 million victims of
network of mutual support and commitment to the
violent crime every year and 23,000 murders. The
community. Discussion also leads to a deeper un-
second most violent industrialized nation, Spain,
derstanding of the problems and, so, to more ef-
has a murder rate which is half that of ours (Bu-
fective solutions.
reau of Justice Statistics, February 1994). In 1993,
455 out of every 100,000 Americans were in jail at
one time or another; we are the world leader in
this category, with South Africa a distant second at
Violence:
311 per 100,(X)0 (Time, February 7, 1994). Guns
The public health approach
are the murder weapon of choice: 10,567 people
were killed with them last year in this country,
growing number of violence experts have
A
compared with 10 handgun deaths in Australia, 13
begun to characterize violence as a public
in Sweden, 68 in Canada, and 87 in Japan (Center
health problem, Instead of blaming everything
on a single root cause, the public health ap-
to Prevent Handgun Violence, 1991).
proach views a violent event as the outcome of
However, international comparisons don't
many different causes over a long period of
provide simple answers to the question of why
time.
violence occurs. For example, some argue that the
This approach cuts across all
five
per-
prevalence of guns in this country is the cause, yet
spectives, and borrows ideas for solutions from
owning a gun is even more common in Switzerland
each. It assumes that no single strategy will
than in the U.S., while their rates of handgun
eliminate all violence, but that the chain of
91 per year
death
are much lower than ours.
events leading to an act of violence can be
Some have explained American violence by noting
broken at any of several links.
other supposed differences between us and the
rest of the world: we are less religious than other
Advocates of the public health approach ar-
countries; we have more large cities; we are more
gue that anti-violence programs and approach-
competitive; we are less homogeneous and so have
es should be integrated and coordinated as a
comprehensive strategy with many small con-
more clashes between different cultures. Yet rates
stituent parts. Study circles are an ideal com-
of violent crime are higher in the American South
plement to this approach, since, they bring the
than in the North, and the South would seem to
ideas and efforts of many different citizens to
be more religious, less urban, less competitive, and
the mosaic of ongoing community efforts that
more homogeneous. There are no easy answers to
the public health approach promotes.
the question of why the U.S. is more violent than
many other countries.
Study Circles Resource Center
PO Box 203
Pomfret, CT 06258
[phone]
FAX [phone]
9
6
Session 2
- What are the reasons for violence in our society?
Five perspectives on the reasons for violence in
America
Drugs, alcohol and violence
All explanations of the violence problem touch
Rather than just compare the U.S. to less
in some way on alcohol and drug abuse. While
violent countries, it is important to try to under-
not explicit in Perspective 2, for example, sub-
stand the roots of our problem with violence and
stance abuse might be seen as a final link in the
find ways to solve it. The five perspectives that
chain of events leading to a violent incident. This
follow offer a way to begin that discussion: they
idea could be supported by a 1990 study showing
represent some of the most common explanations
that one out of three victims of violent crimes
of our current problems with violence.
claimed their assailant was under the influence of
or both (National
alcohol,
drugs,
Institute
of
Each of the perspectives is an interpretation
Justice, February 1994).
of the problem, a lens through which to view vio-
The other perspectives in this session would
lence. The five lenses aren i necessarily mutually
emphasize the abuse of illegal drugs, and would
exclusive; you might find yourself drawing some
describe that as a major symptom of the root
elements from all or some of them. And because
causes and a uniquely complicating factor in its
each depicts a broad view, each perspective could
own right. For example, 39% of the murders
lead to a wide variety of action steps, some of
committed in New. York City in 1988 occurred
which may directly conflict with one another. For
during drug transactions
(Bureau
of
Justice
example, looking at violence as primarily a prob-
Statistics, April 1992).
lem of "law and order" (as in the fourth perspec-
Very different proposals emerge from these
tive) could lead to very different recommendations
perspectives, ranging from escalating the "war on
regarding handguns.
drugs' to legalizing certain drugs. Sessions 3 and
describe
community-based approaches
4
to
substance abuse.
As you read and discuss the perspectives, con-
sider these questions:
1. What do you think are the most important
Guns and violence
reasons for violence in America?
The handgun debate dominates much of what
2. Are there perspectives not represented here
we read and hear about how to solve the violence
that you think better account for why our society
problem.
is so violent?
Gun control advocates assert that fewer
firearms on the street mean fewer and less
3. What role do drugs and alcohol play? What
severe crimes. Handgun rights supporters claim
role do handguns play?
that gun control takes firearms out of the hands
4. Some people believe that a moral or spi-
of honest citizens and leaves criminals armed
ritual breakdown in our communities accounts for
to the teeth.
our problem with violence. How does this fit with
There are powerful arguments on both sides,
your views?
and the debate has been polarized for a long
time. Few people really think that either outlawing
5. Why is domestic violence so prevalent? Has
all guns or making sure everyone has one and
it been getting worse, or are people just
more
knows how to use it would render us a peaceful
aware of it now?
society overnight. And with the current stalemate
over this issue, neither option seems likely to
6. What do you think has lcd to the increase
happen anytime soon.
in violence in schools and among
young people?
The handgun debate has diverted attention
7. What general direction should
we take for
from other aspects of the violence problem. While
reducing violence in America? What are the great-
gun-related solutions (pro or con) may be part of
est benefits we would derive from taking that
the answer, most people see violence as a more
direction? What kinds of sacrifices or costs could
complicated issue requiring more than one simple
solution.
that direction require?
10