from the release by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign:
In a project funded by the National Institute of Justice, experts on youth violence, bullying and school climate issues in Illinois and Oregon are teaming up to develop a comprehensive school safety intervention that will use mobile apps and high school youths as key change agents in preventing school violence….
Project SOAR is driven by recent research that indicates violent behavior by some students is provoked by prolonged victimization and the desire for revenge.
Student buy-in is essential to proactively addressing threats to school safety because youths are often the most knowledgeable sources of information about potentially violent behavior among their peers….
The intervention will comprise several Web-based, mobile technology applications, including a tip line with embedded training for students; online school safety and behavioral assessments for completion by students, parents and teachers; and an online training component on team-based, restorative problem solving for teachers.
A behavior support team at each school will coordinate implementation and review the tip-line data monthly. When behaviors of concern are reported, the teams will work with selected students to plan and conduct restorative justice interventions that promote dialogue, understanding and cooperative problem-solving among the affected parties….
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