National Study of Delinquency Prevention in Schools. Final Report.

This project was undertaken to develop a comprehensive account of the levels of problem behaviors in schools. It also looked at what schools do to prevent problem behaviors and how they promote a safe and orderly environment. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the study and explains some school-based interventions such as social competency programs, behavior management programs, and environmental competence in guardianship. Chapter 2 describes the nature and extent of problem behavior in schools, and presents information about student and teacher perceptions about the safety of their schools. Chapter 3 describes activities in schools to prevent or reduce problem behavior or to promote a safe and orderly environment. Chapter 4 summarizes information about program intensity and the extent to which school activities employ "best practices. Chapters 5 and 6 summarize evidence about the correlates of program quality, testing some hypotheses about the conditions and arrangements that make quality program implementation possible. Chapter 7 offers recommendations based on information developed in this inquiry, and it offers speculations about potentially useful practices. (Contains 2 figures, 56 tables, 9 appendixes, and 233 references.) (JDM)