Battling School Violence with Mediation Technology

Authors

Gary Richard Hattal
Cynthia Morrow Hattal

Document Type

Article

Abstract

As we begin the Twenty-First Century public schools have become dangerous places, and not just high schools. Children as young as ten and eleven have brought the system to its knees by shooting down their teachers and fellow students on campus. No one is talking about "juvenile delinquency" anymore. We are hearing and talking about lethal incidents of juvenile violence among all social classes and races, suburban and inner city youth alike. This paper is a discussion of various issues surrounding school violence and its implications for our children. Our focus is to: (1) determine the root causes of extreme violence and how these have developed contextually in our rapidly changing society; (2) understand and clarify who is most at risk for such behaviors; (3) discover whether such situations develop in a manner that is observable and therefore preventable; (4) describe special considerations regarding school conflicts and violence; (5) assess which mediation skills and sensitivities are required to meet these needs, beyond well-established peer and playground mediation approaches, utilizing innovative processes which create a collaboration between educators, psychologists, administrators, health care professionals, and specially trained mediators in the service of our children; and (6) discuss use of TAGS technology as a tool to battle school violence through mediation practice.

Recommended Citation

Gary Richard Hattal and Cynthia Morrow Hattal, Battling School Violence with Mediation Technology , 2 Pepp. Disp. Resol. L.J. Iss. 3 (2002)
Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/drlj/vol2/iss3/3