Effective Responses to Disruption and Crisis. School violence prevention demands that we be prepared for the eventuality of violence. Schools that are safe and responsive have plans and procedures in place to deal with violent and disruptive behaviors that may occur. Over-reliance on suspension and expulsion is replaced by an extensive array of options that can be matched to the severity of the offense. In particular, the approach rests upon three assumptions or principles.
Violence is Preventable.
Serious and dramatic incidents of violence seem frighteningly unpredictable, raising concerns about whether violence is indeed preventable. But prevention can make a difference. As an analogy, it is impossible to predict with certainty who will develop lung cancer, but on average, quitting smoking dramatically reduces the risk of lung cancer. In the same way, there is no guarantee that schools with the most comprehensive programs will be free of violence. But on average, schools that implement more components of violence prevention will see fewer incidents of disruption, and probably lower their chances of serious violence.