Steven Watkins, nineteen, was a special education student in Detroit. The nation's schools, in an effort to shelter children from the societal forces that buffet them, are waging a daily battle against crime. It is an uphill fight. Eighty-two percent of the 720 school districts responding to a 1994 National School Boards Association survey reported an increase in violence over the previous five years. But security technology, in combination with creative policies, is helping schools gain ground.
Some schools now require all students, faculty, and staff to wear picture IDs.
The number of access points are being limited and entrances are being monitored. In addition, more schools are using metal detectors, says Robert Rusting, editor and publisher of the newsletter School Security Report. Schools are also forging partnerships with court officials, probation officers, and other professionals. Court officials provide administrators with information on convicted criminals returning to school, and probation officers are invited to monitor their charges on campus. CCTV installations in conjunction with other security measures have led to a significant drop in fights and violent crime, according to some of the schools interviewed for this article.