The schools in Alameda County showed improvement in five of the eight areas on the state s Safe Schools Assessment for 1999-2000, according to Superintendent of Schools Sheila Jordan. The report indicates that crime rates are continuing to be very low throughout our schools with most categories showing less than one incident for every 1,000 students.
Statistics reveal that schools are still an extremely safe place for children.
Of course, we would have liked to have seen a decrease in all categories, said Jordan The overall trend downward indicates that our schools are on the right track in their efforts to make schools safe. According to Jordan, schools in Alameda County are emphasizing conflict resolution programs, enforcing clear standards for what is acceptable student behavior, and increasing security measures. In addition, the County Office, County Probation Department and school districts are collaborating to ensure a successful transition for students returning to regular school from juvenile court schools, thereby improving the odds that these students will not add to future crime statistics. The Alameda County Office of Education has a variety of programs that help combat crime in schools. These include Responding to Hate Motivated Behavior in Schools, Safe School Planning Training, Gang Risk Intervention Programs and the Healthy Kids Resource Center.