In the U.S., the rate of juvenile crime increases when the size of the community decreases. Most of the time,violence is not planned in advance. There are warning signs and situations that suggest a young person may become violent. It has been found that peers often are the mostly likely group to know in advance about potential schoolviolence. The program uses the principle of peer education - teens teaching teens.
Young people are often more willing to listen to and model their peers.
The COPS program is a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to put into practice the concepts of community policing in order to reduce levels of disorder, violence and crime through the application of proven, effective programs and strategies. This is carried out through partnerships with communities, policing agencies and other public and private organizations.