(NAPSA)—Thanks to sustained research, the causes and effects of youth violence are ae Rie:al their curricula—beginning as early as the first grade. The U.S. Department of Justice Office of increasingly becoming understood. This improved understanding has led to the development of tools and techniques that can help defuse conflicts before they Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has developed a fact Prevention Resource Center schools’ specific needs. sheet outlining four basic approaches to school-based conflict resolution education. By choosing various elements from each, educators can tailor programs to a escalate into violence. The National Youth Violence e Freestanding courses in (NYVPRC) has assembled current resources on the Web site www. safeyouth.org to help teens, par- ents and other adults concerned about violence committed by or against youth. This Web site contains reliable information on all aspects of youth violence prevention, as well as referrals or links to additional related information. Conflict resolution skills can benefit most children. times; what counts is how the anger is managed. Channeling anger into problem-solving gives these emotions a constructive outlet, and helps defuse the situation. e There are many ways to diplomacy, conflict resolution techniques have been recognized as win. Keeping calm, responding with humor, walking away, or asking for help are some winningalter- schools and workplaces as well as averting warfare between hostile Strong people don’t need to fight. This is more than just a With roots in international effective in preventing violence in nations. The goal is to find solutions that all parties to a conflict natives to heckling andfighting. saying; research showsthat children who feel powerless are more which dispute resolution principles and skills are presented as a distinct class or study unit. This is also called the “process curriculum” approach. e Peer mediation involves training young people to act as problem-solvers, helping to settle disputes amongtheir peers. Peaceable Classroom incorporates conflict resolution education into a curriculum’s core subjects; further, teachers use these techniques to managetheir classrooms. Peaceable School programs integrate conflict resolution into can accept. Children can begin learning—and using—conflict res- likely to fight than those whofeel neighborhood or community. What You Can Do At Home Whether it’s a routine argu- about how you handle conflict; do you insist on winning every argu- using these techniques have been implemented across the country— and have yielded significant for acceptable solutions? In conflict situations, do you control your temper or “lose” it? Can you Prevention Resource Center was established as a central source of olution skills at an early age, at home, at school and in their ment at home, being teased at school or being threatened by a gang at the mall, the knowledge a child has on how to respondto situations can make the difference between a minor incident and a potentially larger problem. Here are some ideas to think about and explore with your child: e Anger is OK; violence is not. Everybody gets angry at they have some control over their environment. Teach by example. Think ment on principle, or do you look admit being wrong? Just as what- ever parents say influences their kids, what they do also has an impact on their children. School-Based Programs Many schools throughout the U.S. have begun to integrate conflict resolution education into every aspect of the school’s operation, involving everylevel ofstaff. As many as 10,000 programs results. The National Youth Violence information on violence committed by and against young people. For more information, log on to www.safeyouth.org, call toll-free 1-866-SAFEYOUTH (723-3968), 1-800-243-7012 (TTY), 301-562- 1001 (FAX), or e-mail NYVPRC@ safeyouth.org.
