Theoretical Foundations
Three theoretical foundations underlie the goals and objectives presented in this guide:
- Risk Factors
Reducing the risks to students of becoming involved with drugs and violence.
- Protective Factors
Increasing the factors that help protect students against negative influences.
- Resiliency
Tapping into students' potential for structuring their lives to be free of drugs and violence.
These three imperatives (Risk Factors, Protective Factors, & Resiliency) correspond to prevention strategies that have been accepted in the prevention field and demonstrated in schools and communities. Studies identify not only risk factors that increase the likelihood of students' involvement with drugs or violence but also protective factors that decrease the likelihood. For example, J. David Hawkins, in "Controlling Crime Before It Happens: Risk-Focused Prevention" (National Institute of Justice Journal, August 1995), presents these factors in terms of violence as well as substance abuse. Preventing Drug Use Among Children and Adolescents (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1997) incorporates protective factors in each of the domains as a deterrent to initiation of drug use.
Mutual Responsibility
In order to incorporate the no-drug-use and no-violence philosophy successfully throughout a student's school experience, system-wide commitment to the following concepts is essential.
- Infusion
Contributing to a safe school climate is the responsibility of all teachers, not just specific content educators.
- Drug Prevention
A common definition of drug use as it relates to all minor youth must be clearly and consistently voiced.
- Violence Prevention
A common definition of violence in a continuum of behaviors must be clearly and consistently articulated.
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