School-Based Programs to Reduce Violence

Research Gaps

Prior to and during the literature review and data analysis, the review team and the Community Preventive Services Task Force attempt to address the key questions of what interventions work, for whom, under what conditions, and at what cost. Lack of sufficient information often leaves one or more of these questions unanswered. The Community Guide refers to these as "research gaps." Research gaps can be pulled together in the form of a basic set of questions to inform a research agenda for those in the field.

Identified Research Gaps

Some school programs are more effective than others. What characteristics of the programs, or perhaps of the settings in which they are implemented, make some programs or settings more or less effective?

There appears to be a decrease in program effectiveness as time after the completion of the program increases. It will be important to explore ways to extend the benefit of programs, either within the programs themselves or with booster programs.

Are school programs equally effective for high-risk and low-risk children, and in high-risk and low-risk environments? Are programs targeted to high-risk children overall more effective, and, if so, more cost effective, than universal programs? 

Many programs assessed in the review were not ongoing, standing programs, but instead were conducted for purposes of research. Because research programs are often more effective than ongoing programs—perhaps because of the intensity of monitoring and implementation—it will be important to understand what maximizes the effectiveness and sustainability of ongoing programs.

In what ways is the effectiveness of universal school-based programs to prevent violence moderated by the predominant ethnicity of the student population? How might addressing cultural and social differences in diverse populations improve the effectiveness of school programs? 

Studies of the economic efficiency of school programs, measured, for example, as net benefits or cost-benefit ratio, should assess not only violent or criminal behavior averted, but all current and future social, health, academic, and labor-market outcomes associated with school violence prevention programs. It will be interesting to assess what proportion of the total benefits is crime-related. It will be important to assess the extent to which the data used in the derivation of the summary measure are nationally representative.

Evidence review

Hahn R, Fuqua-Whitley D, Wethington H, et al. Effectiveness of universal school-based programs to prevent violent and aggressive behavior: a systematic review. Am J Prev Med 2007;33(2S):S114–29.