s is also valuable, since accidents have happened as a result of children's naivete about their danger. Even more than violence prevention in general, effective anti-gang strategies require establishment of a positive school climate, good communications and security, a staff trained in crisis intervention, and a coordinated effort. They also require that schools not only acknowledge a gang presence, but that they actively investigate its extent and accurately determine who the members are, what they do, and where they congregate. Involving parents by providing them with information about their children's gang activity and its possible consequences, and counseling to help them deal with the problem, can enlist them as allies in the effort to rid the school of gangs. Schools can also provide access to outside agencies that offer counseling. As a last resort, gang members can be transferred to alternative schools for more intensive support. Concern about increasing youth violence is being channeled into a variety of programs around the Faulkner 3country. Although components vary depending on the particular needs of the community, the most effective programs use various methods.Direct measures to prevent violence in schoolsLegislation now exists at all levels of government to reduce the availability of guns, particularly the sale of weapons to minors. Weapons offenses are treated more harshly in general, and the practice of trying violent juvenile offenders as adults is growing. Some states now hold parents legally responsible for certain behavior of their children, such as truancy and delinquency. To deal with violence in schools, President Bill Clinton signed the 1994 Gun-Free Schools Act, mandating a one-year expulsion for students who bring weapons to school and bolstering the "zero tolerance" for weapons policies of some states and school districts already in existence. The Federal government, and most states, also make funds available...
