School Safety in the United States

In School Safety in the United States, Dr. David May draws on two decades of his own research to provide a data-driven discussion regarding the relative threat of school violence in the United States. May analyzes data about topics such as school homicides, fear of crime in school, and the effectiveness of school resource officers and bullying prevention programs to dispel anecdotal and media-based evidence that promotes myths about school safety and school violence. He closes with recommendations to enhance school safety by focusing on school climate, culture, and relationships rather than metal detectors, security cameras, and profiling of school shooters.

"David May's book provides a rare chance for readers to examine the topic of school safety from the vantage point of all parties involved, and provides a snapshot of the current scientific knowledge on its numerous dimensions, while highlighting areas where our knowledge is lacking. In many respects, School Safety in the United States is one-stop shopping for those interested in the issue of school safety." — Chris Melde, Associate Professor and Undergraduate Studies Coordinator, School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University

"School Safety in the United States provides a thorough and comprehensive view of school safety research in the United States. This well-written book deals with important aspects of school safety that administrators and law enforcement will address on a daily basis. I view this book as an invaluable tool for schools trying to create a safe and secure learning environment for students." — Lee Ann Morrison, School Safety Research Fellow, Kentucky Center for School Safety, School of Justice Studies, Eastern Kentucky University

"A 'must-read' for anyone interested in enhancing school safety and addressing school violence. Dr. May and colleagues have compiled a wide variety of school safety research into a 'one-stop shop' for research-based information across several dimensions (e.g., fear of crime in schools, weapon reporting in schools, use of SRO)." — Angie Crews, Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Memphis

"David May's research not only shows how various social problems have contributed to school danger and the disparate punishment of students, but also how these problems can be mitigated going forward. Anyone concerned about our children's safety in schools would benefit from reading Dr. May's book." — Kelly Welch, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Criminology, Villanova University

"[This] insightful text's well-crafted integration of the author's practice and research experience with current trends in school safety make it an important contribution to school safety literature. Readers will likely walk away from this text with a better understanding of school safety and its respective body of research, making it a valuable resource and a worthwhile read for anyone with a vested interest in school safety." — Matthew James Cuellar, Criminal Justice Review