Violence Prevention in Georgia’s Rural Public School Systems

A survey of school superintendents in 81 public school systems in rural Georgia was conducted to describe strategies being pursued to prevent school violence and promote a safe and disciplined learning environment. Among the surveyed superintendents, there was widespread recognition of school safety as a high priority item and evidence of use of law enforcement and technology to deter violence in schools. Descriptive data analysis suggests that school size and county economic conditions relate to school superintendents7 assessment of school safety and potential for violence. This research addresses a void in the literature on violence in rural schools and provides descriptive information of interest to educators, rural sociologists, community leaders, and parents.