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theses

This study builds upon the findings of recent research which suggests the trip to and from school may be the riskiest activity in America. The purpose of this study is to examine and quantify the different types of victimization, such as bullying behavior that pupils experience during their travel to and from school. Research on the daily movement and activities within a community reveals that a significant amount of victimization occurs during the hours prior to and immediately following school, when youths travel from a supervised environment to their destination. To illuminate the problem of victimization during the period immediately following school dismissal and determine the necessity of improving safety during the school commute, it is important to study the journey that students take after they leave home and school property. Utilizing survey data collected from a sample of 244 students across four districts, which include urban, suburban, and rural schools within the United States, the study explores the daily school commute of students and analyzes the relationship between the various modes of travel and the level and types of victimization experienced, fear of victimization, and offenses witnessed by the pupils. The study uses the Routine Activities Approach as a theoretical foundation for examining victimization during times when capable guardianship is minimal to nonexistent. Findings indicate that nearly half of the students in the study reported experiencing at least one incident of victimization during the school year. Relationships were found between modes of travel and victimization experienced, witnessed, and feared during the daily commute to and from school. The research also found that the majority of students felt safer in school than during their daily commute. When asked to describe locations perceived as risky, students in urban districts reported feeling unsafe during their commute through unoccupied streets and alleyways, whereas the students in the suburban and rural districts reported feeling unsafe in occupied settings, such as school buses and parking lots of businesses. This research suggests that working partnerships should be formed among all stakeholders involved in protecting students, which include school administrators, bus drivers, school resource officers, and parents.

ETD_5196

Ph.D.

Includes bibliographical references

Includes vita

by Jonathan Martin Kremser

doi:10.7282/T3PG1PV0

ETD doctoral

The author owns the copyright to this work.