School personnel perceptions of youth gangs presence and activity at elementary schools in Fort Worth Independent School District in Texas.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in perceptions of selected school personnel (principals, assistant principals, counselors, and teachers) about gang presence in elementary schools in a large urban school district in Texas. The study focused on determining the following: the perceptions related to gang presence and activity within elementary schools; the differences in the perceptions among selected personnel about observable: gang graffiti behavior, gang dress/physical identifiers/tattoos, gang communication, and turf behavior; the extent that school personnel perceived campus disruptions in the elementary schools as gang related; the differences when school characteristics and the variables of gender, ethnicity, and number of years of experience in current position were considered; the relationship between the size of the school and the presence of gang activity and between the socio-economic level of the students in a school and the perceived presence of gang activity. An evaluation and agreement on whether a problem exists is a first step in finding solutions on how to deal with gang activity in elementary schools.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Vasquez, Carlos.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Williamson, James Lonnie, 1934-

• School violence -- Texas -- Fort Worth.
• Gangs.
• Elementary school principals -- Texas -- Fort Worth -- Attitudes.
• School children -- Texas -- Fort Worth -- Attitudes.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/4851

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/4851