School Violence and Social Capital, Week 2, Blog #3

The use of the term "social capital" is a sociological concept, which refers to connections within and between social networks. In the framework of the article, social capital is defined as resources embedded in social relationships and ties that can be used for expressive purposes (Wright, 2006). The text of the article "Social Capital and Youth Violence in Schools," it's describing adolescent socialization in complex social contexts that involve family, school and neighborhood. The importance of social capital in adolescents is because it's described as the "primary adolescent pathway for effects of health and behavioral risks as well as assets" (Wright, 2006). 

The importance of social capital and the correlation between school violence is identified in three important ways; 1.) Violent offenders often become victims of aggression and violence 2.) Adolescents who have social capital are less likely to commit violence as well as becoming victims of violence and 3.) Public perception of school violence is over inflated.

Violent offenders often become victims of aggression, using physical force and threat as a means of coping through acting out, displacement and self-defense (Wright, 2006). This type of behaviors negatively affects the environment in schools. "Adolescents who are repeatedly victimized may be prone to impulsiveness and irritability thereby lowering their threshold to strike out, especially toward younger children" (Wright, 2006). Children exposed to violence whether they are direct victims of abuse or witnesses to it are likely to become either perpetrators of abuse or victims of violence that may also continue in adulthood. Studies suggest that intervention and interpersonal relationships within family, peers, educators and the community reduce the likely hood of having this aggressive and dysfunctional behavior that leads to victimization of other students. Determining the causes and finding solutions to cope with issues that are attributing to delinquent and violent behavior is important to the individuals as well as everyone around the individual. 

Adolescents who have social capital are less likely to commit violence as well as becoming victims of violence (Wright, 2006). Social capital are those viable social connections and associations within family, schools and neighborhoods. It's not surprising that evidence shows that students who are involved in social constructive activities have a higher degree of social capital therefore fairing higher in returns of social ties and benefits of adults.

It's been suggested by many experts in the area of school violence due to media news outlets and the extraordinary coverage surrounding school shootings, public perception about school violence is an epidemic and occurs much more frequently than it actually occurs. Over inflated statistics also accounts for this misinformation. Dr. Dewey Cornell identifies in the film, "Student Threats of Violence," that school violence is actually on a decline. This decline of juvenile crime is in part due to economic improvement that provides more jobs for young adults and single parents, improvements in law enforcement and the increase of school activities and after-school programs.

References: 


Research Channel (Producer) (2008, February 21). Student Threats of Violence. 


Wright, & Fitzpatrick (2006). Social capital and adolescent violent behavior: Correlates of fighting and weapon use among secondary students. Social Forces, 84 (3) 1435-1453.