ver the last five years in 38 percent of the cities surveyed. Only 11 percent of those cities reported no increase of school violence in recent years (Arndt, 1994, p. 1).
Although scientists have yet to uncover the biological causes of violence, some studies indicate that the increased proliferation of the availability of handguns, combined with the devaluation of human life, has increased the acts of senseless violence which stalk the youth of the United States (Arbetter, 1995, pp. 6-7). With respect to the problems created by the increased use of handguns at school, studies report that incidents of teenage homicides at school campuses are increasing at a corresponding rate. Those studies suggest that teenage homicides which occur on public school property could be curbed if schools begin implementing more stringent weapon-checking programs to prevent any increase in the number of students who carry handguns to school. The studies also suggest that schools should start training more security guards to patrol campuses to prevent quarrels among students (Glazer, 1992, p. 796), which often cause physical injuries (especially when some students have smuggle firearms onto campus by concealing them in their clothing or backpacks).
Moreover, many research studies which have examined the causes of school violence indicate that a lack of respect for human life has contributed to the ever-increasing number of reported incidents of school violence. Those studies indicate that the lack of respect for human life is primarily caused by two factors: poverty, and the weakening of a tight-knit family structure. The aforementioned studies show that children who are surrounded by violence at home tend to become violent and aggressive in school to protect themselves (Toch, 1993, p. 30). Another poll suggests that both the lack of parental supervision of school-age children and the lack of parental attention to children's school performanc...