Cyberbullying is when a child preteen or teen is tormented threatened harassed humiliated embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child preteen or teen using the Internet interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones It has to have a minor on both sides or at least have been instigated by a mi-nor against another mi-nor Once adults become involved it is plain and simple cyber-harassment or cyberstalking Adult cyber-harassment or cy-berstalking is NEVER called cyberbullying

It isnt when adult are trying to lure children into offline meetings that is called sexual exploita-tion or luring by a sexual predator But sometimes

when a minor starts a cyberbullying campaign it involves sexual preda-tors who are intrigued by the sexual harassment or even ads posted by the cyberbullying offering up the victim for sex

The methods used are limited only by the childs imagination and access to technology And the cyberbully one moment may become the victim the next The kids often change roles going from victim to bully and back again

Children have killed each other and committed sui-cide after having been involved in a cyberbully-ing incident

Cyberbullying is usually not a one time communi-cation unless it involves

a death threat or a credi-ble threat of serious bodi-ly harm Kids usually know it when they see it while parents may be more worried about the lewd language used by the kids than the hurtful effect of rude and embar-rassing posts

Teachers can be very effective brokers in working with the parents to stop and remedy cyberbullying situations They can also educate the students on cyberethics and the law

Excerpt from Stop Cyberbully-ing Now

What is Cyberbullying Exactly

Youth Suicide Risk Factors

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Risk factors for suicide include

Previous suicide attempts - Teens that have attempted suicide in the past are much more likely than other teens to attempt suicide again in the future Approximately a third of teen suicide victims have made a previous suicide attempt

Depression andor alcohol or substance abuse - Over 90 of teen suicide victims have a mental disorder such as depression andor a history of alcohol or drug abuse

Family history of mental disorders substance abuse or suicide - Teens who kill themselves have often had a close family member who attempted or committed sui-cide Many of the mental illnesses such as depression that contribute to suicide risk appear to have a genetic component

Stressful situation or loss - Teens who kill themselves almost always have serious problems such as depression or substance abuse When they experience losses or certain stressful situations it can trigger a suicide attempt Such stressful situations include getting into trouble at school or with the police fighting or breaking up with a boyfriend or a girlfriend and fighting with friends[45]

Exposure to other teenagers who have died by suicide - Teens are more likely to kill themselves if they have recently read seen or heard about other suicide at-tempts

Other risk factors include a history of physical andor sexual abuse poor communi-cation with parents incarceration and lack of access or an unwillingness to seek mental health treatment

Information taken from safestateorg

VIOLENCE STATISTICS

In the last several years violent crimes at school have declined and fewer stu-dents are carrying weapons to school or getting into fights A 2015 national sur-vey of high school students reported

6 of students (and 10 of male students) said they had carried a weapon to school in the last month - a decrease of 45 since 2015

Almost 13 said that they had been involved in a physical fight on school property in the past year - a decrease of 23 since 2015 and

However students tell us that bullying continues to be a serious problem partic-ularly in middle schools In 2015 about 14 percent of 6th graders reported being bullied compared with about 9 percent of 9th graders and about 2 percent of 12th graders The 2015 survey also found

9 of students said they had been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property in the past year

Almost 7 said they had missed at least one day of school in the last month because they felt unsafe at school or when traveling to or from school - an increase of 50 from 2015

In terms of risk for homicide schools are about the safest place for teens - safer than their homes or their neighborhoods - and violent deaths at schools or school events are extremely rare In the 2014-15 school year less than 1 of the violent deaths of children and youth in the United States were school-related A total of 33 children and teens were murdered on school property at a school event or on their way to and from school

Information taken from SafeYouthorg

B A D G E R S P R I N G S M I D D L E

S C H O O L

major influence on Mexican-Americans and Central American gangs in this coun-try and in Latin America

The Facts

Gang membership estimates in California range from 250000 to 420000 mem-bers Of all California homicides between 1996 and 2013 roughly 27 percent were gang-related Gang population crosses all socio-economic ethnic and racial bounda-ries Members are being recruited at young ages Gangs engage in a multitude of criminal activity with drug trafficking being the most lucrative criminal enter-prise

Los Angeles has long been recognized as the epicenter of gang activity nation-wide Recent esti-mates indicate approximately 1350 street gangs with as many as 175000 members in the FBI Los Angelesrsquo seven-county area of responsibility (San Luis Obispo Santa Barbara Ventura Los Angeles Riverside San Bernardino and Orange) In addition many gangs which today have a nation-wide presence such as the Bloods the Crips Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and 18th Street can trace their roots to Los Angeles

The Problem Gang violence is a serious problem in California and no one is immune from the impact that gangs and youth violence can have on a community Today the gangs and the aspects of the violence they at-tract draw young people from all walks of life socio-economic backgrounds races and ethnic groups

Youth violence is a problem not only for law enforcement but also for the commu-nity Drive-by shootings car jacking home invasions and the loss of innocent life have become too frequent throughout California destroying lives and ripping apart the fabric of communities Gangs and other criminal enterprises operating in the US and throughout the world pose increasing concerns for the international law enforcement and intelligence commu-nities according to FBI testimony before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemi-sphere House International Relations Committee on April 20 2015 Today gangs are more violent more organized and more widespread than ever be-fore They pose one of the greatest threats to the safety and security of all Americans Gangs from California partic-ularly in the Los Angeles area have a

In 2015 juvenile arrests in California continued to decline From 2014 to 2015 juvenile arrests for felony offenses de-clined 147 percent in rate and misde-meanor arrest rates declined 192 per-cent These downward trends are an indication that early prevention and re-source programs in schools and commu-nity policing are working for Californias youth

Street gangs in the west are frequently involved in the distribution of marijuana methamphetamine and other drugs ac-cording to a 2015 National Gang Threat Assessment report The number of cases of identity and credit card theft perpetrated by gang members has increased

Gangs in the west are employing an in-creased level of sophistication in the plan-ning and execution of criminal acts espe-cially against law enforcement officers

Information taken from safestateorg

Gangs amp Youth Violence

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