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What risks
and opportunities are posed in areas directly adjoining
school property?
Schools have a responsibility to be good neighbors. Ignoring
a problem because it's technically off-campus is not
productive in the long run. For example, if parking on
campus is inadequate, make some changes. Restrict parking
to residents with required stickers, or limit it to only
two hours in commercial zones. Use playing fields at
the school for overflow parking.
Encourage student carpooling or mass transit use with incentives, such as assigned
parking spots or discounted bus passes.
In addition, changes in fencing and landscaping can open
areas that are hidden from view. Solid wood fencing can
be replaced with wrought iron, overgrown hedges can be
trimmed. School windows can be cleared of obstructions,
allowing staff to observe behavior on the street. Students
may be recruited to cleanup problem areas, build fences,
or paint over graffiti.
This may discourage immediate problems while building long-term
goodwill. This positive interaction can build a shared
sense of belonging, leading to mutual assistance when either
students or neighbors are in need of help.
Most cities, backed by federal law, place restrictions
on drugs, weapons, and other illegal activities within
a specific radius of school property. Communities may have
laws in place restricting paroled sex offenders from living
near schools or children. Look into how aggressively these
restrictions are enforced in your community. A number of
communities have had excellent results with efforts to
utilize law-enforcement officers to target a neighborhood
surrounding a school for intensive traffic enforcement
and enforcement of life code sections. Such efforts have
been especially effective in areas of high drug and gang
activity. Similarly, enforcement of school safety zones
statutes and ordinances relating to loitering in a school
zone have shown marked results in reducing problems. Another
useful practice is for school officials to enact and enforce
policies to regulate
student misconduct in the zones. Police checkpoints to
check for license and insurance verification for motorists
have also proven to be an effective tool for reducing cruising,
which can delay students, faculty, and parents trying to
make their way to and from school.
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