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How PeaceBuilders Works
The following PeaceBuilders policies, practices, and process objectives have been validated
through scientific research:
Start Early
The PeaceBuilders journey begins as early as preschool and continues throughout elementary,
middle and high school. PeaceBuilders message stays consistent at home, school and in the
community with instructional delivery at appropriate developmental levels.
Science Says:
Youth violence can be reduced by initiating prevention early in childhood, increasing
children's resilience and reinforcing positive behavior.
Walker, H.M., Colvin, G., &Ramsey, E. Anti-social behavior in schools, strategies and
best practices, New York: Brooks/Cole, 1995, Second Edition, 2004
Engage Parents Prior to Adolescence
Parents are critical team members and active participants in building the PeaceBuilders
village, and they are afforded individualized training in PeaceBuilders skills, routines and
rituals to use at home.
Science Says:
When parents are given very specific tools and techniques to improve daily family routines,
there is significant reduction in aggressive acts leading to youth crime.
Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 102 (1987), 187-203
Praise Good Behavior on a Daily Basis
Routines support all members of a community to be involved in daily rewards and praise for
pro social behavior, because PeaceBuilders praise behavior they want repeated. Repeated pro
social behaviors becomes good habits, and good habits become healthy lifestyles.
Science Says:
When a systematic plan to increase daily praise and reward for positive behavior in schools
and other places in the community significantly reduces the risk of youth crime.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, vol. 16 (1983), m 355-369; Aggression and anti-social
behavior in childhood and adolescence. Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1979.
Discourage Insults and Other Acts of Aggression
PeaceBuilders learn, practice and acquire skills through directed instruction and infusion
across the curriculum for managing conflict in their own lives by understanding what creates
opposition and how to solve problems without violence.
Science Says:
Learning selected positive social (or PeaceBuilding) skills reduce violent behavior and
referrals to juvenile court.
American Psychologist, vol. 48 (1993), 142-154; Behavior Modification, vol. 17 (1993), 287-313;
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, vol. 11 (1978), 503-512; School Psychology Review, vol. 15
(1986), 289-295
Make PeaceBuilding a Way of Life
PeaceBuilders has a far-reaching universal delivery system across the school or site where it is
being implemented. It is an appropriate setting for a comprehensive program across people, places
and time. PeaceBuilders becomes a way of life, not just a time or subject-limited curriculum.
Science Says:
Frequently presented printed, video, and live models of adult-child interactions and use of
PeaceBuilding skills increase cooperative behavior, which reduces the risk that young people will
engage in aggression and violence.
Journal of Social Issues, vol. 42 (1986), 155-159; Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology,
vol. 48 (1990), 718-729; American Journal of Community Psychology, vol. 10 (1982), 317-329
Distribute Implementable, Practical Tools to Improve
School Climate
PeaceBuilders provides instructors with materials and resources which present the concepts,
backgrounds and suggested activities along with supported and reproducible materials for daily use
in the classroom as well as parent training and community outreach.
Science Says:
Both long and short-term behavior changes by students, teachers and families that will reduce
youth crime are much more likely to occur if interventions are packaged, disseminated and promoted
in a user-friendly way.
Project LIFE (Living in Family Environments): Final Report of USDOE Grant #G008303002,
National Institute for Handicapped Research of the US Department of Education; Education &
Treatment of Children (1986), ), 307-319
Engage the Community in PeaceBuilders Values and Behaviors
PeaceBuilders works with staff to design individualized and comprehensive school-wide plans to infuse
concepts, strategies and lessons into the regular curriculum, classroom management practices, and school
activities. PeaceBuilders helps facilitate relationship building among school site, parents, community
members, law enforcement and local officials to ensure consistent messages and modeling are received
by youth.
Science Says:
Repeated scientific studies show that limited interventions often fail to sustain their efforts, and
that very specific actions must be taken to ensure that positive benefits last.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, vol. 5 (1972), 209-224, vol. 12 (1977) 285-310
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