Hawaii Violence Prevention

Workplace violence is defined as “violence or the threat of violence against workers”  involving physical assault, threatening behavior, or verbal abuse related to the workplace, according to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). These behaviors range from verbal aggressiveness or harassment to murder. There were 521 workplace killings in the United States in 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 420 of them committed by gunfire.

While mass shootings receive a great deal of coverage in the media, such as the shootings at the manufacturing plant in Albuquerque, New Mexico in July 2010 and the gunman who opened fire at the Bay City School Board meeting in December 2010, there are many more violent acts committed by employees. In addition to the harm they cause, violent acts can leave employers liable for damages if they knew an employee was a potential threat to co-workers.

What can an employer do to identify and prevent a potential problem? One way is to search a potential employee’s history of past violence by using a pre-employment background check. By screening applicants, an employer can expose any recorded history of violence or harassment. In addition when employers inform job applicants of their screening process, many prospective employees with background issues with remove themselves from the hiring process.

By using this method to reduce workplace violence, employers also show that they are diligent in finding out if an applicant poses a potential threat to the company or to the public. But employers do need to be careful about crossing the line and being too invasive into a prospective employee’s privacy. According to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), laws in several states limit the use of arrest and conviction records by prospective employers. These include restricting the use of conviction history in making an employment decision.

With media attention given to reports of suicide and cyber bullying, much of the United States views public schools as dangerous, if not deadly, places. However, this is a misperception based on high-profile cases reported in the media. Few serious violent crimes take place in school relative to home. In fact, very few juvenile homicides take place at school. In contrast, there is evidence of a growing problem with less serious crimes such as bullying and harassment that require a school’s attention.

Juvenile Violence is Decreasing

According to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) national arrest statistics, law enforcement made approximately 581,765 juvenile arrests for violent crimes in 2009, a decline of 15 percent from the year 2000 and a drop of 2.3 percent from 2008. Those under age 18 also are less violent than adults. Juveniles accounted for 14 percent of all arrests for violent crimes in 2009.
Among students aged 12-18, there were about 743,100 non-fatal violent crimes in schools, according Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) figures for the 2008-2009 school year. During that same period, there were 38 school-associated violent deaths in the United States including 15 homicides. This is less than half the reported number of school homicides in 1998. Because of highly publicized homicides in the 1990′s, local school systems across the country implemented tougher policies, and expanded their use of school resource officers and security officers.

Bullying on School Grounds

During the 2007-2008 school year, 32 percent of students reported being bullied on school grounds and four percent reported being cyber bullied (which can occur anywhere) versus just two percent of these same student reporting violent crimes, according to BJS. This same population in 1999 reported bulling at a rate of just 5.1 percent of students.
For schools to remain a relatively safe place for children, administrators need to know what kinds of crimes are most likely to happen and make decisions based in fact.

Violence against children is an issue of public health worldwide. In the United States alone, 1,740 children died from abuse and neglect in 2008 and child protective services victimized 772,000 children, according for the Center for Disease Controls.

Types of Violent Behavior and its Consequences

Abuse of children under the age of 18 can taken on a number of forms and be perpetrated by any adults, such as, a caregiver, a coach, a teacher, or a member of the clergy. In addition to physical violence, abuse can be sexual, emotional or neglect. Emotional abuse is when an adult damages a child emotionally through rejection, name calling, threatening, in addition other verbal and non-verbal communication. Neglect is when a child’s needs aren’t met, such as, housing, food, health care and education.

Children who have experienced these types of behavior have a higher chance of health problems as adults. Chronic disease, depression, obesity, and alcoholism are just a few of the problems the may face.

Factors that Increase Violence Against Children

There are a number of factors that can increase the chance of maltreatment of children although their presence doesn’t always mean that abuse has occurred. Family environment is a good indicator of violence against children. Homes where there is a lot of stress due to drug or alcohol abuse, long-term health problems, financial issues, social isolation, or a history of violence are more likely to harbor the maltreatment of children. A violent community can also allow child abuse to flourish.
Under these conditions, children 4 years old and younger are at the greatest risk for violence leading to serious injury and even death.

Positive Parenting Skills

The role of public health agencies is to prevent violence against children. Parents need support and to be taught positive parenting skills which include communication skills, suitable discipline methods and how to attend to children’s needs both physical and emotional. Programs for the prevention of violence against children also offer parents social support.

Domestic violence has reached epic proportions in the United States with more than 15 million children exposed to violence at home. Over 2,000 women and children are killed and 2,000,000 injured. Because of the recession more and more people are seeking out public resources for help.

To that end, President Barack Obama signed into law legislation considered necessary to prevent child abuse and domestic violence. In order to improve services provided for child abuse victims and support programs provided to families, President Obama signed The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA)on December 20, 2010.

Another piece of legislation, The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) was also signed into law. The FVPSA provides funds for shelters and services that help women and children. In addition support for violence prevention programs was expanded to include dating violence and children exposed to violence.

In a move to help stop violence worldwide, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) on December 14, 2010. This legislation, supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, aims to create a five-year plan to end violence against women and girls worldwide. John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the bill in February 2010.

I-VAWA has strong support from voters regardless of demographics and political party. According to research by the Family Violence Prevention Fund and Women Thrive Worldwide, more than 80 percent of voters back the legislation.

Under the passage of the I-VAWA, programming to help women and girls receive education and economic opportunities would help stop violence. The program would also provide guidance for men and boys to provide support to victims in addition to other programming for survivors of family violence. This law would also require the United States to respond to gender-based violence occurring in other countries within six months of their outbreak.

Parents play a major role in minimizing violent behavior in their children. According to the American Psychological Association aggressive behavior is learned at a young age, a time when parents can do something and help their children mature emotionally without resorting to violence.
Providing a secure environment where children can develop trust for their caregivers. When parents are involved in their child’s life, the likelihood of behavior problems decreases. If a parent finds offering consistent attention difficult, local parenting classes could help him learn how to handle difficult situations.
Supervising children’s activities also provides the necessary involvement to limit violent behavior. When a parent ensures supervision of their child, the child not only receives protection from others but also gains encouragement and support from adults they respect.
Modeling appropriate behavior is another way in which parents can teach children how to act. Rewarding a child’™s ability to solve problems without violence while valueing honesty and respect will encourage children to repeat their good behaviors. Being consistent about rules will also teach children how to behave. When children are provided with clear expectations and rules, life is less confusing for them. They know what is expected of them and what the repercussions are when they step over the line.
Providing a non-violent home also helps discourage violent behavior. Verbal abuse in addition to physical abuse can lead to violence. Even intense, hostile arguments between parents can set an example of poor behavior for children. Limiting exposure to violence in media also helps reduce violent behavior. Parents can do this by limiting television and by discussing what they do see on TV. It is important to help children understand the reality of the violence they see on TV.
Children also need to learn how to stand against violent behavior in others. Parents should teach children to respond to others calmly without threatening or hitting another.

A recent study by US researchers has found that older adults who adopted a healthy diet were more likely to live longer than those who did not. In a study of 2,500 Americans between the ages of 70 and 79 over a ten year period will report these findings in the January 2011 issue of Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Healthy Diet Make for a Longer Life
According to the study’s findings, older adults who maintain a diet of mostly fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and little beef had a higher-quality and longer life than their counterparts who had higher intakes of fat and sugar. There are not many studies that have focused on dietary patterns and longevity in the elderly. Since the leading causes of death are shifting to chronic diseases which can be affected by diet, more research is looking at diet. In addition to this change, the world population is also aging. The worldwide population of adults over 65 is expected to reach 973 million in 2030, more than double the same population in 2000.

Saturated Fats and Trans Fats Lead to Higher Mortality
The study divided the research participants into six groups based on what they ate most. After taking various demographics of the participants into account, research showed that participants categorized under the high-fat dairy foods group and the sweets and desserts group had mortality rates 40 percent and 37 percent, respectively, higher than the healthy foods group. Both of these food group with higher mortality rates are higher in saturated fats and trans fats than the healthy foods group.

The project was led by Dr. Amy Anderson and Dr. Nadine Sahyoun, both from the University of Maryland’s Department of Nutrition and Food Science. Grants from the National Institute of Health and National Institute of Aging helped support this research.

While on your travels throughout the world, you not only want to see all the new sights and sounds of your destination, but you want to arrive home safe as well. Make sure that you are cautious when you travel so you can enjoy your vacation with less worry!

Don’t Look Like a Tourist

Many people that want to prey on the innocent will target tourists. For one, tourists are out of their comfort zone and unfamiliar with their surroundings. So, make sure you look and act like a native.

Limit Valuables

You don’t want to walk down the street in a designer dress, a sparkly Mikimoto pearl necklace, brand new Jimmy Choo heels, and a 5 karat diamond ring on your finger. By doing that, you are simply wearing a sign that says, “come rob me, I have lots of money!” Instead, blend in with the crowd and don’t draw attention to yourself. By keeping it low key, you are less likely to be singled out by those who want to harm you.

Know Your Routes

The best way to avoid the bad parts of a city is to know where they are. Do a little research before you leave and map out routes you can take to and from your hotel and areas that should be avoided. That way, if you happen to get lost somewhere, you can not only find your way back home, but you can also avoid the scary areas as well.

Use Common Sense

If you wouldn’t walk down the street alone at night when you are at home, then you shouldn’t do it abroad either. In a place like Hawaii, it may be nice to take a long walk along the beach at sundown. But, just be aware that Hawaii isn’t immune from crime and you should be just as cautious there as you are anywhere else.

Along with domestic violence, documented cases of school and cyber bullying have steadily increased over the years. Violence has become a widespread epidemic that forces its victims to suffer in silence, sometimes for years. The abused are often ashamed to ask for help or discuss the problem with friends or family. Teen violence is a growing problem that has resulted in death for far too many young people, and teenage girls as young as sixteen are in violent relationships with ongoing verbal and physical abuse from their partner. While it is not reported as often, men are also abused by their mates.

Learning to identify violent behavior is an important step in violence prevention. One of the best ways to detect violent behavior is by noting how the person treats other people. Disrespectful and cruel treatment of others are examples of a person who is capable of violence. Some common characteristics of a violent personality are quick tempers and unreasonable arguments, negative criticism or hurtful comments, and forced or degrading sexual activity. An essential key to personal safety and violence prevention is recognizing the signs of violent conduct. Knowing how to read the signs of abusive behavior is your strongest weapon for violence prevention.

Reports of violence on the road are being reported more frequently as well. To ensure your safety and prevent violence while driving you must remain calm and stay in control. If an altercation occurs call the authorities immediately. Using common courtesy when you are on the road will help you avoid a problem that could escalate and get out of hand. You will be cut off by a rude driver at some point, the best defense for violence prevention when this happens is to just let it go. Chasing or racing other drivers is bad judgement, and you should never risk your safety because an inconsiderate driver with a cell phone cut in front of you with almost no room to spare.

No one likes to be in a violent situation, nor in one that is uneasy and headed towards that direction. Violence is a very serious act that often starts with emotions that get out of control. Many things can contribute to violent behavior and outbursts that occur with people, but often after a situation has died down, no one can really pinpoint what happened to cause things to spark.

Situations that lead to violent behavior often start out innocently enough and escalate with the wrong look, the wrong words or anything else that sparks off the instigator. There are several indicators that a person can look for in situations that are potentially harmful, but here are very important ones to keep your eye on in case you’re ever involved in one:

- Know the Person
The best way to get to know a person is to do a little research and find out more about them. Do they have a temper? Do they always act out? Knowing these things can help the person involved avoid anything harmful or embarrassing. This is good only if you are acquainted with the person already. If you’re not:

- Watch the Person
If you don’t know what may set the person off, just sit back and watch them and look for other physical or verbal cues that would signal to you that a violent situation is about to erupt.

- Mind Your Business
If the person driving sporadically is not in your lane, don’t think that you have to take care of it. If they are in your lane and they become hostile or irate, stay calm and don’t cause a scene. Call the authorities if things get out of hand.

Violent behavior certainly doesn’t have to be something that you find yourself in if you make sure that you avoid the things that can cause it. Keep your eyes, ears and mind sharp and watch for those cues!

As more people search for ways to improve their quality of life, the interest in health and violence prevention is at an all time high. This has lead public health officials to implement a four step procedure that can be applied to help monitor health and violence prevention procedures. This process is applied to violent crimes and health issues faced by each community. The steps for health and violence prevention involves defining the problem, describing risks and protective elements, developing and testing prevention methods, and a guarantee of widespread acceptance.

The data used to define the results of violent deaths and injuries is a precise combination of vital records, police reports, coroner reports, and medical examiners. Identifying risks can help community leaders understand what makes a person commit violence, and why certain people are subjected to violent acts. Protective factors outline the characteristics that can decrease the potential to victimize, and what keeps you from becoming a victim. When the data has been compiled the findings are used to develop and test new strategies for health and violence prevention. Once the new prevention platforms have proved to be effective they are given widespread promotion with an evaluation of the process, training, technical assistance, and networking.

Each state applies the four step procedure to monitor violent behavior in their area. When information regarding violent deaths are submitted to the National Violent Death Reporting System, or NVDRS, the state is provided with an accurate account of injuries and deaths that were caused by violence. This data supplies vital information that state officials use to develop new programs for health and violence prevention. These widespread programs offer toll free hot lines, violence prevention centers for teens, and resource information to help recognize and prevent youth suicide and teen violence. Health and violence prevention is a vital issue that concerns the entire population.