The Facts on School Violence: Q&A with UCLA Luskin’s Ron Avi Astor

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By Elizabeth Kivowitz

Ron Avi Astor is a professor of social welfare at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs with a joint appointment in the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies. His work examines how physical, social-organizational, and cultural contexts in schools relate to different kinds of bullying and school violence. Astor and Rami Benbenishty, professor emeritus at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, have taken input from millions of students, teachers, parents, and administrators, and developed mapping and monitoring procedures that have been used to generate grassroots solutions to safety problems in schools worldwide. Over the past 20 years, findings from these studies have been published in more than 200 scholarly manuscripts.

Astor’s work has been funded by the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Mental Health, and other public and private foundations.

We caught up with Astor to gain a better understanding of school violence — and how to create safe schools.

Is school violence getting worse — and why does it happen more in the U.S.?

Overall, day-to-day school victimization, including physical, verbal and social exclusion — has declined significantly in recent decades across the United States. In contrast, behaviors involving cyberbullying through phones and the internet are on the rise. When it comes to shootings and deaths, however, the situation has worsened. The increasing frequency of shootings, intense media coverage, and widespread use of hardening measures in schools contribute to the perception that all forms of violence are escalating.

This is why it is essential to distinguish different types of victimization. School shootings are a separate phenomenon, more akin to terrorism, and should be considered independently from everyday violence. Cyberbullying is another category that requires its own focus, as it is increasing.

For day-to-day school violence, the United States is not among the most violent countries; many nations have had far higher rates for decades. But when it comes to school shootings and deaths from shootings, the U.S. is by far the highest globally and accounts for a large proportion of such fatalities worldwide.

Are there any recent lessons we are not talking about that we should be?

Yes. One major lesson is the dramatic reduction in day-to-day victimization in schools over the past two decades, a fact overshadowed by the trauma and visibility of school shootings. While shootings must be addressed urgently, these reductions mean that millions of students are no longer experiencing the same levels of victimization reported 20 years ago. This progress is often overlooked, as are the tremendous investments in programs, hiring of social workers, psychologists and counselors, and the expanded district and state safety infrastructure now in place.

Teachers, principals, and communities have made bullying and school safety a priority, and their combined efforts appear to have worked. The United States has invested billions of dollars in social-emotional learning, positive school-climate initiatives, anti-bullying programs, trained staff, and new safety policies — all likely contributors to the decline. The belief that “nothing works” to reduce school violence is incorrect, particularly for day-to-day victimization. Educators, parents, communities, and students deserve recognition. This is also why separating school shootings from less lethal forms of school violence is so important.

What is the most important thing a school can do to create a positive school climate?

After studying thousands of schools around the world, I have found that the most influential factor, across cultures, is the principal’s vision, skill, and mission. An effective principal who emphasizes both academic excellence and the social role of schools is the key to reducing violence. These exceptional leaders unify staff, students, and communities around a shared vision of safety and foster environments that are welcoming, caring, and supportive.

They integrate ideas from students, staff, and families, while also selecting evidence-based programs adapted to their school’s specific needs. One important implication is the need to include school safety content in principal and teacher training programs, as most universities currently offer little or no preparation in this area. Studying talented principals and educators who successfully create caring, safe schools is another area requiring more research. While evidence-based programs matter, there is much to learn from the people who implement them effectively.

What are schools doing to improve safety?

Recent studies show that schools are using a wide range of strategies to improve safety. These include evidence-based programs such as social-emotional learning, restorative justice, school-climate initiatives, anti-bullying programs, and systemic efforts like PBIS (positive behavioral interventions and supports) and MTSS (multi-tiered system of supports). Schools are also increasing capacity by hiring more social workers, psychologists, and counselors to support these programs and address mental health needs.

At the same time, many schools rely on law-enforcement approaches related to school shootings: shooter drills, lockdown practices, and employing school resource officers or police. Schools are also “hardening” their campuses with metal detectors, cameras, high-tech shooter-detection systems, and strict safety policies. In some states and districts, school staff are now permitted to carry firearms. These developments largely stem from the ongoing failure to reduce school shootings.

Please explain the difference between voices and data in your work and why it matters for keeping students and schools safe.

The core of creating a successful school action plan is closely listening to the voices of students, teachers, parents, and the community. Without this, most programs and strategies fail. In many schools, only a small number of people openly express concerns, even though school communities hold diverse views about safety. In the intervention programs I developed with my colleague Rami Benbenishty, we begin with students’ voices. Students create qualitative maps of the school and describe times and spaces where they feel safe or unsafe, explain why, and offer recommendations for making unsafe areas more welcoming. We do the same with teachers and parents. We also conduct short surveys with quantitative and qualitative questions. These anonymous results are presented back to the school and become the basis for discussion and action planning.

People often disengage when they hear the word “data,” seeing it as distant. I challenge educators to imagine each response as a child’s voice about safety, drug use, suicidal ideation, or ideas for improving school. When seen as collective voices, the information becomes personal and encourages engagement. We frequently observe teachers shifting their practices when they realize many students — through surveys and maps — are struggling with mental health issues, substance use, or victimization. At that point, it is no longer data but a message from students, teachers, and parents. These voices and recommendations become the foundation for meaningful grassroots change.

The Enduring Scars of Bullying Born of Prejudice A supportive school environment can actually deepen targeted students’ feelings of isolation, according to new research that offers insights on how to help

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As concerns rise about the mental health of American adolescents, schools have worked to create an atmosphere where students feel safe, connected, and respected.

But a positive campus climate does not provide the same benefits for all students — and in some cases may even deepen feelings of isolation and despair, according to new research co-authored by UCLA Professor of Social Welfare Ron Avi Astor.

This counterintuitive finding, just published in the American Educational Research Association’s flagship journal Educational Researcher, arose from an exhaustive review of survey data from more than 1 million students in 2,500 California secondary schools.

The research team compared the experiences of three groups of students: those who had been bullied or victimized due to a bias against their race, ethnicity, sexual or gender identity, religion, disability, immigration statu,s or other personal characteristic; those who were targeted but not because of this kind of bias; and those who had never been targeted.

The study’s authors were surprised to find that a supportive school climate produced fewer positive effects overall for students in the first group, a phenomenon known as the “healthy context paradox,” said Astor, a professor of social welfare and education at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and UCLA School of Education and Information Studies.

When students in distress are in a relatively positive setting, they may compare themselves with their peers and blame themselves for feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and thoughts of suicide. “Why are things getting better for everyone but me?” they may wonder. And being targeted for personal traits that they cannot change is particularly hurtful, deepening their sense of inadequacy.

“We realized that the negative impact of student victimization on certain students’ mental health is exacerbated in schools with positive climates and lower overall violence levels,” said Ruth Berkowitz of the University of Haifa, who led the research team including Astor, Netta Achdut of Ben Gurion University and Rami Benbenishty of Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

“You would have expected that victimized students would gain much more from a positive school climate,” she said, noting that the findings were so unexpected that the team repeatedly rechecked the data.

Similar findings had been reported in some Scandinavian countries, but not in such a large-scale U.S. study. The new research also broadens understanding of the distinct experience of students victimized because of their identity, and the need for tailored mental health support.

“You want a positive school climate, obviously, and you want to reduce victimization,” said Astor, an authority on bullying and school violence. “But you also need another layer of very specific interventions toward groups that are being systematically targeted due to prejudice because of their identity in schools.”

RESEARCH TO ACTION

How can these findings be used to help schools and the students they serve? Astor says that giving leaders access to precise information about the kinds of bias detected on their campuses is an important first step.

“It is possible for kids and teachers and others to have prejudices that are extremely specific,” he says. A campus may exhibit broad tolerance for people of different faiths but show hostility to its immigrant families, for example. A school with a thriving gay-straight alliance may not be as welcoming to students with disabilities.

“If we drill down and really see what’s happening at each school, they can tailor how they educate their population about different groups, and that can help the level of bias go down,” he says.

Astor is also putting this anti-bias scholarship into action through a new partnership with Holocaust Museum LA, which commemorates those who perished and teaches future generations important lessons about kindness, dignity, and humanity.

The museum worked with Astor to develop questionnaires for teachers and students from across the country who are participating in its many educational programs. Launched at the start of this school year, the tool provides a snapshot of a school’s climate, potential pockets of bias, and the needs of teachers seeking to build an inclusive environment.

“We’re really excited about this partnership,” said Jordanna Gessler, the museum’s chief impact officer. “It’s taking work that Ron was already doing, work that we were already doing, and merging them together to really amplify the understanding of what is happening in our schools and how we can best course correct when there are incidents of hatred and identity-based violence.”

The surveys include basic biographical information as well as open-ended questions that allow participants to share what they’ve seen on their campuses, Astor says. Students can report whether they have witnessed or experienced insults or exclusion, for example, and assess the likelihood that someone on campus would intervene.

Using well-established research methods, Astor analyzes the data and provides feedback to the museum so that it can assess the impact of its programs and swiftly adapt to the changing needs of the community.

“One of the most important things we can be doing in these spaces is being flexible in our understanding of what is taking place and how we can respond to it with compassion,” Gessler says.

PRIORITIZING MENTAL HEALTH

Researchers were motivated to launch the latest study by rising reports of mental illness among young people and a desire to understand the role of school-based victimization.

They analyzed data from seventh-, ninth- and eleventh-graders who responded to the California Healthy Kids Survey between 2017 and 2019. Conducted biannually across the state, the voluntary and anonymous survey includes questions about a broad array of topics, including school safety and student well-being.

Students who reported being the target of bias-based victimization made up 23.6% of the respondents. Since a positive school climate can actually exacerbate their feelings of despair, the researchers urge schools to implement a multi-tiered approach including outreach to vulnerable youth and a commitment to combat discrimination.

“Focusing solely on overall school climate to improve mental health, without explicitly addressing specific types of victimization, particularly bias-based incidents, could potentially exacerbate the difficulties faced by affected students,” Berkowitz says.

“Schools are constantly being held accountable for academic growth,” she says. “But how about the growth of a positive school climate? This could improve the overall outcomes, not just in academics but also in the mental health of students.”

Further Reading

“The Facts on School Violence: Q&A with UCLA Luskin’s Ron Avi Astor” 

 

UCLA Luskin Faculty Win Grants to Internationalize Curriculum

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Two UCLA Luskin faculty members are among 16 recipients of the inaugural Global Education Awards for Internationalizing Curriculum, launched as part of UCLA’s strategic goal to expand its global reach.

The awards support efforts to revise a current UCLA course, design a new course, or design a new program, concentration, or track that incorporates global perspectives.

Kian Goh, associate professor of urban planning, is developing Global Cities and Global Climate Change, an interdisciplinary course that will help students better understand global climate change and its impacts on urban ways of life.

Lené Levy-Storms, associate professor of social welfare, will partner with two Mongolian universities to develop a new elective for the gerontology interdisciplinary minor that uses international perspectives to explore intergenerational relationships throughout the human aging experience.

In its first year, the UCLA Global Advisors Council also awarded 10 Global Research Awards, focused on expanding an existing domestic research project, enhancing one or more international partnerships, or engaging students and other partners in a research initiative that addresses global issues. The 2025 global education and research grants totaled nearly $500,000.

Read the full story

David C. Turner III Receives 2025 Marie O. Weil Best Article Award Award recognizes Turner’s research on the lived experiences of Black youth and systems of punishment.

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David C. Turner III is an Assistant Professor of Black Life and Racial Justice in the Department of Social Welfare at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. He is also a faculty affiliate with the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, and the faculty director of the Million Dollar Hoods Project on campus. Turner is this year’s winner of the Marie O. Weil Outstanding Scholarship Award, co-sponsored by the Association of Community Organizations and Social Administration (ACOSA) and Taylor & Francis Publishing.  

Turner’s article, “To Me, it Kind of Felt Normal”-Defining the Normalcy of Carcerality with Black Men, Boys, and Youth Workers,” draws on dozens of interviews with Black male youth activists and examines how Black boys and young men experience the normalcy of carcerality—the everyday presence of carceral power and control in their lives. 

Headshot of assistant professor David C. Turner III“This award is an incredible honor and a testament to the value of community-driven research. I’d like to thank the selection committee, and I’d especially like to thank the young people and community partners who participated in this project. Oftentimes, the experiences of Black male youth are told through the lens of others, especially with a framing that positions them as just “receiving” the impact of social institutions. This article, and my work more broadly, speaks to how important agency is in transforming the punishment-driven conditions that Black boys and young men who work to change their communities have declared as normal. Those young people and their peers are unnormalizing carceral culture every day.” 

The Marie O. Weil Outstanding Scholarship Award recognizes outstanding scholarship published in the Journal of Community Practice and is based on contributions to the field, scholarly approach, and promotion of macro practice values. 

Closing Gaps in Mental Health Care: Tamika Lewis MSW ’05 on Creating Healing Spaces for Women of Color UCLA Luskin alumna transforms personal loss into a mission-driven practice to empower women.

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by Peaches Chung

Walking into Women of Color Therapy (WOC Therapy), you feel a sense of peace, as if you’ve arrived somewhere that knows you. The living spaces, infused with color, texture and life, mirror the holistic approach Tamika Lewis MSW ’05 brings to her work: healing that honors both mind and soul, culture and community. 

Walk up the brick pathway and into a charming home, where a spacious living room centers around a grand fireplace. Colorful artwork adorns the walls, paying homage to ancestral heritage and healing. In the backyard, the garden serves as a gathering place for yoga retreats and healing workshops. 

This is WOC Therapy, the intentional, communal wellness center founded by Tamika Lewis. 

Women sit on the floor in the back garden of WOC Therapy and Wellness center, having a meditation session in the outdoor spaces.

As the founder and clinical director, Lewis leads a holistic practice dedicated to providing culturally competent mental health care for women and teens of color. Her approach blends evidence-based modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR and Somatic Therapy with ancestral healing, storytelling and movement. For Lewis, the mission of WOC Therapy is deeply personal.  

“The inspiration for WOC Therapy came from my own personal struggles with mental health,” Lewis says. “In college, two of my closest friends died by suicide. One of those students was Jennifer Paek, a fellow MSW student at UCLA. The grief of losing her made me ask hard questions.” 

That moment of loss became a catalyst for Lewis’ work. What was an experience of profound grief transformed into a calling.  

“I felt driven to create a space where women of color could put down the facade of perfection and show up authentically,” she says. “How can I be honest with myself about the mental health challenges I battled in secret? Why aren’t we talking about mental health in our communities?” 

Those questions became the framework for her work at WOC Therapy, located in the San Fernando Valley. “WOC Therapy was my answer to that gap — a space rooted in clinical excellence, as well as cultural wisdom, community and joy.”  

The wellness center feels more like a home than a clinic, where each room has been thoughtfully transformed into a space for conversation and community. Gone are the sterile walls of a traditional counseling office; in their place is a setting that feels familiar, inviting and safe. 

“Imagine being able to heal and release trauma that no longer belongs to you,” says Lewis — a guiding vision that shapes every corner of her practice. 

Headshot of Tamika Lewis MSW Alumna

Lewis’ path to social work began at Westmont College, where she studied English and sociology, and continued through her master’s in social work at UCLA. At UCLA Luskin, she was recognized with the National Association of Social Workers Student Award and the UCLA MSW Excellence Award, honors that highlighted both her academic dedication and her commitment to social equity.  

“My experience as an MSW student at UCLA shaped so much of who I am today,” she says. “I felt at home among my peers and professors, who welcomed my ambitious ideas and desire to drive change in my community. It was an empowering experience.” 

Launching her own wellness center, however, was not without challenges. Stepping away from a stable job as a school counselor, Lewis navigated the uncertainties of entrepreneurship while being a single mom. She credits the “Tiny Moves” approach — the focus of her upcoming book “Tiny Moves: The Defining Moments that Change Us” — for helping her make small, consistent steps toward her goals. “Success isn’t always about big leaps. It’s about staying true to your vision and action, even when fear is present.”

To current social work students at Luskin dreaming of creating community-centered practices, she advises: “Trust your body wisdom. Those quiet nudges you feel are often the beginnings of your most powerful work. Don’t wait until everything feels perfect — take tiny moves in the direction of your vision.” 

For Lewis, social work is not just a career but a responsibility — to her community and to the future of mental health equity. Through WOC Therapy, she has turned personal pain into a powerful purpose, proving that even in the wake of incredible loss, healing and hope are possible. 

Perception vs. Reality: UCLA Luskin’s Jorja Leap Talks Crime Coverage with ABC7

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Social Welfare Professor Jorja Leap was quoted in an ABC7 News story examining crime trends in Los Angeles. While data shows violent and property crimes are down 17% in the city, Leap explained that the rise of social media, true crime entertainment, and political rhetoric amplify fear, creating a perception of rising crime despite the statistics.

“I think we’ve got a collective PTSD, and I’m not being flippant,” Leap said.

“You go to divert yourself, and what do you watch? A murder mystery,” Leap added.

Firearm Suicides Are Increasing Among Older Women at an Alarming Rate

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While firearm suicides are higher among older men than older women, a new study found that this method of suicide is rising sharply among women 65 and older, underscoring the need for increased mental health support for older populations.

Older men are 13 times more likely to die by firearm suicide than women, but a new study by UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and the Boston University School of Public Health has found that suicides by gun are increasing rapidly among older women.

Firearms were involved in nearly 40 percent of suicides among older women from 2014-2023, up from 34.9 percent in 2014, according to the study in JAMA Network Open. Women represent nearly half of all new gun owners in the United States; as female gun ownership surges across many states, these findings highlight a need to better understand the immediate and long-term consequences of firearm suicides among older women, as well as develop tailored interventions to mitigate firearm suicides among all older adults.

“Based on the most recent decade of federal data on firearm mortality, we found alarmingly high proportions of firearm suicides to all suicides among both older women and older men, and the trend among older women outpaced that of older men,” says study lead and corresponding author Ziming Xuan, professor of community health sciences at BUSPH.

The research team, which included senior author Mark Kaplan, research professor of social welfare at UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, and coauthor William Xuan, a student at Brookline High School in Brookline, Mass., analyzed firearm suicide data among older adults from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The team calculated the ratio of firearm suicides to all suicides, by sex and by state, for each year between January 2014 and December 2023.

More than 90 percent of the 63,599 individuals ages 65 and older who died by firearm suicide in the US during this decade were men. For older women, the proportion of firearm suicides to all suicides increased by approximately five percentage points, to 38.5 percent, reversing a steady decline that had begun in 1991. Even though older men had substantially higher firearm suicide rates than older women, the rates among older men remained relatively stable throughout the study period.

This disparity in firearm suicides between men and women was surprising, says Kaplan, and the findings reflect the unique risks that older gun owners face. Firearm suicide is the leading method of suicide for adults 65 and older, and as the population of older Americans continues to increase, firearm suicide rates may remain high without proper interventions to reverse these trends. A combination of physical, mental, and social factors may influence gun ownership and suicidal ideation among this age group, such as chronic illness and pain, depression, stress, loneliness, financial concerns, and greater access to guns, among other reasons.

“Firearms have become a disturbingly common method of suicide for older adults, both men and women,” Kaplan says. “When firearms are involved, older adults are less likely to survive a suicide attempt, as the chances of rescue in these situations are significantly reduced.”

Notably, the researchers found that the proportion of firearm suicides to all suicides varied substantially by state, with southern states generally encompassing the greatest proportion of suicides by gun. Alabama and Mississippi maintained the highest proportions of firearm suicides for both men (92.7 percent and 91.3 percent, respectively) and women (68.1 percent and 68 percent, respectively).

“States with stricter firearm laws, such as New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and California, tended to have fewer firearm-related suicides among older adults,” Kaplan says.

Policies and programs that address the disproportionate rates of depression and other mental health conditions among this population should remain a public health priority, the researchers say. “Healthcare providers should engage older patients experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts by inquiring about their access to firearms,” says Kaplan. “Open discussions regarding firearm safety can be a crucial step in ensuring their well-being.”

The proportion of older adults in the US is expected to grow from 17.3 percent in 2022 to 21.6 percent by 2040, with women accounting for the largest share of this increase. “As older women account for the majority of an aging population in the United States, it is crucial to provide enhanced access to mental health care for older adults, particularly in states with high levels of firearm ownership,” Xuan says.

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About UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs

The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs brings together the fields of social welfare, urban planning, and public policy to advance solutions for society’s most pressing problems. With a strong focus on community engagement, equity, and research-informed action, the School plays a central role in shaping public discourse and practice in California and beyond.

About Boston University School of Public Health

Founded in 1976, Boston University School of Public Health is one of the top ten ranked schools of public health in the world. It offers master’s- and doctoral-level education in public health. The faculty in six departments conduct policy-changing public health research around the world, with the mission of improving the health of populations—especially the disadvantaged, underserved, and vulnerable—locally and globally.

 

UCLA MSW Student Francisco Villarruel’s Summer in the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office Francisco Villarruel applied his social work training to policy and community engagement at his summer internship.

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by Francisco Villarruel

This summer, I had the privilege of serving as an intern at the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Economic and Opportunity, under the leadership of Deputy Mayor Brenda Shockley. My primary role was to oversee the Early Childhood Education Student Advancement Program (ECE-SAP) for participants aged 50 and older. This work encompassed recruitment, outreach, data tracking, and cross-sector collaboration with both public and private partners. One highlight was coordinating the culmination ceremony for a graduating cohort—a celebration of perseverance and community impact.

The Mayor’s Office provided me with a front-row seat to the intersection of policy, systems thinking, and social work. Much of our work involves analyzing how local, national, and global models—such as theories of change and return on investment (ROI)—can be adapted to Los Angeles. A defining moment this summer was engaging in critical discussions about how to improve employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals, including the push to revitalize California’s Clean Slate Act (SB 731). Another milestone was attending an all-staff meeting with Mayor Karen Bass, whose passion for defending democracy and serving Angelenos reaffirmed why I chose this field.

Beyond Los Angeles, I had the honor of representing UCLA Luskin’s MSW program at a global gathering in New York. Meeting delegates from across the world provided fresh perspectives and long-lasting connections. It was striking to hear how leaders from other countries view the challenges facing the United States, and how our own struggles compare with nations still ravaged by war.

I was particularly inspired by conversations about Mexico City’s innovative approach to reducing cartel recruitment. Before becoming President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo served as Mayor of Mexico City, leading policies that offered annual scholarships to students for each grade completed. This strategy dramatically decreased cartel recruitment among youth. As mayor, she also lowered the city’s homeless population to roughly 30,000—remarkable progress for a city of over 20 million residents. In contrast, Los Angeles, with a population of 3 million, faces over 43,000 unhoused individuals in the city and more than 72,000 across the county. These comparisons highlight the potential of evidence-based, people-centered policy to create lasting change.

This summer deepened my belief in being a multi-layered professional—combining policy work, community engagement, and future aspirations in clinical social work, forensic gang expertise, and global consulting. Whether in Los Angeles, New York, or learning from Mexico, the mission remains the same: to foster systems that uplift communities, dismantle barriers, and create sustainable opportunities for all.

Jorja Leap on Building Trust and Lasting Change in Watts 60 Years After the Riots Leap underscores the need for genuine respect and trust-building, rather than symbolic gestures alone.

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Nearly six decades after the 1965 Watts Riots, sparked by a routine traffic stop that spiraled into six days of violence and civil unrest, the South Los Angeles community has seen pockets of progress, from improved healthcare access to innovative community policing efforts. Yet, for many residents, deep challenges remain: fragile trust with law enforcement, persistent violence, and limited pathways to economic opportunity.

While demographics have shifted and some progress has been made, Watts continues to struggle with issues of poverty and underfunding, with local leaders emphasizing that real change requires sustained public investment,

UCLA Luskin social welfare professor Jorja Leap, who is on the board of the Watts Gang Task Force and Chair the Research and Evaluation Center, stresses that meaningful progress in Watts requires far more than community events like National Night Out or youth outings organized by law enforcement. For there to be meaningful change, “the LAPD and the Sheriff’s Department have to stop being badge-heavy,” Leap told the Los Angeles Daily News. “Day in and day out, they have to act as respectful partners. As long as we have people being stopped without cause, whether they are Black or Brown, we have a problem. And all the National Nights Out isn’t going to matter.”