Safe Alternatives and
Violence Education
S.A.V.E.

The Sanger Safe Alternatives and Violence Education Program is modeled after The San Jose S.A.V.E. program. It is a non-punitive, educational awareness curriculum. It is designed to offer information and alternatives to students who have possessed weapons on or near school campuses in violation of the District's commitment to Zero Tolerance for Weapons.

The unique qualities of this program include: mandatory parental involvement, youth/parent interaction, and an effective approach to identification of personal anger styles, choice making, refusal skills and parenting skills and styles. Combined with a reality component addressing the facts and fiction surrounding violence and local statistics, this six-hour class effectively addresses the violence that pervades our society.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE S.A.V.E. PROGRAM
WHAT IS SAFE ALTERNATIVES AND VIOLENCE EDUCATION?
S.A.V.E. is a non-punitive, educational program for parents and students. The program supports the District's commitment to Zero Tolerance. Translators are provided for non-English speaking participants.

The one day/six hour class is offered several times a year and is located at the Sanger Community Center.

Parental participation is required.

Numerous youth and their families from throughout the district have attended the class since Sanger began teaching them.


FOR WHOM IS THE S.A.V.E. PROGRAM DESIGNED ?

Available to all middle and high school students throughout the Sanger Unified School District who are found in possession of a weapon on or near a school campus.

Designed for the less sophisticated offender - one who acts without thinking or in response to peer pressure and is not yet intimately involved in the juvenile justice system.


IS THE S.A.V.E. PROGRAM SUCCESSFUL ?

86% students have not been cited for a new offense within 6 months of attending the class.

81% of student participants remain violation free 12 months after attending.

Parents and students have praised the program and its instructors. Some parents have asked if the class is available to others of their children.

Student participants report actually applying some of the lessons after the class.

Student participants say they have shared the class information with friends and siblings.

NOTE: The above statistics are from the San Jose S.A.V.E. program. S.A.V.E. is new to Sanger


WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS ?

Funded by a State grant, there is currently no charge to participate.

The class is facilitated by off duty police officers, teachers, and respected members
of our community who have received special training for this program.

Participants talk about the consequences of simply possessing a weapon at school.

Participants share facts and statistics about accidental deaths and the increasing youth violence.

Participants discuss the origins of the violence that permeates our society, consider alternatives and share conflict resolution and refusal skills.

Parents receive support and discuss parenting issues and skills.

Semi-annual celebrations are held to acknowledge the students who are making better choices and remain violation free and the parents who have supported them in their success.


WHAT ELSE DOES THE CURRICULUM COVER?

Desensitization - The violence - media relationship; Facts vs. Fiction

Anger Styles - Which style do you use? Does it work? Are there alternatives?

Self-esteem, refusal skills and strategic choices - Every choice has a consequence. What are the consequences of your choices? An effective approach to refusal skills.

Parenting awareness and skills.

Reality of violence - Multi-level harm that weapons create. Addressing the "It can't happen to me" attitude.

Reality Check - Why are you here? What would you do differently?

Goal setting/accomplishments, an alternative to the juvenile justice system.


WHAT ABOUT OBJECTS WHICH VIOLATE THE EDUCATION CODE
BUT DO NOT VIOLATE THE PENAL CODE ?

Weapons which are not subject to a citation are occasionally possessed by students at school. Such weapons are still dangerous and these students can benefit from this program. In such a case, it is requested that the school call their local police agency and ask that a report for "Information Only" be written. As a condition of your school policy and in conjunction with police, this student and parent may be referred to the S.A.V.E. program .

Some schools have made attending the class in lieu of a suspension, expulsion or prosecution if a student is found with a weapon. If this approach is used, an info only report is still requested and brief background information on the student required.

Schools boards should NOT, under any circumstances, direct students/parents to call the S.A.V.E. program directly to schedule a class.

If your school or police liaison have questions about this option please feel free to contact
DENNIS WIECHMANN at (559) 875-6521


S.A.V.E. STATISTICS, (San Jose S.A.V.E.)

Sanger S.A.V.E. statistics available in the near future

December 93 - June 1995


This information is based on class attendance records, probation input and self-declared student data.

PARTICIPANTS

Students 370 Parents 361

Approximately 11% of the participants have been girls. Translators are provided for participants who do not speak English.

The students referred to the program for possession of these weapons ranged
from 10 to 17 years of age.




WEAPONS

WEAPON NUMBER PERCENT OF TOTAL
Firearms 12 4%
Replicas/BB Guns 37 10%
Knives 260 70%
Other 57 16%


Firearms
Handguns and shotguns

Replicas/BB Guns
BB guns, air pistols, starter pistols, lighter guns, and other guns that appear realistic.

Knives
Locking blades, switchblades, butterfly knives, dirks/daggers, butcher knives, pocket knives with blades longer than 2 1/2".

Other
Clubs, bats, nunchucks, screwdrivers, brass knuckles, shirkens, etc.



Sanger S.A.V.E.
The S.A.V.E. program is operated through the Sanger Unified School District in conjunction with the Sanger Police Department and the community of Sanger .

For more information, contact the program coordinator, KATHY CALLAHAN, at
(559) 875-6521