Sawyer Hogenkamp

Homelessness in U.S. cities is a pressing civic issue, shaping residents' sense of safety and local policy debates. This study examines Los Angeles residents' perceptions of safety, their proximity to encampments, and attitudes towards mental health and substance use services. Using representative survey data from 4408 residents, we assess (1) support for welfare‐oriented services and their relationship to proximity to homelessness, and (2) how encounters with unhoused individuals shape feelings of safety. Findings show that residents closer to homelessness report more urgent support for mental health and substance abuse services, reflecting a shift towards decriminalization and public health approaches. By contrast, support for affordable housing remains polarized, with higher‐income and older residents more resistant. In a political climate favouring criminalization (Grants Pass v. Johnson), these results highlight the urgency of aligning policy with community‐driven, equitable solutions.

School safety remains a central focus of educational research, with considerable attention given to the perspectives of students, teachers, and administrators (Espelage, 2014; Lester et al., 2017; ...

Issues with school safety and violence have raised concerns that warrant attention from researchers, policy makers, and practitioners alike. In this study, we explored how school social workers—a group of school personnel who are understudied in the school violence literature—experience school safety and violence in the United States. Using a sample of 271 school social workers, we analyzed qualitative responses to two open-ended survey questions: (a) What are the most concerning safety issues facing educators and staff in your school? (b) What policies, procedures, resources, or interventions are needed to better prevent or address violence in your school? Data were collected online between March and June 2022 by the American Psychological Association Task Force on Violence against Educators and School Personnel. Derived using a socioecological framework, findings reflect school social workers’ needs for workplace safety and perspectives on how to prevent and mitigate school violence at the school site, district, and community levels. Implications range from promoting strong relationships in schools and between the school and community to bolstering funding sources that can sustain programs, training, and staffing aimed at improving experiences for all students. The implications of our findings for future research and practice are presented.

In the present study, we analyzed qualitative survey data from 538 school psychologists across schools in the United States regarding their perceptions of school safety issues and potential strategies to address school safety. There are only a few studies exploring the experiences and perspectives of school psychologists that have been based on large-scale qualitative data. Using inductive coding, three themes for safety concerns emerged: (a) aggressive behaviors from students, (b) mental and behavioral needs, and (c) limited staffing. Three themes also emerged for potential solutions: (a) professional development/training, (b) school–family–community relationships, and (c) threat assessments. These findings from school psychologists have implications for addressing structural issues to prevent school violence in research and practice. Policy recommendations to inform resource allocation and improve school safety are discussed.