FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          AG
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1997                         (202) 616-2765
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

             AS AMERICA'S STUDENTS GO BACK TO SCHOOL,
              FOUR JUSTICE REPORTS PUT NEW FOCUS ON
                    SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT


     WASHINGTON, D.C --  In an effort to ensure a safe and
disciplined learning environment for America's children,  the
Justice Department today highlighted new reports on hate crimes,
information sharing and afterschool programs.

     Attorney General Janet Reno said, "Together these reports
will help provide our children with the learning environment they
need to focus on what's in the classroom, not what's on the
streets."

     Produced by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, A Policy
Maker's Guide to Hate Crimes provides information on preventing,
prosecuting and investigating hate crimes.  Healing the Hate, an
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
guide, offers a curriculum that combines prejudice reduction with
violence prevention.  The Justice Department is holding regional
training sessions to assist schools in implementing the
curriculum for middle and early high school students.

     "This curriculum can help our schools give young people an
understanding of the dangers of prejudice and offers suggestions
on how to prevent it," added Reno.

     Sharing Information, also from OJJDP, will assist law
enforcement, educators and juvenile justice professionals in
sharing critical information about children while still complying
with federal law that limits disclosure from student records. 
With case studies on successful information sharing partnerships,
this new guide promotes safe schools while respecting the privacy
of students.

     "Linking police officers, teachers and social service
providers in information sharing networks is essential to
improving America's juvenile justice systems," said Reno.


     Finally, the National Institute of Justice has released
Youth Afterschool Programs and Law Enforcement, a study that
highlights the critical role that local police can play in
building a successful afterschool program.

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