최근 학교 안팎에서 자행되고 있는 학교폭력은 점차 그 위험수가 높아지면서 심각한 사회문제로 대두되었다. 각종 통계자료에 의하면, 학교폭력은 발생건수 측면에서 2000년도를 기점으로 감소추세를 보이고 있지만, 그 유형은 오히려 신체적 폭력에서 금품갈취, 집단 따돌림, 괴롭힘 등 心理的 暴力으로 점차 다양해지고 있다. 또한 연령도 고등학생에서 초등학생으로 낮아지고 있으며, 질적인 측면에서도 ‘集團化·組織化·凶暴化’되고 있는 현실이다. 또한 학교폭력조직이 단위학교에서 지역적·전국적으로 연계되어 있고, 성인폭력조직으로 이어지는 경향마저 있다. 학교폭력이 학생들에게 미치는 심리적 부적응 현상은 매우 심각하다고 할 수 있다. 폭력을 당하는 피해학생뿐만 아니라 폭력을 행사하는 가해학생도 학교생활에서 정서적 부적응이나 학습 부적응 현상을 보임은 물론이고 成人期에 이르기까지 개인의 사회적 적응에 지속적으로 부정적인 영향을 받게 된다. 학교폭력은 학생들의 폭력에 대한 歪曲된 意識과 성장과정에서 인내하고 대화하는 훈련 부족도 하나의 원인으로 지적되고 있다. 본논문은 학교폭력의 근본적인 발생원인이 무엇인지를 조감하고, 이를 토대로 실효성있는 대처방안을 강구하고자 한다. 학교폭력의 문제를 근본적으로 해결하기 위해서는 첫째, 가해자와 피해자에 대한 전문적이고 다양한 교육프로그램 및 상담서비스를 강화해야 한다. 둘째, 학교폭력의 대책은 학교뿐만 아니라 가정과 지역사회의 연계선상에서 수립되고 실행되어야 한다. 셋째, 학교폭력에 대한 보다 체계적이고 연속적인 실태조사가 필요하다, 마지막으로 현재 시행중인 ‘학교폭력 예방 및 대책에 관한 법률’이 실질적으로 실효를 거둘 수 있도록 손질되어야 한다.

School violence is a complicated issue that combines various elements, such as personal characteristics, homes, schools, and the local community. Therefore, solutions for the prevention of violence must be multifaceted. As examined previously, the Korean society has established countless measures to solve the problem of school violence and is expansively supported by the Korean Government. However, these measures and support are not solving the problem of school violence. In order to solve the underlying causes of school violence, it is necessary to examine various causes and make a long-term approach to the problem, rather than implementing short-term and improvised solutions. For this purpose, this study theoretically examined school violence, analyzed the causes of school violence, and suggested the following four measures to solve the problem of school violence. First, it is necessary to offer various professional education programs and counseling services to both the harmer and the victimized. Second, schools are the common interest of homes, schools, and the local community and the place of group activities. When the local community considers measures to solve school violence, they can use school as the executors, Schools can accommodate gatherings of local residents. Third, we lack substantial information on school violence. Korea has not implemented nationwide researches to understand the reality of school violence every year and lacks resources to understand the latest trends and circumstances in school violence. We must realize that exaggerating the issue can plant exceeding anxiety and fear in students and parents. Fourth, school violence regulations must be enforced. The U.S. enacted the "Safe and Drug-free School and Community Act" in 1994 and England enacted the "Crime and Social Disorder Act" in 1998 in regards to school violence. Korea enacted the "School Violence Prevention Act" in December 2004 to regulate school violence by law. This law obligates the victimized to report their cases to the school or the police, and the Government, related public organizations, and educational institutions to make their fullest efforts to prevent school violence. In particular, each school is expected to organize the Autonomous School Violence Solution Committee and appoint professional counselors and school violence guidance. The Government must supervise each school to take appropriate actions, such as the harmer's written apology to the victimized, prohibition of approach or blackmailing to the victimized, change of classes, change of schools, volunteer activities in school, social services, special training or psychological therapy by experts, or dismissal from school. It is necessary to provide new alternatives and measures for school violence, but what is more important is to encourage interests and efforts of those who are directly related to this issue. In other words, what is more important than new measures in the determination to execute them. Even the best solution is useless without efforts. Thus, it is important to encourage homes, schools, and the local community to come together and make seamless efforts to prevent school violence.

school violence, juvenile delinquency, bullying, education program