MANHATTAN, Kan. – Youth violence continues to be a concern in American schools, and many of the school attacks have been attributed to bullying. In many cases, the victim supposedly retaliated violently because of the bullying.

Elaine Johannes, a human development and prevention specialist at Kansas State University, said many are now left wondering how bullying – a school-yard "activity" that has taken place for generations – could have escalated to violent attacks.

"Bullying has been around forever, and the vulnerable have always been pushed around," Johannes said. "However, bullying intensity may have changed, even though the frequency has not. Name-calling has sometimes progressed to shootings."

"Normal schoolyard fights" between two equals does not constitute bullying, she added. A bully often picks on someone who is not their equal, either based on size, popularity or skill.

The definition of bullying is "aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing carried out repeatedly and over time and between one or more child or youth where there is an imbalance of power."

Many children are "bullies" because that behavior rewards them with added attention or having their needs met. The bully often knows they can get what they want through aggression, which does not always end in the school yard. A 22-year, University of Illinois-Chicago study found that young bullies had a one-in-four chance of having a criminal record by age 30.

"Unless someone intervenes, bullying has the tendency to increase until senior high, after which the behavior often moves into the community and becomes crime," Johannes said. "Research shows that the bully will continue and most likely escalate to juvenile delinquent behavior unless a third party steps in. That’s the responsibility of the witness."

Johannes said bullying is intensified by the growing size of many schools, and by main-streaming children without adequate support.

"Children are being put into the school environment – some with psychological problems orchallenges – without an adequate support system," Johannes said. "And due to the size of many schools, it is more difficult for teachers and administration to identify children that need help or that are being shunned."

According to Johannes, three elements are necessary to stop bullying:

* The environment, setting and community where the bullying is taking place must be positive and non-hostile;

* Adults must be positive role models, monitor child behaviors, and establish and maintain firm limits on aggressive behavior; and

* Immediate, non-aggressive, non-physical sanctions must be consistently applied when rules are violated.

Johannes believes bullying should be addressed as a public health concern.

"Being a victim of bullying leaves a lasting impression. Most of us can recall a bullying incident that took place decades ago," she said. "What’s encouraging is that although bullying has been in our society for generations, we are just now seeing that it is not acceptable and are taking steps to stop it."