Discuss the effectiveness of two strategies for reducing violence.

Refer to the paper 2 markbands when awarding marks.

The command term “discuss” requires candidates to offer a considered review of two strategies for reducing violence.

A strategy is any plan of action or a programme for reducing violence. It is appropriate for candidates to address models, studies and theories related to strategies for reducing violence.

Examples of strategies may include, but are not limited to:

• a community based strategy (for example, MACS (Metropolitan Area Child Study), 2002; Olweus, 1993)
• group treatment programs, such as the Duluth model (for example, Robertson, 1999)
• zero tolerance anti-bullying programmes (for example, Boccanfuso and Kuhfeld, 2011)
• research into jigsaw classrooms against bullying (for example, Aronson, 1979)
• empathy training (for example, Feshbach and Feshbach, 1982)
• computer based strategies to improve empathy (for example, Figueiredo et al., 2007).

Discussion of the effectiveness of the strategies may include, but is not limited to:

• cultural, gender and ethical issues
• methodological issues
• long-term versus short-term effectiveness
• the difficulties in assessing the effectiveness of a strategy (eg, defining “effectiveness”, lack of research in this area)
• contrary and/or supporting findings or explanations.

If a candidate discusses more than two strategies for reducing violence, credit should be given only to the first two discussions. However, candidates may address other strategies for reducing violence and be awarded marks for these as long as they are clearly used to evaluate one or both of the two main strategies addressed in the response.

If a candidate discusses only one strategy for reducing violence, the response should be awarded up to a maximum of [5] for criterion A, knowledge and comprehension, up to a maximum of [4] for criterion B, critical thinking, and up to a maximum of [2] for criterion C, organization.