Introduction to the special issue on the appraisal and prediction of school violence

This article provides an overview of a special issue of Psychology in the Schools that critically examines issues related to the appraisal of the risk for violence among students. It is argued that school psychologists can assume the important role of informing communities about the limitations of school violence screening and assessment procedures and can implement student‐appraisal techniques that focus on long‐term student development. They can also work toward more accurate measurement of general school violence trends and intervention needs. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.