September | October 2018

Staff Spotlight: Stephanie Rapp, Juvenile Justice Specialist

Photo of Stephanie Rapp, Juvenile Justice Specialist Stephanie Rapp, Juvenile Justice Specialist at OJJDP.
As OJJDP’s representative on the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention and on the editorial board of StopBullying.gov, Juvenile Justice Specialist Stephanie Rapp has devoted most of the last 10 years to raising public awareness about bullying and strategies to address the problem.

She served most recently on the planning subcommittee for the 2018 Cyberbullying Prevention Summit, hosted by the White House and the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice. Held on August 20, the event engaged representatives from national technology organizations, parents, teachers, and students with the goal of sharing their challenges and progress in anti-bullying efforts.

“I’ve enjoyed being part of the planning for the Bullying Prevention Summits,” said Stephanie. “The summits are invaluable contexts for disseminating the latest research findings and cutting-edge strategies for preventing and stopping bullying.”

As a member of StopBullying.gov’s editorial board, Stephanie has written or coauthored articles on a range of topics, including the role of elementary school counselors in preventing bullying, the negative effects of cyberbullying, community policing in schools to address bullying, and creating inclusive learning environments.

Stephanie has also organized Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention webinars on topics as diverse as Internet Safety and Cyberbullying and Helping Educators and Counselors Prevent Bullying of and Discrimination Against Our Nation's Muslim Youth. Other OJJDP activities Stephanie has led through the Federal Partners include writing blogs and co-organizing a bullying prevention video contest for students nationwide.

Although Stephanie is transitioning back to working in the area of gang prevention at OJJDP, she is satisfied with and grateful for her years of bullying prevention work, carried out in collaboration with her Federal Partners colleagues. “I’ve always felt it was important to create a safe school climate and a general culture of kindness for kids to learn and grow up in. I am confident that the work OJJDP has done in this area has made a tangible difference in this important effort.”

Resources:

Access OJJDP’s Model Programs Guide for evaluations of bullying prevention programs, a literature review on the topic of bullying, and a School-Based Bullying Prevention Implementation Guide (I-Guide).

For more information about online safety, visit the OJJDP-supported Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and International Association of Chiefs of Police websites.