KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS OF THE ACADEMY OF CRIMINALISTIC AND POLICE STUDIES ABOUT NATURAL DISASTERS

Experience has shown that access to high-quality educational programs about natural disasters is of crucial importance in protecting children and their families. It was also noted that instead of considering children and women as the most vulnerable categories (victims), they can be recognized as contributors to the recovery of community assuming that they have acquired a solid knowledge on natural disasters and elimination of their consequences. Education about risk of natural disasters can be represented through special programs or through the implementation into basic curriculum. Furthermore, such education can be realized through curricular and extra-curricular activities (such as, for example, various workshops, games, etc.). Although the education of young people for the protection of life, health and the environment has its roots in the family and pre-school education, the school is irreplaceable in achieving this goal. The school is obliged to develop the knowledge, awareness and habits that prevent dangers, in fact, in its basic function it has the task to enable human, on the one hand, to rule over nature, and on the other, protection against hazards that may befall them and against his human ,, nature“  itself. It is important to have awareness that we ,, cannot escape" from danger, they can only be prevented ,that is, consequences can be prevented  by knowledge, awareness and education to automatism of habits. In addition, education for active and passive protection of self and others, physical integrity or natural properties and the environment, while creating habits and feelings of responsibility, truthfulness, humanity, justice, modesty is subject of educational influence of school education. The main findings are: respondents showed a high level of knowledge about natural disasters, however, the level is the highest in natural disasters that are present in our region; the best knowledge on safety procedures is in relation to droughts, because 98.6% of respondents indicate appropriate treatment. The lowest level of knowledge of safety procedures is registered in extreme temperatures and amounts 52.5%; of the total, 86.9% of respondents said that they had someone at school who talked about natural disasters, as opposed to 13.1% who responded negatively, 79.2% of respondents were introduced with some of the natural disaster by a family member, while 20.8% were not; 60.6% of respondents feel protected, 32.2.% are not sure and 6.9% do not feel protected in the facilities of the Academy when it comes to natural disasters; 26.4% feel the fear of natural disasters, 20.3% are not sure and 53.3% do not feel fear; 83.9% of respondents would like to undergo training, 8.9% are not sure and 7.2% do not want; the largest number of respondents gained information about natural disasters through television 92.8%, and the smallest number  through video-games 5.8%. The results indicate that there is a statistically significant correlation between: the father's education (p = 0,03≤0,05, phi = 0.30 - medium); mother's education (p = 0,04≤0,05, phi = 0.10 - small); employment of parents (p = 0,05≤0,05, phi = 0.30 - medium) and knowledge about natural disasters. Also, there is a statistically significant relationship between television and the perception of knowledge about natural disasters (p = 0,05≤0,05, phi = 0.21 - medium);

Za citiranje koristiti: Cvetković, V., Ivanov, A., & Sadiyeh, A. (2015). Knowledge and perceptions of students of the Academy of  criminalistic and police studies about natural disasters. Paper presented at the International scientific conference Archibald Reiss days, Belgrade.