There comes the bull: Policy analysis and bullying prevention strategies in Puerto Rico's Department of Education

Bullying is one of the worst violence expressions in schools. In Puerto Rico, even though strong media attention has been placed on some cases, in general, the case documentation process has been inefficient. As a result, there is underreporting of cases and the severity of this problem is not properly addressed. Since 2008, public policies have been developed in the country to work with this problem. However, the implementation of these policies has not been consistent. The purpose of this study was to explore how the Puerto Rican school system implements the public policies and strategies for bullying (and cyberbullying) prevention, suggested by the Department of Education. The research methods included content analysis of policies, interviews with policy makers and focus groups with school staff (administrators, teachers and social workers). Qualitative analysis highlighted that policies were developed considering three main components: prevention, intervention and follow-up. According to participants, increased attention is given to prevention, yet it is limited to discussions and educational materials about bullying. Limited attention has been placed on the intervention and follow-up stages as they require the development of an action plan by a multidisciplinary staff, including administrators, teachers, social workers and parents. Considering the impact that bullying has in health and the learning process, prevention strategies should use different techniques to assure safe and peaceful school environments. Proper attention to the intervention and follow-up stages, as well as the participation of the school community is required to properly implement the policies and strategies for bullying prevention.