NCJ Number
73250
Date Published
1980
Length
69 pages
Annotation
Suggestions for the design and construction of safer schools are offered in this guide for architects, planners, school administrators, and school board members.
Abstract
Washington State's Safe Schools Task Force developed the suggestions after visits to over 75 school building sites and a 3-day work session with experts in the areas of school administration, law enforcement, psychology, maintenance, architecture, and landscape design. Data were also collected via a computerized literature search, a study of school crime incidence reports from about one-third of the State's local districts, and a review of source materials. The recommendations are specifically directed toward those criminal activities that can be reduced by design and security factors; many also relate to safety features. Furthermore, the recommendations were made compatible with regulations concerning handicapped persons and with existing life safety and health requirements. The Task Force concluded that an invigorating, positive school climate, one that provides high levels of student and staff satisfaction and commitment to the school, is the single most important element in reducing school crime. School design can be an important component in creating this climate while also providing functional, safe, and secure facilities. The manual's first section focuses on the school site, and considers planning, building configuration, development, and landscaping. The second discusses building surfaces, including walls, floors, windows, doors, ceilings, and roofs. Other sections focus on specialized spaces and rooms as well as equipment and accessories such as cabinets, electrical devices, drains, and alarms. The manual's final section is devoted to a discussion of school property crimes; it suggests additional ways to prevent them. Drawings, diagrams, sample forms, and an appendix containing a glossary, crime data tables, a copy of the crime survey form, and a bibliography.