NCJ Number
205326
Date Published
2003
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This report underscores the needs for the country’s courts to ensure the safety of their facilities and presents seven best practices in the area of emergency management planning for courts.
Abstract
During 1978, court leaders across the country began to realize the need for emergency management planning within their courts. In 1995, the Court Security Guide was created by the National Association for Court Management. Following the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma and the terrorist attacks of September 2001, the focus on court safety has grown even stronger. Due to this increased focus on emergency management planning, there are now abundant resources to assist State and local courts to address security and safety concerns. The abundance of information on the topic can be overwhelming, so the Best Practices Institute requested that five experts identify those practices that all courts should consider to enhance their emergency management efforts. Following a brief discussion of what court emergency management includes, the seven best practices that were drafted in 2003 are presented, along with examples and resources for further information. The first best practice involves ensuring the visibility of court leadership in terms of setting the tone for effective emergency management. Examples include the participation of court leadership in security drills and the September 11th decision to keep New York’s courts open. The second best practice entails surveying and prioritizing emergency management needs. Creating and practicing an emergency response plan in the third best practice and includes the identification of the key decisionmaker in the event of a crisis. The fourth best practice involves having a court representative present at city, county, or State emergency planning meetings, while the fifth best practice underscores the importance of developing an alternative plan for communication with staff in the event of an emergency. The sixth best practice discusses the importance of establishing an emergency communications plan with external agencies and individuals. Finally, the seventh best practice identifies emergency management planning as a core court activity that should developed in courts across the country regardless of access to resources. Examples and references are listed for each of the seven best practices.