NCJ Number
180390
Date Published
2000
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This video provides instruction in how higher schools can prevent and respond to violent incidents on school grounds.
Abstract
This video uses instructional comments by experts from a variety of fields -- school administrators and teachers, mental health professionals, law enforcement personnel, security experts, and medical professionals -- as well as students to develop the themes of the video. The video also shows various school-related activities and crises that relate to the principles being emphasized. The main thrust of the video is that schools, in consultation with all the stakeholders in the community, should develop broad-based plans of prevention and response designed to prevent and mitigate violent incidents on school grounds. Prevention suggestions include increasing the presence of adults in school activities; using police in both a proactive and deterrent manner; employing security technology; using mental health services for students that show warning signs for violence; and training school staff and students in recognizing and responding to imminent warning signs. Suggestions for an emergency response plan are to establish a crisis team, have a communications plan that uses advanced communications technology, control crowds and rumors, and have a procedure for involving the police. Suggestions for dealing with the aftermath of a school crisis are to keep the crisis team in place, manage the media, develop plans to reopen and rebuild the school, provide mental health services for staff and students, and have a plan for reconstituting the school as a community where students and staff feel safe.