NCJ Number
178819
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 68 Issue: 9 Dated: September 1999 Pages: 9-16
Date Published
September 1999
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Recent incidents of school violence have created an atmosphere of fear and disbelief in many communities; as the first responders to these incidents, law enforcement agencies faced many challenges and previously unthinkable situations.
Abstract
One of the most important lessons learned from incidents of school violence is that all segments of the community need to work together because school violence is not the sole responsibility of the school system. Law enforcement, local government, civic groups, corporate entities, and parents should form a partnership to combat violence. Representatives from law enforcement, schools, and the community should sign memorandums of understanding (MOUs) that clearly define what each agency, organization, or individual will do from the beginning of the crisis to the end. An MOU should state what resources each participant will provide and identify the command structure. In addition, an MOU should require liaison among all participants to enhance communication and maintain readiness and should cover media relations. Once law enforcement agencies have created partnerships with schools and the community, they should develop a critical incident response plan and also plan beyond the incident itself to ensure the availability of counseling for their personnel, families, and others in the community. Specific school violence prevention measures are described that focus on the implementation of an anonymous reporting program, school resource officers, teacher and parent education, communication, and legislative and social reforms. An offender profile of suspects involved in six school shootings investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation is included. 8 endnotes and 1 photograph