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ENHANCING SCHOOL SAFETY USING A THREAT ASSESSMENT MODEL

An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence

National Threat Assessment Center July 2018

Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence

UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE

This guide was prepared by the staff of the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC)

Lina Alathari, Ph.D. Diana Drysdale, M.A. Chief Lead Social Science Research Specialist

Ashley Blair, M.A. Jeffrey McGarry, M.A. Social Science Research Specialist Social Science Research Specialist

Catherine Camilletti, Ph.D. Amanda Snook, Ph.D. Social Science Research Specialist Social Science Research Specialist

Steven Driscoll, M.Ed. Social Science Research Specialist

National Threat Assessment Center U.S. Secret Service U.S. Department of Homeland Security

July 2018

This publication is in the public domain. Authorization to copy and distribute this publication in whole or in part is granted. However, the U.S. Secret Service star insignia may not be used in any other manner without advance written permission from the agency. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, when quoting, paraphrasing, or otherwise referring to this report, the citation should be: National Threat Assessment Center. (2018). Enhancing school safety using a threat assessment model: An operational guide for preventing targeted school violence. U.S. Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security.

CONTENTS

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE TARGETED VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN . . 2 Step 1. Establish a multidisciplinary threat assessment team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Step 2. Defne concerning and prohibited behaviors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Step 3. Create a central reporting mechanism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Step 4. Determine the threshold for law enforcement intervention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Step 5. Establish assessment procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Investigative Themes: Motives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Inappropriate interests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Weapons access. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Stressors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Emotional and developmental issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Desperation or despair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Violence as an option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Concerned others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Capacity to carry out an attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Consistency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Protective factors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Step 6. Develop risk management options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Step 7. Create and promote safe school climates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Step 8. Conduct training for all stakeholders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Threat assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 School safety and violence prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Emergency management and response to school violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Creating safe and positive school climates.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Prevention and intervention of bullying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Mental health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

This guide was prepared by the staff of the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC)

Lina Alathari, Ph.D. Chief

Diana Drysdale, M.A. Lead Social Science Research Specialist

Ashley Blair, M.A. Social Science Research Specialist

Jeffrey McGarry, M.A. Social Science Research Specialist

Catherine Camilletti, Ph.D. Social Science Research Specialist

Amanda Snook, Ph.D. Social Science Research Specialist

Steven Driscoll, M.Ed. Social Science Research Specialist

UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE

Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence IV

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Since the creation of the U.S. Secret Service in 1865, the agency has evolved to meet changing mission demands and growing threats in our nation. To ensure we remain on the forefront, the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) was created in 1998 to provide guidance and training on threat assessment both within the U.S. Secret Service and to others with criminal justice and public safety responsibilities. Today, the highly skilled men and women of the U. S. Secret Service lead the feld of threat assessment by conducting research on acts of targeted violence and providing training using the agency’s established threat assessment model for prevention.

Our agency is dedicated to expanding research and understanding of targeted violence, including those that impact our nation’s schools. Since the creation of the U.S. Secret Service’s NTAC, we have provided 450 in-depth trainings on the prevention of targeted school violence to over 93,000 attendees including school administrators, teachers, counselors, mental health professionals, school resource offcers, and other public safety partners. Our agency, through our local U.S. Secret Service feld offces, continues to coordinate and provide this training to our community partners.

The tragic events of the February 14, 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and the May 18, 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, demonstrated the ongoing need to provide leadership in preventing future school attacks. As such, the U.S. Secret Service, along with many of our partners,

have redoubled our efforts and are poised to continue enhancing school safety. Keeping our school children safe requires the shared commitment from states, school boards, and communities with the ability to dedicate resources to this critical issue. In the wake of these tragedies, the U.S. Secret Service has launched an initiative to provide updated research and guidance to school personnel, law enforcement, and other public safety partners on the prevention of school-based violence. I am pleased to release this operational guide, Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model, as the frst phase of this initiative.

As we have seen in recent months, the pain of each act of targeted violence in our nation’s schools has had a powerful impact on all. With the creation and distribution of this operational guide, the U.S. Secret Service sets a path forward for sustainable practices to keep our children safe, extending our expertise in the feld of threat assessments to provide school offcials, law enforcement personnel, and other public safety professionals with guidance on “how to” create a Targeted Violence Prevention Plan. This guide will serve as an important contribution to our partners on the Federal Commission on School Safety - the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Offce of the Attorney General. I am proud of the continued efforts of the U.S. Secret Service, and we remain committed to the prevention of targeted violence within our nation’s schools and communities.

Randolph D. Alles Director

“ There is no profle of a student attacker. ”

INTRODUCTION

When incidents of school violence occur, they leave a profound and lasting impact on the school, the community, and our nation as a whole. Ensuring safe environments for elementary and secondary school students, educators, administrators, and others is essential. This operational guide was developed to provide fundamental direction on how to prevent incidents of targeted school violence, that is, when a student specifcally selects a school or a member of the school community for harm. The content in this guide is based on information developed by the U.S. Secret Service, Protective Intelligence and Assessment Division, National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC).

Over the last 20 years, NTAC has conducted research, training, and consultation on threat assessment and the prevention of various forms of targeted violence. Following the tragedy at Columbine High School in April 1999, the Secret Service partnered with the Department of Education on a study that examined 37 incidents of targeted violence that occurred at elementary and secondary schools (i.e., K-12). The goal of that study, the Safe School Initiative (SSI), was to gather and analyze accurate and useful information about the thinking and behavior of students who commit these types of acts. The fndings of the SSI, and an accompanying guide, served as the impetus for establishing threat assessment programs in schools. In 2008, the agencies collaborated again and released a report that further explored one of the key SSI fndings, namely, that prior to most attacks, though other students had information about the attackers’ plans, most did not report their concerns to an adult. The fndings of this report, known as the Bystander Study, highlighted the importance of creating safe school climates to increase the likelihood that students will speak up in order to prevent an attack.1

The information gleaned from these studies underscores the importance of establishing a threat assessment process in schools to enhance proactive targeted violence prevention efforts. The goal of a threat assessment is to identify students of concern, assess their risk for engaging in violence or other harmful activities, and identify intervention strategies to manage that risk. This guide provides actionable steps that schools can take to develop a comprehensive targeted violence prevention plan and create processes and procedures for conducting threat assessments on their campus. These steps serve as minimum guidelines and may need to be adapted for a particular school or district’s unique resources and challenges. For institutions that already have prevention plans or threat assessment capabilities in place, these guidelines may provide additional information to update existing protocols, or to formalize the structures of reporting, gathering information, and managing risk.

When establishing threat assessment capabilities within K-12 schools, keep in mind that there is no profle of a student attacker. There have been male and female attackers, high-achieving students with good grades as well as poor performers. These acts of violence were committed by students who were loners and socially isolated, and those who were well-liked and popular. Rather than focusing solely on a student’s personality traits or school performance, we can learn much more about a student’s risk for violence by working through the threat assessment process, which is designed to gather the most relevant information about the student’s communications and behaviors, the negative or stressful events the student has experienced, and the resources the student possesses to overcome those setbacks and challenges.

1 All publications related to studies conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) are available from https://www.secretservice.gov/protection/ntac/.

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UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE

Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence 2

CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE TARGETED VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN

Ensuring the safety of our schools involves multiple components, including physical security, emergency management, and violence prevention efforts in the form of a threat assessment process. This process begins with establishing a comprehensive targeted violence prevention plan. The plan includes forming a multidisciplinary threat assessment team, establishing central reporting mechanisms, identifying behaviors of concern, defning the threshold for law enforcement intervention, identifying risk management strategies, promoting safe school climates, and providing training to stakeholders. It can also help schools mitigate threats from a variety of individuals, including students, employees, or parents.

This guide provides basic instructions for schools on creating a targeted violence prevention plan, the focus of which is to decrease the risk of students engaging in harm to themselves or the school community. These recommendations serve as the starting point on a path to implementation that will need to be customized to the specifc needs of your school, your student body, and your community. When creating these plans, schools should consult with legal representatives to ensure that they comply with any applicable state and federal laws or regulations.

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Step 1. Establish a multidisciplinary threat assessment team

The frst step in developing a comprehensive targeted violence prevention plan is to establish a multidisciplinary threat assessment team (hereafter referred to as the “Team”) of individuals who will direct, manage, and document the threat assessment process. The Team will receive reports about concerning students and situations, gather additional information, assess the risk posed to the school community, and develop intervention and management strategies to mitigate any risk of harm. Some considerations for establishing a Team include:

• Some schools may pool their resources and have a single Team that serves an entire district or county, while other districts may choose to have a separate Team for each school.

• Teams should include personnel from a variety of disciplines within the school community, including teachers, guidance counselors, coaches, school resource offcers, mental health professionals, and school administrators. The multidisciplinary nature of the Team ensures that varying points of view will be represented and that access to information and resources will be broad.

• The Team needs to have a specifcally designated leader. This position is usually occupied by a senior administrator within the school.

• Teams should establish protocols and procedures that are followed for each assessment, including who will interview the student of concern; who will talk to classmates, teachers, or parents; and who will be responsible for documenting the Team’s efforts. Established protocols allow for a smoother assessment process as Team members will be aware of their own roles and responsibilities, as well as those of their colleagues.

• Team members should meet whenever a concerning student or situation has been brought to their attention, but they should also meet on a regular basis to engage in discussions, role-playing scenarios, and other team- building and learning activities. This will provide members of the Team with opportunities to work together and learn their individual responsibilities so that when a crisis does arise, the Team will be able to operate more easily as a cohesive unit.

“ ...meet on a regular

basis... ”

While the information in this guide refers to this group as a Threat Assessment Team, schools can choose an alternative name. For example, some schools have opted to use the label “Assessment and Care Team” to encourage involvement from those who might be concerned about a student, and to focus on getting a student access to needed resources and supports. Other schools have chosen to refer to this group as a “Behavioral Intervention Team” to focus on a spectrum of concerning behaviors that a student may be exhibiting. Finally, some schools have continued to refer to their groups as “Threat Assessment Teams” to highlight the heightened sense of concern about a student who is identifed.

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Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence 4

Step 2. Defne prohibited and concerning behaviors

Schools need to establish policies defning prohibited behaviors that are unacceptable and therefore warrant immediate intervention. These include threatening or engaging in violence, bringing a weapon to school, bullying or harassing others, and other concerning or criminal behaviors. Keep in mind that concerning behaviors occur along a continuum. School policies should also identify behaviors that may not necessarily be indicative of violence, but also warrant some type of intervention. These include a marked decline in performance; increased absenteeism; withdrawal or isolation; sudden or dramatic changes in behavior or appearance; drug or alcohol use; and erratic, depressive, and other emotional or mental health symptoms.

• If these behaviors are observed or reported to the Team, schools can offer resources and supports in the form of mentoring and counseling, mental health care, tutoring, or social and family services.

• The threshold for intervention should be relatively low so that Teams can identify students in distress before their behavior escalates to the point that classmates, teachers, or parents are concerned about their safety or the safety of others. It is much easier to intervene when the concern is related to a student’s struggle to overcome personal setbacks, such as a romantic breakup, than when there are concerns about threats posed to others.

• During the assessment process, Teams may identify other concerning statements and actions made by the student that may not already be addressed in their policies. Gathering information about these behaviors will help the Team assess whether the student is at risk for attacking the school or its students and identify strategies to mitigate that risk.

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CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE TARGETED VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN

Step 3. Create a central reporting mechanism

“ ...reports will be acted upon...”

Students may elicit concern from those around them in a variety of ways. They may make threatening or concerning statements in person, online, or in text messages; they may engage in observable risky behavior; or they may turn in assignments with statements or content that is unusual or bizarre. When this occurs, those around the student need a method of reporting their concerns to the Team.

• Schools can establish one or more reporting mechanisms, such as an online form posted on the school website, a dedicated email address or phone number, smart phone application platforms, or another mechanism that is accessible for a particular school community.

• Students, teachers, staff, school resource offcers, and parents should be provided training and guidance on recognizing behaviors of concern, their roles and responsibilities in reporting the behavior, and how to report the information.

• Teams need to be sure that a team member proactively monitors all incoming reports and can respond immediately when someone’s safety is concerned.

• Regardless of what method schools choose to receive these reports, there should be an option for passing information anonymously, as students are more likely to report concerning or threatening information when they can do so without fear of retribution for coming forward.

• The school community should feel confdent that team members will be responsive to their concerns, and that reports will be acted upon, kept confdential, and handled appropriately.

Many reporting mechanisms employed by K-12 schools resemble nationwide criminal reporting apps. The online and phone reporting capabilities of these types of apps allow individuals across the country, including students, parents, and teachers, to report crimes and other concerning behaviors in their communities and schools. Some reporting mechanisms are developed specifcally for use by students in K-12 school settings. These programs allow students, parents, and teachers to anonymously report threats, bullying, and other situations that make them feel unsafe or fear for the safety of a peer to trained experts who respond appropriately.

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Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence 6

Step 4. Determine the threshold for law enforcement intervention

The vast majority of incidents or concerns that are likely to be reported can be handled by school personnel using school or community resources. For example, the most common types of reports submitted to Safe2Tell Colorado during the 2016- 2017 school year were related to suicide, bullying, drugs, cutting (self-harm), and depression.2 Some of these common reports may not require the involvement of law enforcement. Those that do warrant law enforcement intervention include threats of violence and planned school attacks, which constituted Safe2Tell’s sixth and seventh most common types of reports, respectively.

• Reports regarding student behaviors involving weapons, • If a school resource offcer is not available to serve on threats of violence, physical violence, or concerns the Team, schools should set a clear threshold for times about an individual’s safety should immediately be and situations when law enforcement will be asked to reported to local law enforcement. This is one reason support or take over an assessment. For example, it why including a school resource offcer or local law might be necessary to have law enforcement speak with enforcement offcer on the Team is benefcial. a student’s parent or guardian, search a student’s person

or possessions, or collect additional information about the student or situation outside the school community during the assessment.

2 Data 2 Report 2016-2017. (n.d.). Safe2Tell Colorado. Retrieved on June 20, 2018, from https://safe2tell.org/sites/default/files/u18/End%20of%20 Year%202016-2017%20Data2Report.pdf

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CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE TARGETED VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN

Step 5. Establish assessment procedures

Teams need to establish clearly defned processes and procedures to guide their assessments. Note that any safety concerns should be immediately addressed before the procedures described below take place. When followed, the procedures should allow the Team to form an accurate picture of the student’s thinking, behavior, and circumstances to inform the Team’s assessment and identify appropriate interventions.

• Maintain documentation to keep track of when reports come in; the information that is gathered; when, where, and how it was obtained; who was interviewed; the behaviors and circumstances of the student of concern; and the intervention strategies taken. Documentation requirements, such as forms and templates, should be included in the plan to ensure standardization across cases.

• Use a community systems approach. An effective approach for gathering information to assess a student of concern is to identify the sources that may have information on the student’s actions and circumstances. This involves identifying the persons with whom the student has a relationship or frequently interacts and the organizations or platforms that may be familiar with the student’s behaviors. Students exist in more than one system and they come in contact with people beyond their classmates and teachers at school. Gathering information from multiple sources ensures that Teams are identifying concerning behaviors, accurately assessing the student’s risks and needs, and providing the appropriate interventions, supports, and resources.

Family

Social

Law Enforcement

Judicial

Student Teachers Neighbors

Classmates

Hobbies Employment

Online

• Examine online social media pages, conduct interviews, review class assignments, and consider searching the student’s locker or desk. Team members should also review academic, disciplinary, law enforcement, and other formal records that may be related to the student. When reviewing school records, be sure to determine whether the student has been the subject of previous reports to school offcials, especially if the student has a history of engaging in other concerning or threatening behaviors. Also determine if the student received any intervention or supports and whether those were benefcial or successful. The Team may be able to draw on information from previous incidents and interventions to address the current situation for the student. This factor further emphasizes the importance of the Team’s documentation to ensure the accuracy and availability of information regarding prior contacts the student of concern may have had with the Team.

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Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence 8

Step 5 continued. Key Themes to Guide Establish assessment procedures Threat Assessment Investigations

• Build rapport that can facilitate information-gathering efforts. By demonstrating that their goal is to support individuals who may be struggling, while ensuring that the student and the school are safe, Teams may be better able to build a positive relationship with a student of concern and the student’s parents or guardians. When Teams have established this rapport, parents or guardians may be more likely to share their own concerns, and the student may be more forthcoming about frustrations, needs, goals, or plans.

• Evaluate the student’s concerning behaviors and communications in the context of his/her age and social and emotional development. Some students’ behaviors might seem unusual or maladaptive, but may be normal for adolescent behavior or in the context of a mental or developmental disorder. To ensure that these students are being accurately assessed, collect information from diverse sources, including the reporting party, the student of concern, classmates, teammates, teachers, and friends. Consider whether those outside of their immediate circle, such as neighbors or community groups, may be in a position to share information regarding observed behaviors.

U.S. Secret Service research identifed the following themes to explore when conducting a threat assessment investigation:

• The student’s motives and goals

• Concerning, unusual, or threatening communications

• Inappropriate interest in weapons, school shooters, mass attacks, or other types of violence

• Access to weapons

• Stressful events, such as setbacks, challenges, or losses

• Impact of emotional and developmental issues

• Evidence of desperation, hopelessness, or suicidal thoughts and gestures

• Whether the student views violence as an option to solve problems

• Whether others are concerned about the student’s statements or behaviors

• Capacity to carry out an attack

• Evidence of planning for an attack

• Consistency between the student’s statements and actions

• Protective factors such as positive or prosocial infuences and events

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CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE TARGETED VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN

Investigative themes

Teams should organize their information gathering around several themes or areas pertaining to the student’s actions, circumstances, and any other relevant threat assessment factors. Addressing each theme is necessary for a complete assessment and may uncover other avenues of inquiry to help determine whether the student is at risk for engaging in violence. Using the themes to identify where the student might be struggling will help the Team identify the most appropriate resources. Keep in mind, there is no need to wait until the Team has completed all interviews or addressed every theme before taking action. As soon as an area for intervention is identifed, suitable management strategies should be enacted.

Motives

Students may have a variety of motives that place them at risk for engaging in harmful behavior, whether to themselves or others. If you can discover the student’s motivation for engaging in the concerning behavior that brought him/her to the attention of the Team, then you can understand more about the student’s goals. The Team should also assess how far the student may be willing to go to achieve these goals, and what or who may be a potential target. Understanding motive further allows the Team to develop management strategies that can direct the student away from violent choices.

On February 12, 2016, a 15-year-old female student fatally shot her girlfriend while they were sitting under a covered patio at their high school and then fatally shot herself. In several notes found after the incident, the student explained that she carried out her attack because her girlfriend had recently confessed that she was contemplating ending their relationship. She also wrote in her notes that she hated who she was and that learning her girlfriend wanted to end their relationship “destabilized” her.

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Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence 10

Step 5 continued. Establish assessment procedures, Investigative themes

Communications

Look for concerning, unusual, bizarre, threatening, or violent communications the student made. The student’s communications may reveal grievances held about certain issues or a possible intended target. They may allude to violent intentions or warn others to stay away from school at a certain time. They may reveal information relevant to the other investigative themes by making reference to feelings of hopelessness or suicide, a fascination with violence, interest in weapons, or other inappropriate interests. These statements might be made in person to classmates, teammates, or friends; in writing on assignments or tests; and/or via social media, text messages, or photo or video-sharing sites.

Earlier NTAC research that examined attacks on schools found that not every student directly threatened their target prior to attack, but in a majority of incidents (81%), another person was aware of what the student was thinking or planning.3 It is important for Teams to remember that a student who has not made threatening statements may still be at risk for engaging in violence. Whether or not the student made a direct threat should not be the lone indicator of concern.

On October 24, 2014, a 15-year-old male student opened fre on fve of his closest friends as they were having lunch in the school cafeteria, killing four of them, and then fatally shot himself. In the months prior to his attack, the student sent a number of text messages to his ex-girlfriend indicating he was considering suicide and posted videos on Snapchat that mentioned suicide. Two people confronted the student about his concerning statements, but he told them he was just joking or having a bad moment. The student also posted a number of Twitter messages indicating he was having trouble overcoming a setback, posting in one Tweet, “It breaks me… It actually does… I know it seems like I’m sweating it off… But I’m not.. And I never will be able to…”

3 U.S Secret Service and U.S Department of Education. (May 2002). Threat assessment in schools: A guide to managing threatening situations and to creating safe school climates. Retrieved April 5, 2018, from https://www. secretservice.gov/data/protection/ntac/ssi_guide.pdf.

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CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE TARGETED VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN

Inappropriate interests

Gather information about whether the student has shown an inappropriate or heightened interest in concerning topics such as school attacks or attackers, mass attacks, or other types of violence. These interests might appear in the student’s communications, the books the student reads, the movies the student watches, or the activities the student enjoys. The context of the student’s interests is an important factor to consider. For example, a student’s interest in weapons may not be concerning if the student is a hunter or is on the school’s rife team, with no evidence of an inappropriate or unhealthy fxation on weapons. In other situations, the context surrounding a student’s interest in weapons could be of concern. For example, if a student is fxated on past school shooters or discusses what frearm would be best to use in a mass attack.

On October 21, 2013, a 12-year-old male student took a handgun to his middle school and opened fre, injuring two classmates and killing a teacher. He then fatally shot himself. In the months leading up to his attack, the student conducted numerous internet searches for violent material and content, including “Top 10 evil children,” “Super Columbine Massacre Role Playing Game,” ”shoot,” “guns,” “bullets,” “revenge,” “murder,” “school shootings,” and “violent game.” He also searched for music videos of and songs about school shootings. On his cell phone, the student had saved photos of violent war scenes and images of the Columbine High School shooters. He also enjoyed playing video games, doing so for several hours each night. Of his 69 video games, 47 were frst-person shooter or similar games.

Weapons access

In addition to determining whether the student has any inappropriate interests or fascination with weapons, the Team should assess whether the student has access to weapons. Because many school attackers used frearms acquired from their homes, consider whether the family keeps weapons at home or if there is a relative or friend who has weapons. Sometimes parents who keep weapons at home incorrectly assume that their children are unaware of where they are stored or how to access them. If there are weapons at home, the Team should determine if they are stored appropriately and if the student knows how to use them or has done so in the past. The Team should also remember that frearms are not the only weapons to be concerned about. Even though many school attackers have used frearms in carrying out their attacks, explosives, incendiary devices, bladed weapons, or combinations of these weapons have been used in past attacks.

On April 29, 2014, a 17-year-old male student was arrested after a concerned citizen called police when she observed the student acting suspiciously around a storage unit and thought he might be attempting to break into one. Responding offcers discovered bomb-making material and other weapons inside the unit the student had asked a friend’s mother to rent for him. The student later confessed to an extensive plot that involved murdering his parents and sister, setting a diversionary fre, planting explosive devices at his high school, targeting students and the school resource offcer for harm, and engaging in gunfre with responding police offcers before committing suicide. The student admitted that at some point he became fascinated with chemicals, explosives, and weapons and began researching how to build his own explosive devices. He created his own channel on YouTube to post videos that showed him detonating his devices and included a written commentary about each video.

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Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence 12

Step 5 continued. Establish assessment procedures, Investigative themes

Stressors

All students face stressors such as setbacks, losses, and other challenges as part of their lives. While many students are resilient and can overcome these situations, for some, these stressors may become overwhelming and ultimately infuence their decision to carry out an attack at school. Gather information on stressors the student is experiencing, how the student is coping with them, and whether there are supportive friends or family who can help the student overcome them. Assess whether the student experienced stressors in the past that are still having an effect, such as a move to a new school, and whether there might be additional setbacks or losses in the near future, like a relationship that might be ending.

Stressors can occur in all areas of a student’s life, including at school with coursework, friendships, romantic relationships, or teammates; or outside of school with parents, siblings, or at jobs. Many students can experience bullying, a stressor which can take place in person at school or online at home. Teams should intervene and prevent bullying and cyberbullying of a student who has been brought to their attention. More broadly, administrators should work to address any concerns regarding bullying school-wide and ensure their school has a safe climate for all students.

On November 12, 2008, a 15-year-old female student fatally shot a classmate while students were changing classes. The attacker fed to a restaurant across the street from her high school and phoned 9-1-1 to turn herself in to police. Prior to her attack, she faced a number of stressors in her life, mostly outside of school. As an infant, her college-aged parents abandoned her and she was raised largely by her grandparents. At the age of six years, she was sexually molested by a family member; and at age 12, she was raped by an uncle. She did have some contact with her birth parents, but her mother was reportedly abusive and suffered from severe mental illness; and her father began serving a 25-year prison sentence for murder around the time she was 14 years old. At her high school, she was lonely, appeared to struggle to connect with others, and had behavior problems.

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CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE TARGETED VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN

Emotional and developmental issues

Anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, and other mental health issues are important factors to consider when conducting an assessment. Keep in mind that students with emotional issues or developmental disorders might behave in a way that is maladaptive, but might not be concerning or threatening because the behavior is a product of their diagnosis. Behaviors exhibited by a student with a diagnosed disorder need to be evaluated in the context of that diagnosis and the student’s known baseline of behavior. If the student is experiencing feelings related to a diagnosable mental illness, such as depression, then the Team needs to consider the effect of these feelings on their behaviors when assessing the student’s risk of engaging in harm to self or others.

On January 18, 1993, a 17-year-old male student fatally shot his English teacher and a school custodian at his high school and held classmates hostage before surrendering to police. The student had recently turned in a poem to his English teacher for an assignment that discussed his thoughts of committing homicide or suicide. The student had failed in at least three prior suicide attempts, including one the night before his attack. Although the student entered a plea of guilty but mentally ill at trial, ultimately he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Desperation or despair

Assess whether the student feels hopeless, desperate, or out of options. Determine if the student has had thoughts about or engaged in behaviors that would indicate the student’s desperation. The Team should determine whether the student has felt this way before, how the student managed those feelings then, and whether those same resources for coping are available to the student now. Consider whether the student has tried addressing the problems in a positive way, but was unable to resolve them, thereby leading to a sense of hopelessness about their situation.

On February 1, 1997, a 16-year-old male student used a shotgun to fre on fellow students in the common area of his high school prior to the start of the school day. He killed one student and the principal and injured two additional students. Prior to his attack, the student had been bullied and teased by several classmates, including the student killed. At some point prior to his attack, the student asked the principal and dean of students for help with the bullying he was experiencing. They intervened, and though the situation improved temporarily, the teasing and bullying soon resumed. The student asked the principal for help a second time, but this time the principal advised him to just ignore the bullies. The student tried, but felt like the victimization worsened and he began to feel hopeless that it would ever end. After his attack, the student explained that he felt as though he had asked the “proper people” for assistance, but he was denied help, so he decided that bringing a gun to school would scare his tormentors and get them to leave him alone. When some friends learned of the plan, they told him that he had to use the weapon to shoot people or the bullying would continue. The student decided he would have to fre the weapon at people in order to end his torment.

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Step 5 continued. Establish assessment procedures, Investigative themes

Violence as an option

Some students, who are feeling hopeless and out of options, may think violence is the only way to solve a problem or settle a grievance. The Team should look to see whether the student thinks violence is acceptable or necessary, if the student has used violence in the past to address problems, and whether the student has thought of alternative ways to address the grievances. The Team should also assess whether peers, or others, support and encourage the student to use violence as a means to an end. If possible, connect the student with more positive, prosocial role models who discourage violence and identify more acceptable ways to solve problems.

On March 25, 2011, a 15-year-old male student fred two shots at a classmate, wounding him in the abdomen. After fring the weapon, the student fed the scene and dropped the gun in a feld. He was arrested about an hour after the incident. The student had a history of being involved in numerous physical altercations with other students throughout his 6th, 7th, and 8th grade school years. Additionally, he tried to start a fght with the targeted victim, and once threatened him with a chain. About three weeks prior to the attack, the student threatened to blow up the school. Days prior to the incident, the student, who was angry at the targeted victim, told a friend that he planned to kill him.

Concerned others

In previous incidents, many students made statements or engaged in behaviors prior to their attacks that elicited concern from others in their lives. Assess whether parents, friends, classmates, teachers, or others who know the student are worried about the student and whether they have taken any actions in response to their concerns. Gather information on the specifc behaviors that caused worry or fear. These could include behaviors that may have elicited concerns about the safety of the student or others, such as unusual, bizarre or threatening statements; intimidating or aggressive acts; indications of planning for an attack; suicidal ideations or gestures; or a fxation on a specifc target. Other behaviors that elicit concern may not necessarily be indicative of violence, but do require that the Team assess the behavior and provide appropriate supports. Examples of these behaviors include alcohol or drug use; behavior changes related to academic performance, social habits, mood, or physical appearance; conficts with others; and withdrawal or isolation.

On December 7, 2017, a 21-year-old male shot and killed two students at his former high school before fatally shooting himself. Prior to his attack, a number of individuals had expressed concern regarding his behaviors and statements. Sometime in 2012, other users of an online forum were concerned after the student made threats about attacking his school. In March 2016, federal investigators met with the student after he made comments in an online chat room about wanting to fnd an inexpensive assault rife he could use for a mass shooting. At the time, a family member told the investigators that the student was troubled and liked to make outlandish statements. At some point prior to his attack, the student posted content supportive of the attacks at Columbine High School in an online forum, upsetting many of the forum’s users.

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CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE TARGETED VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN

Capacity to carry out an attack

Determine whether the student’s thinking and behavior is organized enough to plan and execute an attack and whether the student has the resources to carry it out. Planning does not need to be elaborate and could be as simple as taking a weapon from home and inficting harm on classmates at school. Other student attackers may develop more complex and lengthier plans. At the very least, carrying out an attack requires that the student has access to a weapon and the ability to get that weapon to school undetected.

On January 14, 2014, a 12-year-old male student used a shotgun with a sawed-off stock to fre three rounds of birdshot at fellow students gathered in their middle school gymnasium prior to the start of the school day. He injured two students and a security guard before surrendering to a teacher. The student began talking about his attack plans as early as November 2013, saying that he wanted to fre a weapon in the air to make people take him seriously. According to reports, his father owned a pistol and a shotgun. In January 2014, the student wrote in his diary that he wanted to use his father’s pistol for his attack, but was unable to locate it so he used the shotgun instead. The morning of the attack, the student was driven to school by a family member so he hid his shotgun in a duffel bag, claiming it contained items for his gym class.

Planning

Targeted attacks at school are rarely sudden or impulsive acts of violence. The Team should assess whether the student has made specifc plans to harm the school. The student might create lists of individuals or groups targeted for violence, or research tactics and materials needed to carry out the attack. The student may conduct surveillance, draw maps of the planned location, and test security responses at school. He/she may write out detailed steps and rehearse some aspects of a plan, such as getting to the school, the timing of the attack, or whether to attempt escape, be captured, or commit suicide. The student may also acquire, manufacture, or practice with a weapon.

On December 13, 2013, an 18-year-old male student entered his high school with a shotgun, a large knife, bandoliers with ammunition, and a number of homemade Molotov cocktails. He opened fre on two female students, fatally shooting one. He then entered the school library and opened fre on a faculty member there, who was able to escape through a back door. The student then set fre to a shelf of books in the library with one of his Molotov cocktails before fatally shooting himself. The student spent three months planning his attack, starting a diary on his computer in September 2013 to detail his plans. There he wrote that he wanted to choose a day during fnal exams so that the largest number of students would be present. Over the next few months, he planned how and where he would enter the school, including where he would initiate the attack, and purchased the frearm and ammunition he would use. On the morning of the incident, the student purchased a four-pack of glass soda bottles and used these to create the Molotov cocktails he deployed during the attack.

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Step 5 continued. Establish assessment procedures, Investigative themes

Consistency

The Team should corroborate the student’s statements to determine that they are consistent with the student’s actions and behaviors and with what other people say about the student. When inconsistencies are identifed, the Team should then try to determine why that is the case. For example, the student might say that he/she is handling a romantic break-up well, but posts on social media indicate the student is struggling to move on, and friends report that the student is more upset or angry about the break-up than reported. Determine whether the inconsistency is because the student is deliberately hiding something or if the inconsistency stems from another underlying issue. For example, a depressed student may claim that they are isolated, even if they regularly go out with a large group of students. If the inconsistency is deliberate, it is important to determine why the student feels the need to conceal his/her actions. The concealment may be as simple as a fear of facing punishment for some other inappropriate behavior, or it may be related to hidden plans for a violent act.

On June 10, 2014, a 15-year-old male student brought a rife, handgun, nine magazines with ammunition, and a knife into the boy’s locker room at his high school. He had taken the weapons from his brother’s locked gun case in his home. Once at school, he changed into all black clothing, and donned a helmet, face mask, and a non-ballistic vest. He then fatally shot one student and wounded a teacher. After being confronted by staff and law enforcement, the student fatally shot himself in a bathroom. Prior to his attack, the student was an ordained deacon at his church and was appointed president of the deacon’s quorum. He participated in youth night at the church, Boy Scouts, youth basketball, and track. Friends described him as friendly and outgoing. He was also a member of the Junior Reserve Offcers’ Training Corps

(JROTC) and was fascinated with guns and the military. Despite his outward appearance, some time prior to his attack, he wrote in a journal about his plans to kill his classmates and spoke harshly about “sinners,” which included people who smoked cigarettes and took the Lord’s name in vain.

Protective factors

A thorough threat assessment requires understanding the full picture of a student’s behaviors and environment, which also includes accounting for the positive and prosocial infuences on the student’s life. The Team should identify factors that may restore hope to a student who feels defeated, desperate, or in a situation that is impossible to overcome. This includes determining whether the student has a positive, trusting relationship with an adult at school. This could be a teacher, coach, guidance counselor, administrator, nurse, resource offcer, or janitor. A trusted adult at school in whom the student can confde and who will listen without judgment can help direct a student toward resources, supports, and options to overcome setbacks. Learn who the student’s friends are at school and if the student feels emotionally connected to other students. A student may need help developing friendships that they can rely on for support.

Positive situational or personal factors might help to deter a student from engaging in negative or harmful behaviors. Changes in a student’s life, such as having a new romantic relationship or becoming a member of a team or club, might discourage any plan to engage in violence. The Team could also use activities or groups the student wants to take part in as motivation for the student to engage in positive and constructive behaviors, such as attending class, completing assignments, and adhering to a conduct or behavior code.

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Step 6. Develop risk management options

Once the Team has completed a thorough assessment of the student, it can evaluate whether the student is at risk for self-harm or harming someone else at school. Concern may be heightened if the student is struggling emotionally, having trouble overcoming setbacks or losses, feeling hopeless, preoccupied with others who engaged in violence to solve problems, or has access to weapons. Remember, the Team is not attempting to predict with certainty if violence will happen. Instead, evaluate the presence of factors that indicate violence might be a possibility. Teams can then develop risk management strategies that reduce the student’s risk for engaging in violence and make positive outcomes for the student more likely.

• Each student who comes to the Team’s attention will require an individualized management plan. The resources and supports the student needs will differ depending on the information gathered during the assessment.

• Often, the Team will determine that the student is not currently at risk for engaging in violence, but requires monitoring or is in need of guidance to cope with losses, develop resiliency to overcome setbacks, or learn more appropriate strategies to manage emotions.

• Resources to assist the student could take the form of peer support programs or therapeutic counseling to enhance social learning or emotional competency, life skills classes, tutoring in specifc academic subjects, or mental health care. Most programs and supports will be available within the school, but the Team may need to also access community resources to assist with

• Sometimes management involves suspension or expulsion from school. When this is necessary, Teams and school administrators should consider how it might affect their ability to monitor the student. Removing a student from school does not eliminate the risk to the school community. Several school attacks have been carried out by former students who had been removed from the school or aged out of their former school. A suspended or expelled student might become isolated from positive peer interactions or supportive adult relationships at school. Teams should develop strategies to stay connected to the suspended or expelled student to determine whether the student’s situation is deteriorating or the behaviors of concern are escalating so that they can respond appropriately.

Management plans should remain in place until the Team is no longer concerned about the student or the risk for violence. This is accomplished by addressing the following basic elements that can reduce the likelihood a student will engage in violence and provide support and resources for those in need.

• Notify law enforcement immediately if a student is thinking about or planning to engage in violence, so that they may assist in managing the situation.

• Make efforts to address the safety of any potential targets by altering or improving security procedures for schools or individuals and providing guidance on how to avoid the student of concern.

managing the student.

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Step 6 continued. Develop risk management options

• Create a situation that is less prone to violence by asking the family or law enforcement to block the student’s access to weapons, while also connecting the student to positive, prosocial models of behavior. Another option may involve removing the student from campus for a period of time, while maintaining a relationship with the student and the student’s family.

• Remove or redirect the student’s motive. Every student’s motive will be different, and motives can be redirected in a variety of ways. These strategies may include bullying prevention efforts or offering counseling for a student experiencing a personal setback.

• Reduce the effect of stressors by providing resources and supports that help the student manage and overcome negative events, setbacks, and challenges.

In one recent case, a school principal described a situation when a student was suspended from his high school for drug possession. Soon after, a fellow student discovered a concerning video he posted online and notifed school personnel. A school administrator met with the student and his father. While the administrator had no immediate safety concerns about the student, he was aware that the student was experiencing a number of stressors. The student’s parents were divorced and he was living with his father, who was diagnosed with a terminal illness and was receiving frequent medical treatments. His mother was dealing with a mental illness, was a source of embarrassment to him, and was unlikely to be able to serve as his guardian after his father’s passing. He was also recently removed from the wrestling team, and due to his suspension, banned from attending the matches. While suspended, the student was required to attend tutoring sessions in lieu of school, but was unable to make his sessions because he was transporting his father to medical appointments. The administrator reported that he would have alerted their school resource offcer and local sheriff’s offce if he had safety concerns about the student, but instead the school worked with community services to provide access to resources and supports, including transportation services for his father to his medical appointments so the student could attend tutoring sessions, and counseling and support services that would assist the student after his father’s passing. The school also worked with the student and his father to develop a plan for the student to return to campus and remain on track to graduate.

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CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE TARGETED VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN

Step 7. Create and promote safe school climates

A crucial component of preventing targeted violence at schools relies on developing positive school climates built on a culture of safety, respect, trust, and social and emotional support. Teachers and staff in safe school environments support diversity, encourage communication between faculty and students, intervene in conficts, and work to prevent teasing and bullying. Students in safe school climates feel empowered to share concerns with adults, without feeling ashamed or facing the stigma of being labeled a “snitch.” Administrators can take action to develop and sustain safe school climates.

• Help students feel connected to the school, their classmates, and teachers. This is an important frst step to creating school climates that are supportive, respectful, and safe. Encourage teachers and staff to build positive, trusting relationships with students by actively listening to students and taking an interest in what they say.

• Break down “codes of silence” and help students feel empowered to come forward and share concerns and problems with a trusted adult. At one school, administrators used a faculty meeting to identify students who lacked a solid connection with an adult at school. They provided faculty with a roster of enrolled students and asked them to place a mark next to students with whom they had a warm relationship. For students without a mark next to their name, popular, well-liked teachers and staff were asked to reach out and develop positive connections with them.

• Help students feel more connected to their classmates and the school. One teacher asked her elementary students to write down names of classmates they wanted to sit next to. If a student’s name did not appear on anyone’s list, the teacher placed that student’s desk next to a friendly or outgoing classmate in an effort to help the student develop friendships. This effort could be easily adapted with middle or high school-aged students by asking students to identify one or two classmates they would like to be partnered with for a project and assigning any student not named on a list to be partnered with a friendly or outgoing classmate.

• Adults can also help students identify clubs or teams at school they can join or encourage them to start their own special interest group.

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Step 7 continued. Create and promote safe school climates

Schools can also support positive school climates by implementing school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) programs. These programs actively teach students what appropriate behavior looks like in a variety of settings, including in the classroom, with their friends, or among adults. Teachers frequently praise prosocial behavior they observe and encourage students’ good behavior. PBIS can improve academic outcomes for schools and has been shown to reduce the rates of school bullying.4

While teachers and staff can foster relationships and connectedness among the student body, students themselves have a role to play in sustaining safe school climates. They should be actively engaged in their schools, encouraged to reach out to classmates who might be lonely or isolated, and empowered to intervene safely when they witness gossiping, teasing, and bullying.

Following an averted attack at a high school, the school principal sent a note home to students and parents about the incident. He used the note to explain what had been reported, the steps the school had taken to avert the attack, and praise for the students who had alerted school offcials about concerning and threatening statements they saw online. In the note, he also asked parents to encourage their students to speak up if they ever felt concerned about a classmate’s behavior, explaining that students’ “cooperation [with school offcials] is important for everybody’s safety.”

4 Lee, A.M.I. (n.d.). PBIS: How schools can support positive behavior. Understood.org. Retrieved on April 5, 2018, from https://www.understood. org/en/learning-attention-issues/treatments-approaches/educational- strategies/pbis-how-schools-support-positive-behavior.

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CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE TARGETED VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN

Step 8. Conduct training for all stakeholders

“ School safety is everyone’s responsibility.”

The fnal component of a comprehensive targeted violence prevention plan is to identify training needs for all stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and administrators; students; parents; and school resource offcers or local law enforcement. School safety is everyone’s responsibility. Anyone who could come forward with concerning information or who might be involved in the assessment process should be provided with training. Effective training addresses the goals and steps of an assessment, the type of information that should be brought forward, and how individuals can report their concerns. It might be benefcial for staff and students to hear presentations, see videos, and role-play scenarios so they have a thorough understanding of their responsibilities and the steps they can take to keep their school safe. Each audience will require a slightly different message, but some stakeholders may also beneft from attending training together, such as parents and students, or school faculty/staff and law enforcement personnel. When developing a training program, consider how frequently each stakeholder will receive training, and whether to vary the delivery method of trainings. Also, each audience may have unique needs.

Faculty, staff, and administrators. Every adult at school needs training related to threat assessment and violence prevention, including administrative, maintenance, custodial, and food service staff. Training can include who should be notifed when concerning or threatening information is discovered, what information should be brought forward, how school staff might learn about information, and the steps school staff can take to safely intervene with concerning or threatening situations. Providing training on other topics, such as suicide awareness and prevention, confict resolution, mental health, and developmental disabilities, might also allow school faculty, staff, and administrators to foster positive school climates.

Students. Students need training on the threat assessment process, where to report concerns, and what information they should bring forward. Students also need assurances that they can make a report to the Team or another trusted adult anonymously, that their information will be followed- up on, and will be kept confdential. Training can also educate students about other actionable steps they can take to cultivate a safe school climate, including ways they can safely intervene with bullying, gossip, or name-calling.

Messaging should demonstrate to students that there is a big difference between “snitching,” “ratting,” or “tattling,” and seeking help. While snitching is informing on someone for personal gain, here, students are encouraged to come forward when they are worried about a friend who is struggling, or when they are trying to keep someone from getting hurt. Remind students that if they are concerned about a classmate or friend, they need to keep speaking out until that person gets the help they need. Finally, maintaining a safe school climate includes providing students with training or lessons to acquire skills and abilities to manage emotions, resolve conficts, cope with stress, seek help, and engage in positive social interactions.

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Step 8 continued. Conduct training for all stakeholders

Parents. Parents should also be trained on the threat assessment process at their child’s school and their role in that process. They should be clear on who to call, when, and what information they should be ready to provide. Parents can also beneft from training that helps them recognize when children and teenagers may be in emotional trouble or feeling socially isolated. Training can also reduce the stigma around mental, emotional, or developmental issues and provide information on available resources and when they should seek professional assistance.

Law enforcement and school resource offcers. Not every school will have a school resource offcer, but schools can still develop relationships with local law enforcement agencies and personnel. Schools can encourage local offcers to co-teach classes at the school, serve as coaches or assistant coaches of sports teams, and work with parents and teachers at after-school events. In some communities without school resource offcers, local law enforcement

agencies have encouraged offcers to “adopt a school,” stopping by the school to greet and become familiar with students and teachers, eating lunch on campus, or doing paperwork in an offce at the school.

Like parents and teachers, local law enforcement and school resource offcers need to be aware of the school’s threat assessment process and their own responsibilities once a threat is identifed. Training for law enforcement and school resource offcers should also provide familiarity with emergency response procedures the school has in place and the layout of the campus. Offcers and school staff might beneft from attending training together so that all parties are aware of the point at which local law enforcement should be involved in an investigation. This would also allow offcers to get to know administrators, teachers, counselors, facilities and maintenance personnel, and other school staff. It is much easier to work through an emergency situation when schools and law enforcement are already familiar with each other and their procedures.

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CONCLUSION

Despite having a comprehensive targeted violence prevention plan in place, and despite a school and Team’s best efforts at prevention, incidents of targeted school violence may still occur. It is critical to develop and implement emergency response plans and procedures and provide training on them to all stakeholders. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommends that emergency response plans be developed with input from local law enforcement and frst responders.5 For example, procedures should be developed for reporting emergencies, evacuation procedures and routes, use of emergency notifcation systems, and information regarding local hospitals or trauma centers. Law enforcement and frst responders should be apprised of these plans and procedures and know how to implement them.

5 U.S. Department Homeland Security. (October 2008). Active Shooter: How to Respond. Homeland Security Active Shooter Preparedness. Retrieved on May 29, 2018, from https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/active_ shooter_booklet.pdf. Interagency Security Committee. (November 2015). Planning and Response to an Active Shooter: An Interagency Security Committee Policy and Best Practices Guide. Homeland Security Active Shooter Preparedness. Retrieved on May 29, 2018, from https://www. dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/isc-planning-response-active- shooter-guide-non-fouo-nov-2015-508.pdf.

“ Everyone has a

role... ”

Everyone has a role in preventing school violence and creating safe school climates. The threat assessment procedures detailed in this guide are an important component of school safety and security efforts and have been determined to be the best-practice in the prevention of targeted school violence. The model highlights that students can engage in a continuum of concerning behaviors and communications, the vast majority of which may not be threatening or violent. Nevertheless, it encourages schools to set a low threshold when identifying students who might be engaging in unusual behavior, or experiencing distress, so that early interventions can be applied to reduce the risk of violence or other negative outcomes.

Threat Assessment

Active Incident Response

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS

This section provides information and links to resources that can help schools create threat assessment teams, establish central reporting mechanisms, train stakeholders on assessment procedures, and promote safe school climates. It also provides links to resources related to emergency planning, responses to violence, and mental health. The U.S. Secret Service provides the listed non-government resources as a public service only. The U.S. government neither endorses nor guarantees in any way the external organizations, services, advice, or products included in this list. Furthermore, the U.S. government neither controls nor guarantees the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of the information contained in non-government websites.6

Threat assessment

THE NATIONAL THREAT ASSESSMENT CENTER (NTAC). Provides links to best-practices in threat assessment and the prevention of targeted violence, including resources on conducting threat assessments in K-12 schools, building positive school climates, and requesting training from NTAC personnel. https://www.secretservice.gov/protection/ntac/

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS (NASP). Provides information and links to research on conducting threat assessments in K-12 schools. https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources/school-safety-and-crisis/threat-assessment-at- school/threat-assessment-for-school-administrators-and-crisis-teams

THE NATIONAL BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION TEAM ASSOCIATION (NABITA). Provides education, resources, and supports to campus behavioral intervention team personnel and those who work to provide caring interventions of at-risk individuals. https://nabita.org/

THE VIRGINIA STUDENT THREAT ASSESSMENT MODEL. Provides guidelines and resources for schools to conduct threat assessments of students, including links to research on threat assessment. https://curry.virginia.edu/faculty-research/centers-labs-projects/research-labs/youth-violence-project/virginia-student- threat

6 The provided links were active at the time of the publication of this guide. Organizations may have updated or changed their links since this guide was published.

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School safety and violence prevention

NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (NEA). Provides resources, reports, and information about school safety and violence prevention. http://www.nea.org/home/16364.htm

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE,YOUTH FOCUSED POLICING (YFP). Provides information, resources, and training to enable law enforcement to work and intervene with children, teens, and young adults. Resources focus on reducing crimes and victimization among youth populations. http://www.iacpyouth.org/

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS (NASRO). Provides training, information, and resources to school-based law enforcement offcers. https://nasro.org/

NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CORRECTIONS TECHNOLOGY CENTER, SCHOOL SAFETY RESOURCES. Provides links to resources and information, including training material, computer software, and videos for law enforcement offcers who work in K-12 schools. https://www.justnet.org/school_safety.html

CENTER FOR THE STUDY AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE (CSPV). Conducts research and provides support to professionals implementing evidence-based programs that promote positive youth development, reduce problem behaviors, and prevent violence and other antisocial behaviors. https://www.colorado.edu/cspv/

THE TEXAS SCHOOL SAFETY CENTER (TXSSC). Provides information and resources related to bullying, school violence, drugs and tobacco, technology safety, and emergency management. https://txssc.txstate.edu/

SCHOOL SAFETY ADVOCACY COUNCIL (SSAC). Provides school safety training and services to school districts, law enforcement organizations, and communities. Provides links to grant opportunities, training courses, and conferences. http://www.schoolsafety911.org/index.html

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Emergency management and response to school violence

READINESS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR SCHOOLS (REMS) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER. National clearing-house for school safety information. Provides resources, training, and information related to violence prevention, response, and recovery from incidents of school violence. https://rems.ed.gov/

GUIDE FOR PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO SCHOOL VIOLENCE. Provides strategies to consider when creating safe learning environments and considers the full range of possible violence that can occur in schools. http://www.theiacp.org/portals/0/pdfs/schoolviolence2.pdf

Creating safe and positive school climates

RESOURCE GUIDE FOR IMPROVING SCHOOL CLIMATE AND DISCIPLINE. Resource guide developed by the U.S. Department of Education for schools to create nurturing, positive, and safe environments to help boost student achievement and success. https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/school-discipline/guiding-principles.pdf

SCHOOLS SECURITY TASK FORCE, WHAT MAKES SCHOOLS SAFE? Publication by the New Jersey School Boards Association to provide guidance and direction on school safety issues. The fnal report provides recommendations and resources to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of students. https://www.njsba.org/news-information/research/school-security-task-force/

POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS (PBIS). Clearinghouse and technical assistance center that supports schools, school districts, and state agencies to create and implement a multi-tiered approach to social, emotional, and behavioral support. Provides links to resources, information, and training on PBIS tools and strategies. https://www.pbis.org/

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS

Prevention and intervention of bullying

STOPBULLYING.GOV. Provides information from government agencies on bullying, cyberbullying, risk factors, responses to bullying, and prevention efforts. https://www.stopbullying.gov/

NATIONAL PTA. Provides resources regarding bullying prevention and creating positive school climates. https://www.pta.org/home/programs/Connect-for-RespectBullying

YOUTH VIOLENCE PROJECT, BULLYING RESOURCES. Provides an aggregate of online and in-print resources for parents, teachers, and students to intervene, prevent, and respond to bullying. https://curry.virginia.edu/faculty-research/centers-labs-projects/research-labs/youth-violence-project/bullying/bullying-0

Mental health

NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS (NAMI). NAMI is dedicated to assisting those affected by mental illness and their families. They provide information specifc to conditions and symptoms experienced by teens and young adults, as well as resources for education and advocacy for all those who suffer from mental health symptoms. https://www.nami.org/ https://www.nami.org/Find-Support/Teens-and-Young-Adults

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH (NIMH). Provides links to resources for assistance with mental health and mental illness, information related to mental health symptoms and disorders, and outreach to various stakeholders. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help/index.shtml

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID. Provides resources for free and low-cost training on mental health, symptoms of mental illness, and intervening with those with mental health symptoms. https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/