The Ohio Resource Network for Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities University of Cincinnati

Ohio Resource Network www.ebasedprevention.org or 1-800-788-7254

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The Ohio Resource Network for Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities

University of Cincinnati Bonnie Hedrick, Ph.D., Director

Robert Canning, M.Ed., Assistant Director

United States Secret Service and the United States Department of Education

Washington D.C July 2004ED Pubs, Education Publications Center, U.S . Dept. of

Education, P.O. Box 1398 Jessup MD 20794-1398

1—877-433-7827

United States Departments of Education and Secret

Service Final Report”


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Final Report and Findings of the Safe School Initiative: Implications

for the prevention of school attacks in the United States

Investigated shooters from 37 incidents of targeted school violence that occurred in the U. S. from

December 1974 through May 2000


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After extensive examination,

the following Final Report Findings were cited

• Attackers were 13-18 yrs old (85 percent, n=35)

• Three quarters of the attackers were white (76 percent, n=31)

• Almost two thirds of the attackers came from two parent families (63 percent, n=26)

• Largest group were well socialized and considered mainstream (41 percent n=17)

• Nearly two-thirds of the attackers had never been or rarely in trouble at school (63 percent n=26)


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Final Report and Findings continued

• Largest group of attackers doing well in school As and Bs in their courses (41 percent n=17)

• Most attackers showed no marked change in academic performance (56 percent n=23), friendship patterns (73 percent n=30), interest in school (59 percent n=24), or school disciplinary problems (68 percent n=28) prior to their attacks.

• Almost three-quarters of the attackers felt persecuted, bullied or injured by others prior to the attack (71 percent n=29)


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Final Report and Findings continued

-- ATTACKERS --

• Interest in violent movies (27 percent n=11)

• Interest in violent books (24 percent n=10)

• Interest in violent video games (12 percent n=5)

• Interest in violence in their own writings such as poems, essays, or journal entries (37 percent n=15)


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HOWEVER every shooter displayed behavior leading up to the incident

* difficulty coping with loss* their behavior was flagged by

others at school* other students were talked to… * other student(s) were asked to

take part…* almost three-quarters of the

attackers felt persecuted, bullied or injured by others prior to the attack


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Final Report 10 key findings

1. Attacks were rarely sudden, impulsive acts.

2. Most attackers did not threaten targets prior to attack.

3. Most attackers engaged in behavior prior to the incident that caused others to be concerned.

4. Most attackers had difficulty coping with significant losses or personal failures.

5. Most attackers had access to and had used weapons prior to the attack.

6. Most attackers were stopped by other means other than law enforcement interventions.


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Final Report 10 key findings, continued

7. Other people knew about the attacker’s idea and/or plan to attack.

8. In many cases other students were involved in some capacity.

9. 71 percent of the attackers felt persecuted, bullied or were injured by others prior to the attack.

There is no accurate or useful profile.


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37 Incidents of targeted school violence by month

September 25th

October 1st 5th 12th(2) and 15th

November 8th 15th and 19th

December 1st(2), 4th 6th 14th(2) 15th and 30th

January 18th 21st and 23rd

February 2nd 8th and 19th

March 2nd 24th 25th

April 16th 20th and 24th

May 1st 14th 18th 19th 20th 24th and 26th(2)

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28

School Year Monthly Incidents

spri

ng

fall


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1992-2005 All School Year Violence

First half vs Second half

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

August -December

January -June

injuredkilled

43 Students killed

23 Students killed


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School Safety Plans need to address

Mitigation/ prevention (minimize or mitigate impact thru policy/ steps to improve culture and climate)

Preparedness….. It will occur, so crisis plan is needed

Response…containment vs. resolution

Recovery …meeting mental health needs

Why? If a school, district, or state does not take all necessary actions in good faith to create safe schools, it could be vulnerable to a suit for negligence.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education: Safe and Drug-Free Schools Division


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Emergency Operations Manual Template

All hazards approachLevels of threatFirst Responder contact informationEmergency Staging areasEmergency Preparedness Roles and ResponsibilitiesSchool Drills

Cancel, lockdown, evacuation, shelter-in-place etc.

Secondary Protective Response OptionsDrop, cover and hold, hit the deck

Forms (ex: bomb threat caller information to be collected)


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“I believe that parents drop off their kids in the morning at my door….safe and sound. It is my job to keep them as safe as humanly possible until I give them back…

but I’ve got to tell you, every school is but one breath away from what could be a major crisis.”Mike Hall, Principal


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So what should a “one breath away” School Safety Plan look like?

The School’s best safety plan is its people… Kids are partners “safe keepers” of each other and adults. They hear and read about school violence, and they want a

safe environment too.

The school’s best safety plan has a philosophy that makes communication key to preventing violence

And Communication involves:

* A well thought out Visitor policy that can do two things:

1. Welcome all; and

2. Asking the visitor why they are there

* word of mouth ….kids tapping into other kid’s problems

* trusting adults …in the building for students to talk with

* trusting adults …that students know will handle their concern properly


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Communication continued

* Keyless entry system (computer control to change quickly)

* Parking lot cameras with trained students empowered to to watch them (safe keepers)

Needed…

a personalized environment (school climate and culture that is accepting of all students/staff), break the student body down into smaller units. So if a student is having a problem, support people can deal with that effectively

Note: metal detectors, surveillance cameras don’t keep watch…. People keep watch


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All School Staff need Quick Guides which include Common Drills and Crisis Team

Procedures

Incident Command

SystemActivation

Evacuation Lockdown Shelter-in-Place

CBRNE shelter-in-

place

Hit the Deck Drop, Cover and Hold

Relocating Students

Releasing Students

School Safety Team

First Aid Team

Counseling Team

* Stay calm; your attitude/actions

will be mirro

red by student

* Take class roster when evacuating

the classroom/ building* Remember

structural damage may block usual

evacuation routes

* C

are for emotionally, medically

fragile `students

* I

f bomb threat, do not to

uch, move

or disturb unidentified packages. Do

not use walkie-talkies or cell phones as

they

have the potential to detonate

bomb(s)

Incident Command

System

Evacuation

Lockdown

School Crisis Management Guide: For Timely Response

to School Emergencies

One guide per adult in your school district Free while

quantities last at our clearinghouse by calling 1-800-

788-7254 opt #1

U.S. DOE Practical Information on Crisis PlanningWrite to: ED Pubs, Education Publications Center, V.S. Dept. of Ed. P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398 Phone # 1-800-USA-LEARN• Order on line: www.ed.gov/about/ordering.jspTTY# 1-800-437-0833

http://www.ed.gov/about/ordering.jsp

Documents

The Ohio Resource Network for Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities University of Cincinnati