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Prior Knowledge of Potential School-Based Violence: Information students learn may prevent a targeted attack.
Title: Prior Knowledge of Potential School-Based Violence: Information students learn
may prevent a targeted attack.
Date: May 2008
Author: William S. Pollack, William Modzeleski, and Georgeann Rooney
Institution: United States Department of Education and United States Secret Services
Bibliographic Entry: Pollack, William S., Modzeleski W., and Rooney G. “Prior Knowledge of Potential School-Based Violence: Information students learn may prevent a targeted attack.” United States Department of Education and United States Secret Services. May 2008. http://ustreas.gov/usss/ntac/bystander_study.pdf (Accessed June 10, 2008).
Electronic Link: http://ustreas.gov/usss/ntac/bystander_study.pdf
Key Words: school-based attacks, behavior pathway, safe schools, threat assessment, behavioral patterns
Summary of Key Points, Issues, Conclusions:
This collaborative study by the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Secret Service aims to analyze if school-based attacks such as Columbine High School were planned, to identify pre-attack behavioral pathways and also examine efforts to be undertaken to prevent future attacks.
In a previous studies -- The Final Report and Findings of the Safe School Initiative: Implications for the Prevention of School Attacks in the United States (Vossekuil, Fein, Reddy, Borum, & Modzeleski, 2002) and Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School Climates (Fein et al., 2002) -- the following findings were identified as major behavioral patterns, with the last two patterns being distinguished as the most significant means of effort to prevent future attacks
1. Incidents of targeted violence at schools rarely were sudden impulsive acts.
2. Most attackers did not threaten their targets directly prior to advancing the attack.
3. There was no useful or accurate “profile” of students who engaged in targeted school violence.
4. Most attackers had difficulty coping with significant losses or personal failures.
5. Many had considered or attempted suicide.
6. Many attackers felt bullied, persecuted or injured by others prior to the attack.
7. Most attackers had access to and had used weapons prior to the attack.
8. Despite prompt law enforcement responses, most shooting incidents were stopped by means other than law enforcement interventions.
9. In many cases, other students were involved in some capacity.
10. Most attackers engaged in some behavior prior to the incident that caused others concern or indicated a need for help.
11. Prior to the incidents, other people knew about the attacker’s idea and/or plan to attack.
This study then endeavored to further the prevention of targeted school-based attacks by exploring the actions and inactions of students with prior knowledge of the attacks. The study finds that:
1. The relationships between the bystanders and the attackers, as well as when and how the bystanders came upon information about the planned attacks, varied.
2. Bystanders shared information related to a threat along a continuum that ranged from bystanders who took no action to those who actively conveyed the information.
3. School climate affected whether bystanders came forward with information related to the threats.
4. Some bystanders disbelieved that the attacks would occur and thus did not report them.
5. Bystanders often misjudged the likelihood and immediacy of the planned attack.
6. In some situations, parents and parental figures influenced whether the bystander reported the information related to the potential attack to school staff or other adults in positions of authority.
The following are recommendations to be employed by schools to prevent future attacks:
1. Schools should ensure a climate in which students feel comfortable sharing information they have regarding a potentially threatening situation with a responsible adult.
2. School districts are encouraged to develop policies that address the many aspects of reporting a threat.
3. Teachers, administrators, and other faculty should be trained on how to properly respond to students who provide them with information about a threatening or disturbing situation, as well as how to deal with actual threats.
Name of Researcher: Oludayo Olusanya
Institution: Integrative Center for Homeland Security, Texas A&M University
Date Posted: 06/26/2008