Will Properly Designed and Implemented Crisis Response Plans Serve a Proactive Role in Obtaining a Safe School Environment

摘要

There are a great number of proactive measures being developed and implemented to make the introduction of weapons into a school building as difficult as possible. Many of the valuable proactive measures include: training teachers to identify troubled youths; counseling programs; students signing contracts to stop violence; students wearing ribbons to pledge support in stopping violence; installation of closed circuit television surveillance systems (CCTV), alarm systems, metal detectors and explosive device screeners, and the hiring of a police presence. Crisis response planning is integral to enhancing any school security effort. Indeed, the best planning effort starts with prevention and awareness. However, school administrators cannot count on these measures to completely prevent school violence unless security measures approach the level of a correctional system. Consider the fact that firearms even find their way into correctional facilities. Further, school violence occurs in a unique context in every school and every situation making the adoption of any one proactive program impossible. Moreover, school communities can do everything recommended and still experience violence. There is no single answer, no simple solution and no guarantees. To reiterate, many proactive measures are sound; however, many school systems can do more to enhance school security. Any safety/security program is incomplete if an effective crisis response plan is not developed to deal with violence prevention program failure. Proactive measure failure has been demonstrated by the recent school shooting in Georgia.