Threat assessments can prevent violence
When should districts conduct threat assessments and what should they entail? Attorney A. Dean Pickett of the Flagstaff, Ariz., firm Mangum, Wall, Stoops & Warden offered some tips during the Council of School Attorneys’ School Law Seminar.
Threat assessment can be an effective tool to prevent violence, said Picket, who based his discussion on a joint study published by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education.
A threat assessment inquiry, usually initiated and carried out by school administrators, seeks to determine whether a particular student poses a threat of violence. If it appears violence is imminent or the student has violated the law, the matter should be referred to the police.
Once school officials decide to conduct an inquiry, the schoolís threat assessment team should seek as much information as they can about the situation, including the suspicious behavior, who reported it, the witnesses, and what else was going on at the time.
People who report a threat could have multiple motives, and alleged accounts by witnesses could be inaccurate, Pickett said, so ìcareful attention to the factsówith corroboration whenever possibleówill help determine whether the situation warrants scrutiny.î
Officials should collect information about the student, including the family situation, academic performance, history of relationships and conflicts, incidents of harassment and violence, history of substance abuse, grievances or grudges, and whether the student has trusting relationships with adults.
Reviews of school shooting incidents suggest they are planned in advance, Pickett said, and a studentís behavior ósuch as comments or writings about a violent attack, attempts to obtain weapons, or rehearsals of attacks or ambushesócould indicate an act of violence is imminent.
The inquiry should include interviews with the studentís parents or guardians, teachers, other adults who know the students, friends, and classmates.
Pickett advises school officials to follow guidelines when interviewing a ìstudent of concern.î Policies should address such issues as whether and when to ask parents to be present, whether and how the information should be used for criminal justice proceedings, and whether legal representation should be allowed.
The primary purpose of a student interview is to learn about the studentís thinking, motives, and behavior, and the tone should be ìprofessional, neutral, and non-confrontational, rather than accusatory or judgmental,î he said.
In addition to providing school officials with information on how to proceed, an interview can send the message to the student that his or her behavior has been noticed. If such students are given a chance to tell their personal stories, they might reconsider their plans.
Reproduced with permission from
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