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U.Va. Study Shows How Schools Can Safely Deal with Student Violence

University of Virginia professors Dewey G. Cornell and Peter L. Sheras performed a study on guidelines for student threat assessment (PDF) recommended by the U.S. Department of Education. During the study period 188 threats were identified and resolved without a single one leading to violence.

Appearing in the current issue of School Psychology Review, the field�s leading journal, the study was the first to field-test recommendations resulting from the FBI�s 1999 investigation of school shootings. The threat assessment approach, developed using both FBI and Secret Service recommendations, represents a radical departure from profiling and zero tolerance approaches, which are the most widely used practices in the nation�s schools.
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All elementary, middle and high schools in Charlottesville and Albemarle County, which have a combined enrollment of approximately 16,000 students, participated in the study. School principals, assistant principals, psychologists and school counselors completed threat assessment training prior to the field-testing. School resource officers assigned to schools by the local police departments also participated.

What an excellent idea - educate the educators so they can comfortably, confidently and reliably use their judgment instead of simply implementing and enforcing a blanket policy. Even better, the threat assessment guidelines performed very well.

During the 2001-2002 school year, 188 incidents including threats to kill, shoot, stab and assault others were investigated. The threats were aimed primarily at other students, but also included threats intended for teachers and school administrators. Almost every student investigated was able to return to school within a few days. Only three students were expelled and six were arrested. One-half (94) of the incidents resulted in a short-term suspension, typically one to three days, before the student returned to school. During that time, no violent acts were carried out.

Best of all, if threat assessment was implemented correctly and widely, it would be the death of zero tolerance policies.

According to the researchers, one of the defining features of the threat assessment approach is that school administrators do not have to take a zero tolerance approach that results in severe punishment for any kind of threat. If a threatening statement can be identified as a joke or figure of speech � for example, �I could just kill you for that� � it can be resolved quickly with an explanation and apology.