School Security Assessments and Crisis Preparedness

This article offers suggestions to school boards for conducting school-security assessments and for developing a policy on school safety. It first describes the five major threats to safety: an increase in general youth violence, gangs, drugs, weapons, and outside offenders. School boards should establish policy that recognizes school safety as a priority and prohibits the possession of weapons. Boards should also address the following specific policy areas--drugs, gangs, banning electronic communication devices, school visitation, and procedures for reporting crimes and serious incidents. Steps for developing a crisis-management policy are described: conduct a security assessment; develop crisis-preparedness guidelines; enact policy; and ensure that procedures and practices reflect policy. (LMI)