Threats
Threat assessment is intended to prevent violence and involves both assessment and intervention. Threat assessment involves determining whether a student poses a threat of violence (they have intent and means to carry out the threat).
BRIEF SUMMARY
Threat assessment is intended to prevent violence and involves both assessment and intervention. Threat assessment involves determining whether a student poses a threat of violence (they have intent and means to carry out the threat).
KEY POINTS
- It is important for school personnel to establish a threat assessment protocol to insure consistency and thoroughness in evaluating and responding to student and adult-originated threats.
- While each school district and school should have its own threat assessment teams and school threat protocols, some basic guiding principals include:
- Treat all threats seriously.
- Investigate the incident promptly and efficiently.
- Use support staff and external resources as a part of a multidisciplinary threat assessment team to evaluate threats.
- Take appropriate disciplinary and criminal enforcement steps.
- Document the threats and actions taken.
- Enhance security measures, as appropriate, to insure the safety of all students, staff, and facilities.
SHARED WISDOM
- Three common questions to begin assessing school threats:
- What is the motivation of the threat maker and credibility of the threat?
- Could the threat maker have the information on how to carry out the threat (such as information on how to make bombs or homemade weapons, for example)?
- Could the threat maker have access to the tools, and the capability to carry out the threat?
RESOURCES
- Threat Assessment at School (National Association of School Psychologists)
- Threat Assessment: School Threats, Social Media, Texting and Rumors (National School Safety and Security Services)
CONTENT FEEDBACK
If you have suggestions, feedback, or resources, please email counselor1stop@inspiresuccess.org and let us know.