The Effects of Security in High Schools

Ever since the Columbine massacre focused national attention on school violence, school security has become a greater concern among administrators and authorities. Subsequent school shootings have shown that even with the best security plans in place, violence can still occur. Finding a balance between student civil rights and the protection of the student body is an ongoing dilemma and poses special problems because of the age group involved.

Scarcity of Statistics

Accurate statistics regarding school violence are hard to find. Many districts do not report incidents to the public.Typically, only the most horrific acts gain media attention, while most day to day occurrences, which comprise the bulk of incidents, are generally glossed over by administrators in order to avoid negative publicity. In a 2008 report, the National Violent Death Reporting System (administered by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention), states that student homicide rates actually decreased between 1996 to 2006 but remain relatively stable in recent years.

Creating a Presence

Security experts know that creating and maintaining a visible profile is a major deterrent to criminals. The best option, therefore, would be for high schools to hire trained, uniformed security guards to monitor the hallways and campus. This is not always cost-effective. As a cheaper alternative, closed circuit television cameras are often used to police the grounds but those only serve to gather evidence for investigations after the fact. The overall goal is to create a feeling of safety in the school environment, which at least appeases some students and community members.

Proactive Intervention

Even in the most visible high school security situations, random acts of violence are unlikely to be prevented, just as they are anywhere in the general public. A determined gunman killed 10 people, including a school security officer, in a Minnesota school in 2005 despite a very visible security system in place at the time. Identifying suspicious, potentially threatening behavior has become a more accepted strategy of preventing violence. A heightened sense of awareness and peer monitoring among the student body is a necessary requirement for this type of proactive intervention to be successful.

Emergency Plans

After the Columbine and Virginia Tech shootings in the USA, administrators and authorities must now take the unthinkable into account when planning for school emergencies. Lockdown drills have become as commonplace as fire or extreme weather drills in most districts, and local police departments are involved in designing evacuation and response plans if needed.

Psychological Effects of School Violence

Adolescents subject to the constant threat of school violence can develop a feeling of either hopelessness or denial. Either way, student academic achievement is bound to suffer when the fear of danger becomes a daily influence on young lives. Teachers and parents should try to recognize symptoms of paranoia or listlessness caused by the fear of school violence and encourage students to access school counselors for advice on how to cope in a society that glorifies brutality in the mass media but reacts incredulously when it manifests itself in reality.

References

• School Violence Fact Sheet
• Minnesota School Shooting in 2005
• Psychology of School Shootings