School Safety Tips

  • Apr 29, 2009

The National Crime Prevention Council offers tips and resources for students, parents, and teachers to help keep America's schools safe.

Although many schools are safe, others can be just as susceptible to crime and violence as other environments. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 17 children and teens were killed at school and five children killed themselves in the year ending June 30, 2002.

Moreover, in a 2001 survey by the National School Safety Center (NSSC), more than 60 percent of high school boys and 15 percent of middle school boys said they could get a gun if they wanted to. At the same time, 69 percent of high school and 27 percent of middle school boys said they knew how to get drugs. Thirty percent of the kids reported being bullied. In what could be an ominous precursor to adult behavior, nearly a quarter of the students in another 2001 survey published by NSSC reported that they knew at least one student at their school who had been a victim of dating violence.

There are no easy answers to the disturbing questions these statistics raise, but it is clear that collaboration between parents, educators, law enforcement, and crime prevention practitioners is essential.

  • Enforce zero-tolerance policies toward the presence of weapons, alcohol, and illegal drugs.
  • Establish and enforce drug- and gun-free zones.
  • Establish policies that declare that anything that is illegal off campus is illegal on campus.
  • Engage students in maintaining a good learning environment by establishing a teen court.
  • Develop protocols between law enforcement and the school about ways to share information on at-risk youth.
  • Develop resource lists that provide referral services for students who are depressed or otherwise under stress.
  • Involve teens in designing and running programs such as mediation, mentoring, peer assistance, School Crime Watch, and graffiti removal programs.
  • Insist that all students put outerwear in their lockers during school hours.
  • Require all students to tuck in their shirts to keep them from hiding weapons.
  • Develop and enforce dress codes that ban gang-related and gang-style clothing.
  • Establish a policy of positive identification such as ID badges for administrators, staff, students, and visitors.
  • Deny students permission to leave school for lunch and other non-school-related activities during school hours.

Featured

  • Brivo, Eagle Eye Networks Merge

    Dean Drako, Chairman of Brivo, the leading global provider of cloud-native access control and smart space technologies, and Founder of Eagle Eye Networks, the global leader in cloud AI video surveillance, today announced the two companies will merge, creating the world’s largest AI cloud-native physical security company. The merged company will operate under the Brivo name and deliver a truly unified cloud-native security platform. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Announces the 2026 Security Megatrends

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and forecasted the 2026 Security Megatrends, which form the basis of SIA’s signature annual Security Megatrends report defining the top 10 factors influencing both near- and long-term change in the global security industry. Read Now

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.