NCJ Number
222485
Date Published
August 2007
Length
57 pages
Annotation
This is the Interim Report of Wisconsin's Task Force on Campus Safety, which was appointed by the Governor to develop ways to improve the safety of college students and campuses across the State.
Abstract
The report's first section focuses on prevention and preparedness. In discussing assessment and planning, the report recommends a comprehensive approach aimed at violence prevention and early intervention. In addition to well-trained and equipped law enforcement and first responders, campuses must also work to minimize the broad spectrum of factors that contribute to violence, while preparing for times when violence occurs in spite of efforts to prevent it. Given the complexity of violent behavior and the diversity of settings, structures, cultures, and students that characterize Wisconsin college campuses, the Task Force does not offer standardized ways for addressing violence on campuses or presume to instruct each college in the State about preventing and intervening in violent events. Instead, the report provides broad parameters or guidelines for planning, prevention, intervention, response, and post-event activities. Regarding prevention and preparedness, the report addresses environmental design, the identification and reporting of violent, risky, and suspicious behavior, issues of alcohol and other drug abuse, access to treatment for problem behaviors, and outreach and education. A section on intervention contains guidelines for "leveraging" diversity on campus, assessment of problem behaviors, options for case management of troubled students, and coordination of care. The section on response focuses on response coordination, alert capability, and communications among multiple agencies involved in an emergency response. A section on post-event activities discusses the continuity of operations, crisis communication, and counseling and assistance. This Interim Report is based on an examination of over 100 campus safety practices in Wisconsin and across the Nation, as well as information provided at 2 public summits on campus safety.