NCJ Number
212443
Journal
Journal of School Violence Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: 2005 Pages: 115-131
Date Published
2005
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study explored lessons learned by high schools in one Massachusetts county regarding crisis response in schools.
Abstract
Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, schools across the country scrambled to develop crisis intervention programs to minimize the effects of a crisis on students. The U.S. Department of Education provides guidance for schools developing crisis response plans and many schools across the country have developed intervention plans and prevention programs, yet little research is available regarding the intersection between how schools plan to respond to a crisis versus how they actually respond when a crisis does strike. This article outlines the experiences of one county school system in Massachusetts in responding to school crisis, emphasizing the lessons learned by the school system. Participating schools were selected via a stratified random sample of schools from the district. Eleven schools participated with administrators providing answers to qualitative written surveys and school counselors engaging in in-depth, qualitative interviews. Transcripts of the interviews were analyzed for major themes. Results revealed that all schools had crisis plans in place and six of the schools had used their plan within the last 12 months. Major themes emerging from the interviews were the importance of rule clarity, collaboration and networking, communication, debriefing/follow through, media relations, safety, training and practice, and written policy. Main study conclusions involve the importance of social workers in school settings and that the hiring of additional social workers would benefit student safety. References