NCJ Number
230299
Journal
Journal of Strategic Security Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2009 Pages: 65-70
Date Published
September 2009
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article examines several indicators of community and campus violence and discusses the use of new technology for communicating potential threats before they become a reality.
Abstract
Following the events of September 11, 2001, and the mass shooting on the campus of Virginia Tech in 2007, Americans have developed a heightened awareness that tragedy can and does strike ordinary citizens without any warning. This article cites several examples that indicate that violence has become a serious problem on the Nation's school campuses and include: 1) between July 1, 2005, and June 30, 2006, 35 school-associated deaths occurred in elementary and secondary schools in the United States; 2) between 2005 and 2007, 78 percent of schools experienced one or more violent incidents of crime, 17 percent experienced one or more serious incidents of crime, 46 percent experienced one or more thefts, and 68 percent experienced another type of crime; and 3) in 2005, approximately 6 percent of students age 12-18 reported avoiding school activities in one or more places in school due to fear of attack. The author notes that in many of these cases, the perpetrators of this violence expressed feelings of estrangement and rage. These feelings, coupled with other factors, such as easy access to weapons, being a loner, and exhibiting suicidal behavior, increase the likelihood that something serious will occur. In addition, studies have shown that while people may notice suspicious activity on the part of others, they are often reluctant to get involved due to fear of retribution from the perpetrator or from fear of authorities. To help authorities overcome this problem, companies are developing new technology tools to enable people to become involved in reporting crime and suspicious activity and still maintain their anonymity. References