NCJ Number
142946
Journal
Judicature Volume: 76 Issue: 6 Dated: (April-May 1993) Pages: 314-318
Date Published
1993
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Court-related violence presents a potential threat to all courts, and judges, administrators, and court staff must take steps to protect themselves and court users.
Abstract
The courthouse is a place where moods, personalities, and lives come together at a time of disagreement. It is possible for persons to lose control of their behavior, especially in criminal and domestic relations cases, and the number of incidents of court-related violence is increasing. The place for courts to begin addressing the security problem involves assessing the level of security that currently exists. A form developed by the Court Security Division of the U.S. Marshals Service can be used to survey and document the level of security and areas where improvement is needed. Before or immediately after a security survey is conducted, a courthouse security committee should be organized. Court facility architecture greatly affects the degree of security that can be achieved. Common security weaknesses include too much glass in exterior walls and doors, too many public access doors into the courthouse, circulation patterns for pedestrian traffic within the courthouse that do not isolate and protect judges and other individuals, too many dark corners and hiding places, and unprotected benches and chambers of judges. An important step to improve courthouse security is to establish security checkpoints with metal detectors and possibly x-ray machines at all public entrances to the courthouse. Ways of preventing bombings and abductions, the role of the news media in preventing violence in the courtroom, and liability issues are discussed. Recent examples of courthouse violence are cited.