Integration of Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Secret Service/Department of Education Threat Assessment Models into a Conceptual Framework for Prevention of School Violence

Abstract

Professionals entered the 21st century with a heightened call to address school safety. Though notable contributions have been made to insure peaceful school communities through a wide range of primary and secondary prevention programs, research suggests that these programs are often an insufficient response to students who are at increased risk for violence. Effective intervention with this subset of youth depends on highly individualized services. This article reviews two empirical justice-based models of threat assessment and expands them with pertinent literature addressing multiple developmental aspects of at-risk youth. The aggregate serves as a cogent structure for examination of individual and systemic factors associated with youth violence.

Key Words:

• School safety
• prevention
• youth violence
• school violence
• secret service
• FBI