The ongoing occurrence of school shootings and a documented rise in reported threats have led
educators and policymakers to seek ways to prevent and respond to acts and threats of school-based
violence. These tragic events are often followed by calls to physically harden schools by installing metal
detectors and security guards. However, the evidence does not suggest that these strategies are generally
effective in preventing violence. A substantial body of research suggests that schools need to attend to
the psychological safety of students as the foundation for ensuring their physical safety. This is especially
true given that more than 85% of school shootings have been perpetrated by current or former students
who experienced negative home and school lives, and around 80% of school shooting perpetrators had
experienced bullying within the school.
One approach that attempts to address both physical and psychological safety is the use of a behavioral
threat assessment (BTA) system. These systems aim to identify, assess, and manage the threat of
violence targeted at schools with the ultimate goal of intervening to prevent such violence. As of April
2024, 85% of schools across the United States reported having a threat assessment team, and, as of this
publication, 45 states have established some form of a BTA policy.
