Title: Making Schools Safe for Students | National Institute of Justice
Headings: Making Schools Safe for Students
Making Schools Safe for Students
By
Historical School Safety Efforts
Mass Shooting Research
Evaluating School Safety Technology
Comprehensive School Safety Initiative
Moving Forward
About This Article
About the author
Cite this Article

Content: NIJ ( see reuse policy ). Shootings are just one of many traumatic events that children may face at school. They may also be threatened or injured by a weapon, be bullied, be physically assaulted, or be affected by natural disasters. In support of stakeholder efforts to ensure that students are safe in school, NIJ has funded numerous initiatives over the years that evaluate school safety practices. These efforts range from how to prevent tragic incidents like school shootings to how to promote a positive school environment where day-to-day challenges, like bullying and harassment, can be reduced. Historical School Safety Efforts
Although federal programs and policies related to school safety can be traced to the early 1970s, the United States did not begin collecting national data on school violence until 1989, [2] when the School Crime Supplement was added to the National Crime Victimization Survey. The School Crime Supplement was conducted for a second time in 1995 and then became a biannual survey starting in 1999. Mass Shooting Research
Mass murder and shooting sprees are tragic and traumatizing events. When they occur in school settings with child victims, they are particularly shocking. NIJ-supported research seeks to improve our understanding of mass shooters and mass shooting incidents to inform efforts to prevent and deter future attacks.