- Preventing Violence and Creating Safer Schools: A Toolkit (Revised May 2022) - Following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting and the March of Our Lives in the Spring of 2018 The Melissa Institute’s Scientific Board under the leadership of Dr. Donald Meichenbaum developed a Toolkit to support efforts to make schools safe and to reduce gun violence. Today, as we mourn with the families and communities of the 19 children and 2 teachers who were killed at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, we are reminded of the unacceptably high levels of gun violence in our country, the alarming surge in hateful attitudes and behaviors and the disturbingly easy access to guns in our communities. This Toolkit is a work in progress, which we will continue to revise as we identify more effective ways to prevent violence and create safer schools.
- National Threat Assessment Center. (2019). Protecting America’s Schools: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Targeted School Violence. U.S. Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security - The approach highlighted in this document is intended to identify students of concern, assess their risk for engaging in violence or other harmful activities, and implement intervention strategies to manage that risk. The threshold for intervention should be low, so that schools can identify students in distress before their behavior escalates to the level of eliciting concerns about safety.
- Talking to your Teen about School Shooting Threats - Safety and stability are paramount for learning and growth. When we do not feel safe, our executive functions, like our ability to think, plan, organize and self-regulate, are compromised. Talking with your teen about perceived threats and emotional reactions to gun shootings allows us to feel more supported, connected, and safe.
- Meichenbaum, D. (Revised May 2022). Application of the Case Conceptualization Model to Patients Experiencing Prolong and Complicated Grief Reactions - School shootings can lead to prolong and complicated grief reactions for many. In this document the Institute’s Scientific Director, Dr. Don Meichenbaum shares proven strategies and clinical insights to help those going through this experience.
- Office of Safe Schools, Florida Department of Education (2020). Model Behavioral Threat Assessment Policies and Best Practices for K-12 Schools - The threat assessment procedures and guidance contained in this document are based on a synthesis of best practices and established standards that are consistent with Florida law. This document is meant to serve as a guide and resource for school districts and charter school governing boards in the development of individual written policies and procedural decision-making regarding threat assessment. There are some elements noted throughout this document that are required by statute.
- National Institute of Justice and Rand Corporation, Mass Attacks Defense Toolkit - NIJ-funded researchers created a toolkit to help reduce the likelihood of mass shootings and other public attacks, and reduce the casualties of completed attacks. In this toolkit, researchers describe the most important tips they found to help reduce the likelihood and casualties of mass attacks. They also point to key guidance and resources to provide more-detailed information.
- Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2021 - This report includes the most recent national indicators on school crime and safety, compiled from multiple statistical data sources supported by the federal government (i.e., National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, and Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice). The information presented here serves as a reference for policymakers and practitioners to develop effective programs and policies aimed at violence and school crime prevention.
