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Threat Assessment and Reporting Threat Assessment and Reporting

Identify and address safety concerns to reduce the threat of violence.

Identifying, reporting, and addressing safety concerns can help reduce the threat of targeted violence and enhance student safety. Schools can consider establishing a centralized reporting system that is continually monitored and allows for anonymous reporting to help students and other members of the school community provide information on concerns for wellness or safety. Creating a school climate characterized by support and inclusivity can also help enhance safety and foster an environment that is conducive in engaging and empowering students to report concerns.

Schools may also consider the use of well-trained and diverse multidisciplinary school threat assessment teams. These teams should include certified mental health professionals and the approach should include providing the supports and interventions students need when they need them.

Featured Resources

These resources are a starting point for learning more about threat assessment and reporting. Use these resources to help implement a threat assessment and reporting system. 

Additionally, SchoolSafety.gov regularly publishes issue briefs that provide a high-level overview of a specific school safety topic as well as a sampling of aligned strategies, resources, programs, and tools. Download and explore threat assessment and reporting-related issue briefs below.

Report
Threat Assessment and Reporting
School Tip Line Toolkit: A Blueprint for Implementation and Sustainability

Third Party, 2018

This downloadable guide is designed to help educators, law enforcement professionals, community leaders, and school safety experts navigate key decisions and consider the factors necessary to support successful and efficient tip line implementation as part of an overall school safety strategy.

Guidance
Threat Assessment and Reporting
Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model

Department of Homeland Security, July 2018

This guide provides actionable steps that schools can take to develop comprehensive targeted violence prevention plans and create processes and procedures for conducting threat assessments.

Filter Resources

All Threat Assessment and Reporting Resources

Access additional resources below to learn more about threat assessment and reporting and related best practices. Use the filters to sort resources based on preparedness action.

Report
Targeted Violence
Averted School Violence Database: 2021 Analysis Update

Department of Justice, 2021

This downloadable report leverages data from additional averted school violence cases since the 2019 Averted School Violence Database report to conduct similar analyses; compares the findings from the new cases to the initial 51 averted cases; and provides overarching lessons learned and recommendations that can be leveraged by school administrators, law enforcement, and communities to enhance school safety and security.
Report
Threat Assessment and Reporting
School Tip Line Toolkit: A Blueprint for Implementation and Sustainability

Third Party, 2018

This downloadable guide is designed to help educators, law enforcement professionals, community leaders, and school safety experts navigate key decisions and consider the factors necessary to support successful and efficient tip line implementation as part of an overall school safety strategy.

Video
Targeted Violence
Averting Targeted School Violence Video

Department of Homeland Security, April 2023

This video highlights the findings and implications of the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center's research on school violence prevention based upon the study, "Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Plots Against Schools," which examined 67 disrupted plots against K-12 schools. It describes the thinking and behavior of the plotters, as well as their attack plans, how the plots were discovered, and how this information can be utilized to prevent violence in schools.

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