Detecting the Behavioral Precursors of K-12 School Violence

Violence is a complex issue ‒ whether in a school, home, or a workplace. There is no easy way to detect the causes and no simple formula that can predict who will commit a violent act. In today’s public schools, a myriad of factors can exacerbate the threat of violence, including strained relationships with family or peers, psychosocial stressors, perceived injustices, bullying, increasing self-isolation, and overall vast changes in behaviors and mood.

However, study findings suggest that school violence in some instances can be preventable if key information is brought forward. Jerry Clark, Ph.D., FBI Special Agent (Retired) of Arrow Security, offers some perspectives on the subject for school district administrators and other stakeholders. He breaks down the “assumptions” versus the “actual” and outlines a few steps school districts can seek to make to create a preventative feedback loop before violence escalates. Some of these assumptions include:

Assumption #1: Students who perpetrate school shootings had frequent discipline problems in the past.
Actual: False. About 66% of attackers had never been in trouble or rarely were in trouble at school[i]

Assumption #2: Attackers had difficulty coping with significant loss or personal failures.
Actual: True. Almost all the attackers (98%) experienced some major loss or a perceived injustice prior to the attack[ii]

Assumption #3: Attackers have been victims of bullying.
Actual: True. 75% of attackers felt bullied, persecuted or injured by others prior to the attack[iii]

Assumption #4: School shootings are impulsive acts.
Actual: Incidents of targeted violence at schools rarely were sudden, impulsive acts. Over half of the attackers developed their idea for an incident at least a month prior to the attack. Others held the idea of an attack for as long as a year.

So, what can school administrators do?

“Unfortunately, there are no “magical” number of traits that will determine which student might present a problem. However, a practical approach indicates that the more problems of the student which are identified, the greater the level of concern that exists” says Dr. Clark. The key is to watch for stressors, which lead to concerning behaviors, that ultimately can result in warning signs that are being exhibited by the student. These signs are potential threats that must be relayed to the authorities for professional determination and plan of action.

Dr. Clark also advocates training for school districts to help detect and assess the types of behavioral traits which may be a precursor to possible violent events. Some of these training courses may include:

• Encouraging “Student Assistance Programs” in which concerned teachers would come together and discuss students who are having academic problems, behavioral problems, or problems at home.
• Establishing “Peer Assistance Groups” that will encourage students to come forward with information about possible threatening behavior in other students and provide support to overcome self-doubts or guilty feelings about breaking the code of silence.
• Developing programs to help parents recognize when their child may be in emotional trouble or socially isolated or rejected, and help parents become more knowledgeable about where to get help and more willing to seek it.

“It is worth noting that accurately evaluating and detecting someone’s behavior requires a baseline or how he/she/they typically behave. In the case of parents or adults who may pose a threat to school staff or the students, this may be difficult to obtain. So, the first line of defense can in some cases be the on-duty security officer.

For the student whose parents or peers may in fact pose a threat, giving them a safe, confidential method of reporting any potential threats should be a mandatory requirement in K-12 schools. This can be facilitated through a teacher, trusted guidance counselor or school health or security professional,” says Dr. Clark.

If you would like to learn more about how to implement these and other behavioral assessment protocols in your school district (even if you have an existing program), contact us for a confidential conversation, info@arrowsecurity.com

About the Subject Matter Expert: Jerry Clark, Ph.D., FBI Special Agent (Retired)

Senior Vice President, Business Development, Arrow Security
Associate Professor, Criminal Justice Studies Program, Gannon University, Erie, PA

Jerry brings a vast array of experience having worked for the FBI, DEA, NCIS, law enforcement, and the Security industry over a 40-year career. He is also the co-author of four books including “Pizza Bomber: The Untold Story of America’s Most Shocking Bank Robbery”, “A History of Heists: Bank Robbery in America”, “Mania and Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong: Inside the Mind of a Female Serial Killer” and On the Lam: A History of Hunting Fugitives and America.

Dr. Clark is an Associate Professor and former Chair of the Criminal Justice Studies Program, Gannon University, Erie, PA. He earned a Master of Arts Degree in Forensic Psychology from CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice and has his Doctor of Philosophy in Public Safety Leadership from Capella University, Minneapolis, MN.

This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute advice of any kind. The information herein was sourced from third parties that Arrow Security believes to be reputable and reliable. Always refer to local jurisdictions for any legal precedents.  

[i] Source: U.S. Department of Education, Liss, Gelormine, Thomae.

[ii] ibid

[iii] ibid