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 * Trend Name:** School Security and Student Safety Trends


 * Basic Summary of Trend:** Violence can happen anywhere at any time and schools must develop violence prevention. Although no security plan is perfect, it can offer clear direction during a crisis when confusion and fear take place. In more and more schools today people are seeing security cameras being installed throughout the building, security guards and police officers patrolling the hallways at all times, as well as adult supervision through the hallways, metal detectors upon entering school buildings, badges or picture identification for students, locked entrance or exit doors during the day, a requirement that visitors must sign-in, and new emergency methods being taught and used during a crisis. Any instance of crime or violence at school not only affects the individuals involved but also disrupts the educational process and affect witnesses, the school itself, and the surrounding community.


 * Key Manifestations:** Security measures increased between 2001 and 2005. For example, the percentage of students who observed the use of security cameras at their schools increased from 39 to 58 percent during this period, and the percentage who reported that students were required to wear badges or picture identification increased from 21 to 25 percent. Between 1999 and 2005, there was also an increase in the percentage of students observing locked entrance or exit doors during the day (from 38 to 54 percent), the percentage reporting a visitor sign-in requirement (from 87 to 93 percent), and the percentage reporting the presence of security guards and/or assigned police officers (from 54 to 68 percent).


 * Key Personnel:** CDC is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and it continues to fund innovative programs, such as school evaluation programs and our Academic Centers for Excellence in Youth Violence that build knowledge about effective preventive measures. CDC is conducting ongoing research to learn more about the nature of school associated violent deaths due to the change in security safety trends. CDC research on school associated violent deaths is from elementary, middle/ junior high and high schools.


 * Why/How a trend?** Schools that are being more strict on security believe to have a better effect on the students safety throughout the school days. Schools are encouraging efforts to reduce crowding, increase supervision, and institute plans/polices to handle disputes during transition times that may reduce the likelihood of potential conflicts and injuries. Schools are promoting prevention programs that are designed to help teachers and other school staff recognize and respond to incidences of bullying between students. It is also very important for staffs to be more trained and prepared in security plans.

[|__http://nces.ed.gov/programs/crimeindicators/ind_20.asp__]** [|__http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/sch-shooting.htm__]
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