Since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, violence prevention has largely targeted schools. Lockdown drills, arming teachers, metal detectors, and evacuation plans are just some of the strategies form for schools. Meanwhile, there have been four times as many mass shootings in workplaces. There have been almost 50 workplace shooters in the … [Read more...]
We can do more to prevent mass workplace shootings like Aurora, Illinois
Is Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training evidence-based practice? A systematic review
This study reviews 25 empirical research articles that have examined the impact of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training over the past 10 years. Overall, little can be said about the effectiveness of CIT training due to varying outcomes, a reliance on self-report data, lack of comparison or control groups, and inadequate follow-up data. Results … [Read more...]
Police crisis intervention training: We need a new paradigm, not a new building
Two proposed multimillion-dollar law enforcement training centers are competing for funding at the Legislature. One of these facilities, the $13.2 million Dakota County Safety and Mental Health Alternative Response Training (SMART) Center, would be dedicated to crisis intervention training. We applaud any and all efforts to properly fund law … [Read more...]
Group Aggression
Group aggression is an important concern for societies around the world. The field of intergroup relations, a sub-field of social-psychology, offers critical insight into the emergence of group conflict and aggression. This review examines the most influential theoretical frameworks from the field of intergroup relations, namely realistic conflict … [Read more...]
Why the usual approach to school security isn’t working
Mass shootings are becoming increasingly deadly. Recent studies have demonstrated that active shooter drills may increase anxiety and fear among students, as well as contribute to a negative school culture, which is a risk factor for school violence. Data indicates that before mass violence takes place, there is typically an immediate trigger in … [Read more...]