More people die in school shootings where an armed officer is present than when there isn’t, according to a new study published Tuesday that adds a surprising element to the conversation about whether school resource officers make schools safer. The study, led by Hamline University criminal justice professor Jillian Peterson and published in … [Read more...]
New research finds armed officers increases likelihood of mortality at school shootings
Presence of Armed School Officials and Fatal and Nonfatal Gunshot Injuries During Mass School Shootings, United States, 1980-2019
After deadly school shootings at Columbine, Sandy Hook, and Parkland, many states mandated School Resource Officers or provided funding for districts to hire them. Lawmakers also considered arming teachers. Florida now requires a law enforcement officer or trained school guardian in every school. By examining every recorded incident where one or … [Read more...]
Upcoming Event: Advancing Understanding, and Informing Prevention of Public Mass Shootings: Findings from NIJ Funded Studies, Part 2
Join us on November 18th from 3-4:30 pm Eastern (4-5:30 pm CST) for a webinar on mass shooting research. This second webinar in a two-part series on mass shootings will review characteristics of these events over past decades, the psycho-social background of mass shooters, and the reasons behind school shootings. Register to attend this Webinar … [Read more...]
Do Police Officers Belong in Schools?
This morning, The Violence Project's Co-Founder Jillian Peterson and Board Member Missy Dodds spoke with Angela Davis on MPR News about safety in schools. The conversation was centered on why some school districts are removing school resource officers from school buildings and what could replace them while maintaining school safety. Davis, Dodds, … [Read more...]
Changing School Violence Prevention Approaches
While the names of victims and perpetrators are spread by the media, survivors of school shootings tend to be overlooked. Yet, the people directly affected by school shootings do not simply disappear. Missy Dodds is using her experience as a survivor of the 2005 Red Lake school shooting to reorient violence prevention approaches. Since the shooting … [Read more...]