by Nicole Findlay
École Polytechnique, Columbine, Dawson College, Virginia Tech and now Marinette High school share two things in common. They educate youth and they became hunting grounds for school shooters.
In each case, early warning signs were missed. In response to these tragedies, an Ontario-based school board decided to take action to head off the possibility that any of their schools join the list.
Lesleigh Pullman, a fourth-year psychology student, recently conducted research to assist the school board in the analysis of an assessment protocol – the Community Threat Assessment Protocol (CTAP).
The CTAP is designed to identify youth at risk for severe forms of violence and general delinquency. The protocol is unique because information is gathered collaboratively from school officials and community members like the police.
The goal of the protocol is to identify and provide at risk youth with an integrated intervention strategy that incorporates school and community-based services.
Implemented in 2008, the protocol provides school officials with a tool to identify and intervene with students at risk for engaging in delinquency and violence.
Under the direction of her forensic psychology professor, Shelley Brown, Pullman began sifting through the data in May 2010.
She found that 70 percent of the incidents – which can include verbal or physical threats of violence toward teachers or peers, took place on school property by youth with a history of criminal
behaviour. These incidents prompted the initial CTAP assessment.
“These assessments are an effective way to identify youth who may need extra support within the school system to ensure that they don’t reach the criminal justice system,” said Pullman.
Students who threaten or harm their peers, are usually suspended from the school for a cooling off period, and then once readmitted, required to check-in with school counselors. Additional interventions may also be implemented depending upon the unique needs of the youth.
“Check-in procedures vary depending on the student. It may be a simple meeting to ask students how they are doing, if they are having problems – to searching students’ backpacks and belongings, in cases where a weapon was brought to school in the past,” Pullman explains.
Successful implementation of CTAP will actually prevent researchers and school officials alike from confirming school shooters as they will have flagged escalating violence before it becomes lethal. Early intervention will ensure kids at risk never reach the point of pulling a trigger.
Pullman plans to pursue graduate studies, focusing on what causes rapists, child molesters and child pornography offenders to commit the crimes they do.