The Virginia Student Threat Assessment Guidelines: An Empirically Supported Violence Prevention Strategy

Abstract

The Virginia Student Threat Assessment Guidelines were developed in response to U.S. government studies recommending that schools should adopt a threat assessment approach to prevent school shootings. The Virginia Guidelines prepare school-based teams of school administrators, mental health professionals, and law enforcement officers to investigate and resolve student threats of violence using a standard decision tree. Simpler cases involving transient threats are resolved quickly while complex, substantive threats require a more extensive evaluation and development of a safety plan. Two field tests and three controlled studies demonstrated that threat assessment is a safe, efficient, and practical procedure that can reduce the use of long-term suspension from school and improve important qualities of school climate.