Solution to Threat Assessment Example #1

School Response: The first step in threat assessment is for the principal to collect information about the threat by interviewing the student or students who made the threat, the recipient or target of the threat, and any witnesses to the threat. The Guidelines include some standard questions to ask and some important factors to consider as part of a triage investigation. The purpose of the investigation is to determine whether the threat is transient or substantive. Transient threats can be resolved immediately, usually through an explanation and apology, whereas substantive threats require that protective action be taken while additional steps are taken to resolve the threat. Differentiation of transient and substantive threats is explained in the Guidelines.

In this case, the principal interviewed all of the students involved in the threat, and contacted their parents to advise them of the situation and obtain any additional information they might have bearing on the conflict between Nicole and Jonathon. The principal started by interviewing Jonathon in order to obtain his perception of the threat and the history of his conflict with Nicole. Next, the principal interviewed each of the girls involved in the threat and obtained their perceptions and intentions as well.

In this case, all three girls expressed regret for their actions and all of them denied any intent to carry out the threat. There was no indication from parents, teachers, or other sources of information (e.g., school records) that the girls had a history of fighting or that they were likely to carry out a threat to beat someone up. Nicole recognized that her letter was inappropriate and agreed to make amends through an apology. She also expressed a willingness to attend a mediation session with Jonathon to resolve their dispute.

Jonathon accepted Nicole’s apology and also agreed to attend a mediation session supervised by the school counselor. The principal met with all of the parents involved and explained to them what happened and how the incident was to be resolved.

In response to a transient threat, the principal should proceed with disciplinary action consistent with the school code. In most cases involving transient threats, a severe penalty such as a lengthy suspension is not warranted. In this case, the principal can consider a range of disciplinary responses consistent with existing school practices. It is important to recognize that discipline and threat assessment are distinguishable processes. Discipline is a consequence for an act of misbehavior—which can include the act of making a threat—whereas threat assessment is concerned with the prevention of a future act of misbehavior. In this case, Nicole had two days of after-school detention and was required to write a formal apology to Jonathon and to the two girls whom she involved in the threat. The other two girls received one day of after-school detention and also wrote letters of apology for their participation in the threat.

Nicole and Jonathon resolved their differences and did not engage in any further conflict during the remainder of the school year. The threat was not carried out.

This prototypical example is derived from an incident that occurred in one of the schools using our Guidelines for Resolving Student Threats of Violence.

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