Following the shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia, there has been an increase in violent threats against schools across the country. Children as young as 12 have been arrested for making threats, displaying firearms, and posting online about carrying out shootings. The dilemma of determining whether these threats are real or not has come into focus, as the aftermath of the Georgia shooting revealed that authorities had questioned the teenage suspect previously but took no action.
Experts emphasize the need for a behavioral threat assessment approach to avoid overreacting and underreacting to threats. They highlight the long-term consequences of arresting young children for making threats and emphasize the importance of thorough investigations by law enforcement.
There is no national database tracking school threats, but estimates suggest there may be over 100,000 each year. Arrests have been made in multiple states in response to threats, with some incidents causing school closures and disruptions. False reports and swatting calls further complicate enforcement efforts, with nearly 64% of violent incidents and threats to schools being false reports.
Experts stress the importance of standardized systems for reporting and investigating school shooting threats to connect fragmented information and prevent real incidents. Formal threat assessment policies are required by law in only a few states, highlighting the need for consistent protocols to address the rising threats against schools.
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