Abstract

Threat assessment involves evaluating and intervening with individuals who make threats of violence. This study examined the resulting actions and outcomes of threat assessment cases in three Colorado school districts. A particular focus of the study was on potential disparities. The sample consisted of 253 threat assessment cases reported by participating school districts for the 2014–2015 academic year. In addition to disciplining students, schools implemented a variety of nondisciplinary actions in response to threat assessment, including mental health services, behavior support plans, and referrals for a special education evaluation. Analyses found no disparities in any outcomes, including disciplinary actions among Black, Hispanic, and White students receiving a threat assessment. There were also no significant differences between students with and without disabilities. These findings are promising in light of documented exclusionary discipline disparities and have implications for both the use of threat assessment as a violence prevention strategy and school discipline reform.

Impact Statement

Findings of the current study indicate that more than half of Colorado students who received a threat assessment were subsequently disciplined in some way. Most students also received nondisciplinary actions such as mental health counseling. No differences in threat assessment outcomes were observed based on race/ethnicity or disability status.

摘要

威胁评估涉及评估和干预威胁使用暴力的个人。本研究检查了科罗拉多州三个学区的威胁评估案例所产生的行动和结果。该研究的一个特别重点是潜在的差异。样本包括 2014-2015 学年参与学区报告的 253 个威胁评估案例。除了对学生进行纪律处分外，学校还针对威胁评估采取了各种非纪律处分措施，包括心理健康服务、行为支持计划和特殊教育评估转介。分析发现任何结果都没有差异，包括接受威胁评估的黑人、西班牙裔和白人学生之间的纪律处分。残疾学生和非残疾学生之间也没有显着差异。鉴于记录在案的排他性纪律差异，这些发现是有希望的，并且对使用威胁评估作为暴力预防策略和学校纪律改革都有影响。

影响陈述

当前研究的结果表明，接受威胁评估的科罗拉多州学生中有一半以上随后受到了某种方式的纪律处分。大多数学生还接受了非纪律处分，例如心理健康咨询。基于种族/民族或残疾状况，没有观察到威胁评估结果的差异。