Warning Signs Of Violent Behavior

Sonayia Shepherd, Safe Havens International, answers questions about signs of imminent violence, and handling disturbing school projects from a student or threats to school safety.

DISCUSSION
Sonayia Shepherd
School Safety Analyst
Safe Havens International

What are the signs my school is at risk for violence?

The signs that a school is at risk for violence or conflict are things like behavior infractions increasing, the number of kids that are articulating that they're feeling unfair, things like underground newspapers, blogs with kids articulating that they perceive their school to be unsafe. Also the increasing numbers of fights, gang activities, and disgruntled parents complaining that they see things in the school that are unsafe. So there are a lot of opportunities for schools to listen to the students and the parents alike, in order to increase safety.

Is there a way to predict which students may become violent?

It's very difficult to predict students that may become violent. Things like behavior changes, and students acting like they normally don't act. For example, rage and throwing things and fighting. The important thing is for teachers in schools to know their students and to know what's odd and to articulate their concerns with parents and parents articulate their concerns with the schools so that teachers and everyone will know what to look for.

What are the common characteristics of violent youth?

The common characteristics of violent youth are things like rage for seemingly minor reasons. Youth that are in gangs. Youth that have said they are carrying weapons or are reporting to have carried weapons. Other things include the youths expressing violence in writings. Of course, it must be contextual, but expressing violence in writing is one common thing. Also, a fascination with violence, guns, weapons and video games that promote guns and violence and weapons. The main thing is for students to be observed and looked at very closely, and any type of threat or behavioral changes should be followed up.

What are the common characteristics of school shootings?

It's really difficult to characterize school shootings, because most school shootings that are highly publicized don't fit the mould of common school shootings, which are things like gang violence and fights that escalate to a level of a shooting. Unfortunately, the incidents that we've seen in the media, Columbine and Virginia Tech, are very rare and they don't fit the common mould. However, they are very tragic, and we see increasingly things like students being loners. Although, those who have committed acts of violence in schools have not always been loners. Some of them are very social. It's very difficult to profile the characteristics of shootings, but there is a profile of a school that can have a violent incident, such as not having a safety plan, not having good parental involvement, or not having student input. Those are common characteristics of a school that could have a shooting. It's very important that schools take an approach of including community partners: mental health, public health, law enforcement, in creating a program that has the input of parents and students alike.

What are the most significant warning signs of violent behavior?

Significant warning signs for violent behaviour may be students who articulate violence or who want to commit some type of act of violence to other students and articulate that in writing. Also students who get angry really quickly, students who are depressed, show signs of depression, students who, you know, just may articulate to a teacher or to a counsellor that they don't feel happy, that they feel like they're being victimized, perceived feelings of unfairness in the school. These all contribute to a students thought of perhaps committing an act of violence, and the most important thing is don't ignore the signs. Schools, should be very, very careful in ensuring that they're listening to the students and that they're listening to the teachers, and any concern that they may have, that they need to be investigated and followed up.

How should a teacher handle disturbing school projects from a student?

The first thing a teacher should do is to make sure that any type of disturbing project is in context. Look at what you are asking the student to do or to write and make sure that the assignment is not out of context of what the student writes. If a teacher really feels concerned about a student, then it is very important that they address it with administration, school counsellors, a school psychologist and also with the parents. And it does beg a conversation with the student to see where they are mentally, and to provide some type of outreach and intervention to the student.

What are the early warning signs of violent behavior?

Some early warning signs could be things like persistent antisocial behavior. For example, students who are commonly social, but they're not so much social anymore. Other early warning signs are students who will drop out of extracurricular activities that they really love doing. Also, students complaining to the administration, about maybe being picked on, or bullied. Other warning signs could be other students going to the administration saying, "hey, we have a concern about this student", or parents, or the community, coming together and saying, "This child is in our community". Maybe a boy's or girl's club worker will go to the school administration and say, "We've seen some things that are disconcerting to us". The biggest thing is that teachers, councillors and school officials need to go with their gut reaction, and if they have any concerns about any student exhibiting any of the warning signs, they really need to get that student help immediately.

What are the signs that violence could be imminent?

Imminent warning signs are things like fire-setting. Also, a student may be showing cruelty to animals, or maybe to a pet in a classroom, and a teacher sees that a student is treating the animal inappropriately, or treating other students inappropriately. Other imminent warning signs include fighting, rage, or throwing things for minor reasons. Imminent warning signs can be things like bomb making, or fire-setting. At that point, you don't have a lot of time to talk to the students. You have to have a plan in place where these imminent warning signs are acted upon quickly, and perhaps involving law enforcement may be a way to get quick action.

How should a student showing warning signs of violent behavior be handled?

A school administrator should first contact the school counsellor, and if the school does not have a counsellor, then there needs to be some outreach into the community mental health service to provide services to the school. Also outreach to the parent. Share the concerns about that student to the parent. And the administrator needs to articulate observations - specific behaviour - specific things that that student exhibited that caused the concern. Whenever presenting anything like that to parents, and to community mental health, and to the school's mental health, it needs to be very specific and articulated in a manner by which people can act upon it and be as objective as possible. If it is imminent, then you do not have a lot of time to do any outreach to the child. If it is early warning signs, there is a lot of opportunity to provide outreach to the child. Maybe enrolling the child in a Boys and Girls Club. There is always an opportunity to provide outreach to the child. But it has to be appropriate, and then of course it has to be age appropriate, depending on the child's age. You would not want to provide outreach to a six year old if they are displaying the signs. Maybe their parents would be a better way to go. So it depends on what type of behaviour that child is exhibiting.

What are the four areas to consider in assessing potentially violent youth?

The four main areas that we look at in accessing potentially violent youth are areas such as the child's personality. What are the behaviors? Are they exhibiting any early or imminent warning signs? Other areas such as family areas are whether this child is exposed to domestic violence. Is the family partaking in any type of drug use? Is the child exposed to that? Other areas could be community. Is that child involved in any type of community programs? Are drugs available in the community? What community does this child live in? Another big area that we look at is their school. What are they doing in school? How are their grades? What are their activities? Are they participating in extracurricular activities? Do the schools have any concerns? Also, family members in those and other people that are in that child's life are important.

How should students identified as a threat to school safety be handled?

Well, first there needs to be a comprehensive threat assessment program in the school, which includes a multi-disciplinary approach to investigating any type of threat. That threat assessment team should consist of mental health, law enforcement, public health, a school administrator, a teacher, and anyone else in the school that's vital to that child's learning. Any threat should be investigated thoroughly. A threat assessment team should not only investigate the threat, but should also talk to the child, that maybe they made the threat too, or anyone around that student that may have heard the threat. But it is very, very important that each and every threat is investigated and also followed up.