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.

Upon notification by police, the principal evacuated the building and had it searched. No bombs were found in the building. After the staff identified the students involved in the threat, the police searched their homes for evidence of bomb making materials. The two students admitted making the phone call, but insisted that they had no intention of actually setting off bombs in the school. After a thorough investigation, both law enforcement investigators and school authorities concluded that the threat was intended as a prank and that neither of the students had engaged in any behaviors such as obtaining information about bombs or acquiring materials that could be used to make a bomb.

Since no bomb materials were found and the students made the threat as a prank, the threat was classified as transient. However, this incident was a severe violation of school code as well as a criminal act, which resulted in the arrest and expulsion of both students.

Shannon and Steve finished the school year in alternative educational settings. Although Shannon successfully completed the year and later returned to the regular high school setting, Steve continued to have considerable behavioral difficulty and remained in the alternative program. Both students were fined and placed on probation for one year by the juvenile court.

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

Click here for more information about our Guidelines.

Click here for another case example.