Investigating School Shootings from 1996 to 2019 for Processes Needed to Prevent and Respond to Future School Shootings: A Case Study

Abstract

The negative impacts of school shootings include loss of life, injuries, loss of sense of security, increased vulnerability awareness, and physical damage. The response to a mass shooting event in a school often leads to panic. The problem addressed in this study is that school shootings in the U.S. are creating a sense that schools are unsafe and administrators are seeking ways to make school safe again. The purpose of this case study was to gather data on school shootings from 1996 to 2019 and analyze the data for processes needed in schools to prevent and respond to school shootings. The sample included all schools (56) and law enforcement agencies (56) in urban, suburban, and rural communities where school shootings occurred from 1996 to 2019.. Data were collected through a content analysis of publicly available documents. Study findings showed there is a varying amount of school safety and security information on school and law enforcement websites where school shootings occurred. To effectively mitigate the possibility of school shootings, future research should compare averted school shootings and completed school shootings so schools and law enforcement agencies can determine what measures are most effective for prevention.