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                            Library & Multimedia
 Tip Lines for School Safety: A National Portrait of Tip Line Use
NCJ Number
              254576

Author(s)
          Michael Planty;
                        Duren Banks;
                        Christine Lindquist;
                        Joel Cartwright;
                        Amanda Witwer
Date Published

February 2020
Length
              16 pages
Annotation
              This report presents the methodology and findings of a survey on tip lines for school safety, which are structured systems that enable students, parents, school staff, or community members to use a variety of means to report information on perceived potential threats to school safety.
Abstract
              The survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 1,226 school principals to determine the prevalence of tip lines for school safety, types of schools that are more likely to use tip lines, ways in which tip lines are designed and implemented, challenges of operating tip lines, and perceived effectiveness of tip lines. The survey found that 51 percent of public middle and high schools currently have a tip line. Over half of tip lines ae staffed or monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; a staff member receives calls, texts, or other entries in real time. Most calls are anonymous. Principals perceive tip lines to be an effective school safety strategy; 50 percent report prevented violent incidents from tip lines, and two-thirds believed tip lines enabled their schools to respond more effectively to bullying. Seventy-three percent of respondents reported that tip lines had prevented incidents of self-harm or suicide. The most common challenges in operating tip lines were 1) receiving tips with insufficient information for preventive action; 2) increasing student awareness and use of tip lines; 3) identifying false or bogus submissions; 4) receiving tips for situations that are not within the scope of school security; and 5) raising community awareness of the existence, purpose, and scope of tip lines for school safety. 17 figures
      
  
          Additional Details
Grant Number(s)
        2017-CK-BX-0004


  
  
        
  Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored


  
  
        
  Publication Type
        Survey
                                Report (Study/Research)
                                Report (Grant Sponsored)
                                Program/Project Evaluation
                                Program/Project Description
                                Issue Overview


  
  
        
  Award
        Assessment of National and State Tip Line Technology as a Strategy for Identifying Threats to School Safety
    
  
  
Date Published: February 1, 2020
    
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Related Datasets
        
                      https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR38329.v1
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