In response to the Virginia Tech incident on April 16,
2007, former cabinet Secretaries Michael Leavitt and Margaret Spellings,
and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales submitted the Report to
the President on Issues Raised by the Virginia Tech Tragedy dated June
13, 2007. The report included a recommendation that the U.S. Secret
Service (Secret Service), the U.S. Department of Education, and the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) explore the issue of violence at
institutions of higher education (IHEs). Accordingly, we initiated a
collaborative effort to understand the nature of this violence and
identify ways of preventing future attacks that would affect our
nation’s colleges and universities.
This effort was implemented through the Secret
Service’s National Threat Assessment Center, the Department of
Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, and the FBI’s
Behavioral Analysis Unit. The project drew from the Secret Service’s
experience in studying threat assessment and the prevention of targeted
violence; the Department of Education’s expertise in helping schools
facilitate learning through the creation of safe environments for
students, faculty, and staff; and, the FBI’s threat assessment and
investigative expertise.
The goal of this collaborative endeavor was to
understand the scope of the problem of targeted violence at IHEs. To
that end, this report offers preliminary findings from a review of 272
incidents of violence that affected IHEs in the United States from 1900
through 2008. We addressed fundamental questions regarding where, when,
and how these incidents occurred, and captured information concerning
the offenders and their relationship to the IHEs. When possible, we also
identified factors that may have motivated or triggered the attacks.
We strived to create a product that will be useful
for threat assessment and campus safety professionals charged with
identifying, assessing, and managing violence risk at IHEs. These law
enforcement, mental health, student affairs, and legal professionals
provide an incredible service under unique and often challenging
circumstances. Ensuring the safety of college and university
communities—some of which resemble small cities—is a daunting task. Navigating the intricacies of privacy laws, preserving
academic
freedoms, complying with civil rights laws, and simultaneously ensuring a
safe campus and workplace environment are tasks not easily
accomplished. We hope that this preliminary report contributes to that
effort.
The Secret Service, the Department of Education, and
the FBI are keenly aware of the profound and devastating physical,
emotional, and psychological injuries that result from acts of violence
against IHE community members and their effect on the nation as a whole.
Through our collaboration, we are working to better understand what
drives individuals to carry out acts of violence and ultimately how to
prevent them in the future.
Attributions: Drysdale, D., Modzeleski, W., and Simons, A. (2010). Campus Attacks:
Targeted Violence Affecting Institutions of Higher Education. U.S.
Secret Service, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Safe and
Drug-Free Schools, U.S. Department of Education, and Federal Bureau of
Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice. Washington, D.C., 2010.
