Cultural‐competence considerations for contemporary school‐based threat assessment

Abstract

Threat‐assessment procedures are advanced for their utility in reducing racial disparities in punitive and exclusionary school discipline outcomes. Generally unexamined, however, is bias in who gets referred for school‐based threat assessment and under what circumstances. Cultural‐competence considerations hold promise for addressing sources of bias in the evaluation of threats made in the school setting. Using a quantitative approach, this systematic literature review examines the degree to which contemporary cultural‐competence considerations are embedded in 24 school‐based threat‐assessment articles published between 2007 and 2017. Results indicate generally poor coverage of considerations for cultural competence both within and across threat‐assessment articles. An analysis of change in cultural‐competence considerations by year of publication suggests that more recently published threat‐assessment literature has generally not integrated concurrent advancements in concepts of cultural competence. Preliminary guidance for incorporating contemporary cultural‐competence considerations into school‐based threat‐assessment procedures are provided.

Filling the void: Questioning the notion of objective threat assessment and management.

“…The problem at this point in the profession is there is a complete lack of data available to ascertain whether or not any changes can improve the practice. While the use of threat assessment methodologies in the K-12 school system was found to reduce racial bias in punishment and expulsion; we do not know much, if anything about bias in referral of students (O'Malley et al, 2019). There are no commensurate studies or data sets regarding adult threat assessment.…”

Special issue on cultural responsiveness in threat assessment.

“…Despite growing awareness of the impact of cultural variables on the interpretation of human behavior, TAM literature has yet to investigate these factors in a substantive way relative to parallel disciplines. For example, an analysis of change in cultural competence considerations by year of publication suggests that more recently published threat assessment literature has generally not integrated concurrent advancements in concepts of cultural competence (O'Malley et al, 2019). These two examples highlight the need for more research that bolsters our understanding of how cultural factors affect threat assessment.…”

“…In preparation for this introduction, the authors looked at research on cultural competence and implicit bias within the threat assessment process. Only a few articles were found, with the focus on threat assessment in primary and secondary schools (e.g., O’Malley et al, 2019; Ross et al, 2022). The dearth of information in this area creates difficulties in evaluating the impact of bias in the threat assessment process, as well as how cultural responsiveness can be of assistance.…”

Extensiveness of the Procedures Followed by Science Teachers in Preparing School Based Assessment Tools for Science Subjects in Secondary Schools in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

“…Higher numbers of science teachers who had never attended seminars at all and schools had never conducted seminars on SBA practices could be emergent new culture in science teaching found in secondary schools. The study by O'Malley et al, (2019) emphasized administrators to get rid of such bad emergent culture in SBA practices before it becomes a habit. This implies that science teachers were ready to attend seminars that can improve their SBA practices.…”