NIJ Virtual Conference on School Safety

On February 16-18, 2021, the National Institute of Justice hosted the Virtual Conference on School Safety: Bridging Research to Practice to Safeguard Our Schools. The conference brought together researchers, educators, law enforcement, mental health professionals, from federal agencies, national and state school safety organizations, and others in an effort to disseminate key findings, provide firsthand accounts of implementing research into the field, and engage in conversation on how to better bridge research and practice.

The conference provided accounts of NIJ-funded projects to develop and evaluate efforts to improve the safety of students in K-12 schools. Projects addressed violence and victimization, student discipline, information gathering on threats, bullying, school climate, student trauma and mental health challenges, the role of school resource officers, and many others. These are just some of the topics covered during the conference. The presentations and discussions during the conference highlight what we have learned about the effectiveness of various school safety programs, successes and challenges faced during program implementation, the causes and consequences of school violence, and other relevant issues.

The projects discussed are among the approximately 100 that NIJ has funded through the Comprehensive School Safety Initiative and with funding from the STOP School Violence Act to improve the safety of our nation’s schools and students through rigorous research that produces practical knowledge.  

Watch Recorded Sessions