SPECIAL TRAINING PROGRAMS
NCSC is offering Improving Limited Jurisdiction on May 2-3, 2013 in Phoenix, Ariz. The workshop is designed to focus on systemic change and practical plans tailored to the participants. Read more.
More training is offered in May, in improving business-process reengineering. Get the details.
William Raftery
Continuity of Court Operations (COOP)
The Judicial Internet Privacy Protection Enhancement Act (Calif.)
Latest news on Emergency Preparedness
See how the Louisiana courts prepared for Hurricane Isaac in September 2012 and averted serious problems as a result of their Emergency Preparedness planning following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The Louisiana document contains a best practices template and an in-depth look at the steps they took to develop a success plan:
NCSC Disaster Preparedness - Louisiana Summary
Louisiana’s template on emergency preparedness best practices
Court building security: Guidelines for best practices
Operating a court building today is by its very nature a risky business. Day in and day out, court buildings are visited by a large volume of disgruntled and even lawbreaking citizens. Moreover, court buildings can be seen as an important symbolic target for those who wish to wreak mischief or terror.
In an effort to assist courts in the development and implementation of effective measures for court building security, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) has developed Steps to Best Practices, which sets forth guidelines for what constitutes best practices in various areas of court building security.
In addition to Steps, the NCSC's Guidelines for Implementing Best Practices in Court Building Security offers the following:
Phases: These are logical groupings of steps forming a temporary plateau in terms of security measures in place.
Topics: These are the subject areas into which steps in phases are organized.
Categories: These are sets of topics. There are four categories listed in priority order. (Note: Topics within each category are listed in alphabetical rather than priority order.)
* Category A. These are fundamental topics that must be addressed first in order to provide a base on which to place all of the others.
* Category B: These are topics that are critical topics to address.
* Category C: These are topics that are essential topics to address.
* Category D: These are topics that are important to address.
Read more >
COOP
COOP stands for continuity of operations; courts develop a COOP plan to ensure they know what to do if faced with an emergency that threatens continuation of normal operations. Traditionally, a COOP plan is developed and implemented for situations in which the courthouse or court-related facilities are threatened or inaccessible (e.g., as a result of a natural or man-made disaster). A traditional COOP plan establishes effective processes and procedures to quickly deploy pre-designated personnel, equipment, vital records and supporting hardware and software to an alternative site to sustain organizational operations for up to 30 days. It also covers the resumption of normal operations after the emergency has ended.
State Courthouse Operations and Security Statistics Survey: Development and Design
This BJS-funded pilot project will develop data collection instruments and methodology to evaluate court security. Judges, employees, and others who work in or must use our nation’s courthouses are collectively at potential risk of becoming victims of hostile acts, including harassment, threats, physical attacks, and even death.
Who is at risk? How serious is the danger? How frequently do attacks occur? These and similar questions must be answered so that appropriate steps can be taken to insure that courts remain safe forums for the impartial resolution of disputes. Information about the most fundamental characteristics of courthouse violence and the counter-measures that courts have taken in response to real or perceived violence remains elusive, to the detriment of those who seek to develop effective policies and procedures to guarantee courthouse security.
Past projects > 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004
2012
Security Improvements and Courthouse Assessment for the Alaska Court System (SJI Grant), 2012
Court Security and Technology Planning for the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community (subcontractor to Gould Evans), 2012
Courthouse Security Review for the Twenty-third Judicial District of Louisiana (Gonzales), 2012
Courthouse Security Review for the Thirty-sixth Judicial District of Louisiana (DeRidder), 2012
Security Assessment of Charles County, Maryland, Circuit Courthouse, 2012
Improve Security at Court Facilities for the Fourth Judicial District, Minnesota, 2012
Courthouse Security Assessment of Cibolo, Texas, Municipal Court, 2012
2011
Dual State Coordinated Court Security Training for Judges, Court Staff and the Court Security Officers in the Indiana and Maryland Court Systems (SJI Grant), 2011
Assistance with Determining Best Practices for Court Security and Threat Reporting for the California Administrative Office of the Courts, 2011
Security Review to Satisfy Requirements of the New Jersey Model Security Plan for the Vicinage of Essex, New Jersey, 2011
2010
Courthouse Security Assessment for the Municipal Court of Mesa, Arizona, 2010
Courthouse Security Assessment for Judiciary for State of Hawaii (SJI Grant), 2010
Courthouse Building Security Assessment for the Fourth Judicial District, Omaha, Nebraska (SJI Grant), 2010
Reassessment Security Analysis for the Maryland Judiciary, Administrative Office of the Courts, 2010
2009
U.S. Marshal’s Service Court Security Seminar III (SJI Grant), 2009
Review of Inmate Holding, Court Security Standards, and Courthouse Facility Standards for the Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County, 2009
Building Security Assessment for the Maricopa County, Arizona, Superior Court, 2009
Courthouse Security Needs Assessment for the Supreme Court of Louisiana, Office of the Judicial Administrator, 2009
Training for U.S. Marshal’s Service (Follow-up Program) (SJI Grant) Security Assessment and Strategic Planning Services for the Oregon Judicial Department, 2009
Courthouse Entry and Security Screening Operations Assessment of the Accomack Circuit Court, Second Judicial Circuit Accomac, Virginia (TechnicalAssistance), 2009
Creation of a Self Help Video to Assist Courts with a Pandemic Flu Epidemic “COOP Planning: Maintaining the Rule of Law—Planning for a Pandemic within an All-Hazards Context” (SJI Grant), 2009
Continuity of Operations (COOP) Consulting Services for the District of Columbia Courts, 2009
Assistance in Planning and Conducting Three Emergency Management and Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) Training Summits for the Georgia Administrative Office of Courts, 2009
Develop and Test an Emergency Response and Continuity of Operations Plan for the Vermont Supreme Court, 2009
2008
Training for U.S. Marshal’s Service (Pilot Program) (SJI Grant), 2008
Court Security Practices for the Superior Court of Maricopa County, Arizona Court Tower Building, 2008
Review Screening Areas at the Main and West Entrances of the Central Courts Building for the Superior Court of Maricopa County, Arizona, 2008
Review of Court Security Manuals for the Superior Court of Maricopa County, Arizona, 2008
Review Court Security Training Programs for Judges, Court Staff, and Court Security Officers for the Superior Court of Maricopa County, Arizona, 2008
Develop a Curriculum for Training Court Security Officers and Provide Initial Training for a Core Group for the Supreme Court of Arkansas, Administrative Office of the Courts, 2008
Security Assessment for the Sheriff’s Department, County of San Diego California (Ten Courthouses), 2008
Security Assessment of the Supreme Judicial Court, John Adams Courthouse, Boston, Massachusetts, 2008
Provide Training on Development and Implementing Emergency Preparedness and Security Plans for the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts, 2008
Review Policies and Guidelines on Emergency Preparedness and Security for the Supreme Court of Arkansas, 2008
Emergency Preparedness Training for the New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts, 2008
2007
Court Security Assessment for Orange County Superior Court (Santa Ana), California (Nine Courthouses), 2007
Court Security and Disaster Recovery Standards Development Project for the Kansas Judicial Branch, 2007
Emergency Preparedness Consulting for the Texas Supreme Court, 2007
Review of the Disaster Preparedness and Continuity of Operations Plan for the New Hampshire Judicial Branch (Technical Assistance), 2007
Review of Emergency Preparedness Plans for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court, Florida, 2007
Review of Emergency Preparedness Standards for the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (Technical Assistance), 2007
Review of Emergency Response Plans for the Department of Public Safety, State of New York Unified Court System (Technical Assistance), 2007
Security Assessment of the Municipal Court of Atlanta, Georgia, 2007
2006
Courthouse Security Assessment for the Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts (37 Courthouses/buildings), 2006
Personal Safety Training and Courtroom Staff Training for Judges in Essex and Middlesex Vicinages, New Jersey, 2006
Personal Safety Training for Judges and State Court Staff for the Fulton County, Georgia State Court, 2006
Security Assessment of Courthouses in Harris County (Houston), Texas (Six Courthouses), 2006
Security Review and Facilites Assessment for Snohomish County (Everett), Washington (Three Courthouses), 2006
Courthouse and Courtroom Security Review for the Fulton County, Georgia Superior Court, Fifth Judicial District (Three Courthouses) 2006
2005
General Physical Security Review for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court Dade County (Miami), Florida (Ten Courthouses), 2005
Organizational Assessment of the Marshal’s Division for Seattle, Washington Municipal Court, 2005
Overland Park (Kansas) Municipal Court Facility Security Renovation Planning Project, 2005
2004
18th Judicial Circuit, Illinois, Security Presentation, 2004