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:

Part One: Estimated costs of courthouse security improvements
Part Two: Spending priorities
Part Three: Strategies for seeking the necessary funds
Part Four: Accountability and performance measures

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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:

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

18^th Judicial Circuit, Illinois, Security Presentation, 2004