A comprehensive resource on what lockdown drills are, why they are
necessary, and how best to conduct them.
The first book to offer a comprehensive examination of lockdown drills
in K-12 schools, Lockdown Drills balances research findings with
practical applications and implications. Schildkraut and Nickerson,
school safety experts with complementary backgrounds in criminology and
school psychology, review the historical precedents for lockdown drills,
distinguish school lockdowns from other emergency procedures (such as
active shooter drills), explain why they are conducted, present
evidence-based research on their effectiveness, and describe how to
conduct them according to best practices. Proponents of lockdown drills
as a life-saving necessity, the authors help to bring much-needed
standardization to how these drills are studied and conducted.
The authors present common arguments for and against the inclusion of
lockdown drills in emergency preparedness efforts, balancing their
discussion of the perceptions and psychological impacts of lockdown
drills with scholarly research on the extent to which lockdown drills
improve how effectively individuals respond to a potential threat.
Placing lockdown drills in the larger context of school safety and
preparedness, they examine the broader implications for policymakers.
Finally, they emphasize that drills, of which lockdowns are only one
type, are just a part of the complex school safety puzzle. Ensuring that
schools are safe places for students and educators begins long before a
crisis occurs and continues through the days, weeks, and years of
recovery following a crisis.
