Recently we’ve been talking about the kidnapping case of Jaycee Dugard. This New York Times article illustrates just how easy it is for convicted sex offenders to slip through the cracks and underscores the importance of pre-screening, background checking and most importantly, thorough follow-through when it comes to the people who work with and around our children.
Schools and administrators in particular need help making sure the people allowed near students won’t hurt them. It’s a crucial task and it’s something administrators can’t do without the help of technology.
Offender registries alone will not protect children from potential predators, but technology like visitor identification management makes it possible for schools to connect with national databases to quickly cross-check criminal, sex-offender and internal watch lists to keep track of visitors entering and exiting school grounds.
Intrusion detection and video surveillance also help secure a campus during times when school isn’t in session, but students are still on campus.
Making sure students are safe shouldn’t end with technology alone. The key to keeping kids safe is integrating a well-rounded security plan and involving the community to make sure everyone knows school is secure and that the entire school community is dedicated to keeping it safe.
--By PSW Staff
