The violent world in which we live presents a huge challenge to educational institutes.  Architects, security designers, school boards and parents all need to strike a balance between securing and protecting new and existing schools, while ensuring that they remain relatively open, pleasant and comfortable places to study. This article describes the "balancing act" between these very different needs, and suggests a number of approaches to security.

The Threats

Whilst the global threat of terrorism and homeland security is high on the public agenda, the threat from within is no less important, and acts of vandalism can be very damaging.  As has been seen in many cases around the world, universities and schools can harbor disillusioned students or even staff who would try to destroy from within.  Whereas private buildings or closed facilities can be protected relatively easily by making assumptions about the people who will be within the perimeter, by hardening physical elements, controlling access and establishing procedures, the open nature of educational establishments provides much more of a security challenge.

In any protection project, a comprehensive threat list is the first step that must be taken prior to designing a security and protection system.  When considering schools and educational compounds, this list is particularly important. A 'standard' threat list can never suffice even if this is what is supplied by the local law enforcement agency or other official or unofficial bodies.  The list must always be adapted to specific factors such as:

• The location of the campus.
• The demographics of the student body and staff
• The political environment in the country and on the campus
• Usage patterns of each building on the campus
• The socio-economic profile of the student body and of the surrounding communities.

Even when the list has been prepared to reflect current threats, thought must be given to expanding it to take into account possible future threats.

The following is a typical threat list which is recommended for consideration:

• Local vandalism (which starts with graffiti and destruction of furniture, and can finish with arson)
• Criminal acts (theft of equipment, theft of property – including research reports, which can progress to kidnapping and shooting)
• Hate crime (which starts with graffiti and can culminate in shooting)

• Acts of terrorism (car bomb, suicide bomber, arson, shooting)

As opposed to many other locations, an educational compound can be threatened by the people who have a legitimate reason to be there, and furthermore, they can use equipment that is already inside the compound to carry out their threats.

The Methodology

To detect and deter a potentially threatening act, or to mitigate the results of a successful attack, a holistic approach must be taken to security.  Only by considering all elements of a security plan, both separately and together, can an effective level of security be provided within a cost-effective budget.

The holistic approach to protection encompasses three key overlapping security domains:

The holistic approach focuses equally on each of these domains.  This ensures that buildings and campuses incorporate innovative security solutions which are highly effective but usually inconspicuous.  It also results in a protection plan which can be implemented within budgetary restraints, resulting in cost-effective solutions.

In an ideal world where there would be an unlimited security budget, a school or educational compound and its inhabitants can be protected against a wide range of threats.  In reality, however:

• Most facilities have limited budgets and are not sure how best to apply them.  (For example: to deter shooting, do we buy bulletproof glass, upgrade our access control system, or hire more guards?)
• Many facilities with larger budgets may end up looking like a fortress due to the excessive focus on physical elements, where other more subtle security solutions or procedures may suffice.

Security solutions must be designed to offer highly effective protection in a minimally intrusive package, within a reasonable budget.  When planning a new compound, most of the physical domain elements can be introduced into the architectural design with minimal visual disturbance, and at a relatively low cost.   Once this has been done, the need for monitoring or door controlling equipment, or guards at sensitive locations is minimized.

Security Rings

Every security project must relate to 3 rings of security deployed in three physical locations

Outer Ring:     This ring should be as far as possible from the buildings and is typically formed by the perimeter line .  Its purpose is to deter, prevent or delay intruders and protect from external threats.  It should also have elements to alert and inform the guards of incidents.

Yard Ring:      The area between the outer ring and the buildings is used to give the guards an external place to react to an incident.  It also helps them to evaluate the incident, and to slow it down.

Inner Ring:      The building envelope and inner area (openings and inner safe rooms) form the inner ring where access control is routinely employed.  This ring also acts as the last line of defense to stop intruders and criminals, and to protect the residents during an emergency event.

Design Issues

The following basic list of critical points must be incorporated into every educational compound security design.

• The design of new compound must originate with, and incorporate, an easily protected perimeter line.
• Practical open yard lighting and monitoring must be introduced and include an option for automatic detection of intruders.
• The design must include the minimum number of entry points to the area to be secured, and controlled emergency exit doors must be taken into account.  Such plans must incorporate any future plans to expand the area to be secured.
• The design must include the minimum number of light walls or transparent windows at ground level, or alternatively, use protected material and building methods.
• A floor or building should be dedicated to more sensitive equipment or research rooms including chemical laboratories and computer rooms.  This floor/building will incorporate extra security and protective elements.

The combination of a good perimeter and open yard security system, with inner protection for the more sensitive locations, and thorough security checking at the entrances, will provide optimum security at minimal cost and with minimal interference in the day-to-day operation of the facility.

The Open Campus

Open campuses provide a particular security challenge.  Such campuses are characterized by being spread out over a wide area, often within an urban environment, and with campus buildings separated by public roads or parks.   Clearly it is not possible to fence in or control access to such an area as a whole.  Nevertheless, the principles of the security rings combined with the 3 domains (Physical, Technological, and Human) still holds true, however extra care should be taken that the protection elements which are to be introduced are as inconspicuous and user-friendly as possible.

As recent tragic events have shown, while it is either difficult or impossible to prevent an attack by an insider who is intent on doing harm, it is both possible and necessary to contain the incident so that it does not spread into other locations. As a result of proper threat and risk analysis and security planning, a combination of procedures, technology and physical elements can be introduced to campus to ensure that incidents are identified quickly and contained physically until the first responders arrive.

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