Courage2Report anonymous safety tip line sees increase in 2023-2024 school year
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri State Highway Patrol's anonymous safety tip line, Courage2Report saw an increase of reports in the 2023-2024 school year.
In the 2023-2024 school year, Courage2Report received 1,268 tips, with the most reported tip being bullying at 232 compared to 220 the previous school year. The threat to kill was the second most reported type with a 31.78% increase.
In the MSHP activity summary:
- 1 out of 4 teens are bullied
- 5.4 million students stay home on any given day out of fear of being bullied
- A poll of teens ages 12-17 proved that they think violence has increased at their schools
- 1/3 of students surveyed said they heard another student threaten to kill someone
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) funded a randomized controlled trial in Miami, which found that students at schools with an anonymous reporting system experienced 13.5% fewer violent incidents than students at schools without it.
In most planned school attacks, at least one person close to the attacker knows about their plan before it happens. The NIJ says a "code of silence" often prevents students from reporting a classmate. Courage2Reports and other systems now allow students to share their concerns anonymously.
Anyone can use Courage2Report and they can call, text, go online or download the mobile app.
