Analysis of physical and psychological safety strategies in schools and their impact on student protection and safety
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19238790Keywords:
physical safety, psychological safety, violence prevention, student protectionAbstract
School safety is a key factor in a successful educational process and encompasses both the physical and psychological dimensions of student protection. Physical safety includes measures such as facility access control, surveillance of school premises, security protocols, and clearly defined procedures for responding to crises (e.g., evacuation, actions in the event of a threat, violence, or an accident). These measures serve a preventive function by reducing the likelihood of incidents, but they also serve as an operational mechanism that enables employees to respond quickly and coordinate their efforts. However, physical protection alone is insufficient if a culture of safety is not built and students do not feel a sense of belonging, support, and trust in the school environment. This paper aimed to analyze physical safety strategies in schools and their impact on student protection, as well as psychological strategies that contribute to the prevention of emotional risks and the reduction of violence. The methodology used included an analysis of relevant literature and the application of the theory of authoritative school climate, which emphasizes the importance of a combination of clear rules, consistent discipline, and supportive teacher-student relationships. Special emphasis was placed on psychological aspects of safety, such as developing social-emotional competencies, strengthening communication, resolving conflicts nonviolently, and creating a supportive atmosphere in which students feel seen and respected. The results show that schools with strong physical security strategies reduce violence and risky behaviors. In contrast, psychological strategies, such as healthier interpersonal relationships and emotional safety, have a significant impact on academic achievement and the reduction of mental health problems. The conclusion suggests that the most effective approach is an integrated approach that combines organizational and technical measures with pedagogical and psychological interventions. In practice, this means that security protocols and infrastructure solutions should be complemented by systematic violence prevention programs, peer mediation, teamwork among professional services, and continuous education for teachers to recognize early signs of risky behavior and provide support to students. Also, involving parents and the local community in security initiatives further strengthens the school's resilience against various threats. A comprehensive model that simultaneously builds a safe infrastructure and a positive school climate contributes to a safer, healthier, and more stimulating school environment and, thus, to a higher-quality education for students.
Downloads
References
1. Adzkiya, U., Nurdin, N., Fittria, A., & Nihayah, U. (2023). Perceptions of Youth Religious Understanding of Natural Disaster Resistance and Preparedness. KnE Soc. Sci, 8, 229–238. https://kneopen.com/kne-social/article/view/13333/
2. Anderson, R.E. (2022). Teachers' perceptions of positive behavior intervention supports and student safety perceptions (Doctoral dissertation). Vermillion: University of South Dakota. https://red.library.usd.edu/diss-thesis/313/
3. Bauerline, A.L. (2022). Teachers’ Perceptions of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Practices in a K–6 Elementary School. Pennsylvania: Faculty of Immaculata University. https://library.immaculata.edu/Dissertation/digitalB/Doc922BauerlineL2022.pdf
4. Baumsteiger, R., Hoffmann, J.D., Castillo-Gualda, R., & Brackett, M.A. (2022). Enhancing school climate through social and emotional learning: Effects of RULER in Mexican secondary schools. Learning Environments Research, 25(2), 465–483. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-021-09374-x
5. Bokkel, I. M., Roorda, D. L., Maes, M., Verschueren, K., & Colpin, H. (2022). The role of affective teacher–student relationships in bullying and peer victimization: A multilevel meta-analysis. School Psychology Review, 52(2), 110–129. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2022.2029218
6. Bradshaw, C. P., Cohen, J., Espelage, D. L., & Nation, M. (2021). Addressing achool safety through comprehensive school climate approaches. School Psychology Review, 50(2– 3), 221–236. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2021.1926321
7. Cornell, D. G., Mayer, M. J., & Sulkowski, M. L. (2021). History and future of school safety research. School Psychology Review, 50(2-3), 143–157. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2020.1857212
8. Curran, F.C., Viano, S., Kupchik, A., & Fisher, B.W. (2022). Do interactions with school resource officers predict students’ likelihood of being disciplined and feelings of safety? Mixed-methods evidence from two school districts. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 43(2), 200–232.
9. Cvetković, V. M., Nikolić, N., & Lukić, T. (2024). Exploring students’ and teachers’ insights on school-based disaster risk reduction and safety: A case study of Western Morava Basin, Serbia. Safety, 10(2), 50.
10. Cvetković, V. (2015): Factors affecting the knowledge and perception of secondary school students in Belgrade about natural disasters caused by landslides, Bezbednost, 57(1), p. 32-50.
11. Cvetković, V. (2026). Upravljanje rizicima od katastrofa: teorija, koncepti i metode [Disaster Risk Management: Theory, Concepts and Methods]. Scientific-Professional Society for Disaster Risk Management, Belgrade.
12. Cvetković, V.M., Janković, B., & Milojević. S. (2016). Security among students in school buildings during natural disasters. Ecologica, 84, 809–814.
13. Dada, K. S. J., Mohammed, H. A., Mallam, D., & Ajayi, E. O. (2025). Security of information resources in Federal College of Education libraries in Northwest Nigeria. International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies, 1(1), 85–98. https://doi.org/10.18485/fb_ijcss.2025.1.1.7
14. Daily, M.S., Mann, J,M,, Lilly, L.C., Dyer, M.A., Smith, L.M., & Kristjansson, L.A. (2020). School Climate as an Intervention to Reduce Academic Failure and Educate the Whole Child: A Longitudinal Study. J Sch Health, 90(3), 182-193. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31903632/
15. Edwards, E. C. (2021). Centering race to move towards an intersectional ecological framework for defining school safety for black students. School Psychology Review, 50(2–3), 254–273. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2021.1930580
16. Fisher, B. W., & Devlin, D. N. (2020). School crime and the patterns of roles of school resource officers: Evidence from a national longitudinal study. Crime & Delinquency, 66(11), 1606–1629. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011128719875702
17. Fredrick, S. S., J. McClemont, A., N. Jenkins, L., & Kern, M. (2021). Perceptions of emotional and physical safety among boarding students and associations with school bullying. School Psychology Review, 50(2–3), 441–453. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2021.1873705
18. Grmuša, A., & Hong, J. S. (2024). Preventing and reducing bullying victimization in high schools: Which works better? Physical or psychological safety measures. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 34(2), 139–152. https://doi.org/10.1177/20556365241236607
19. Hebib, E. & Žunić-Pavlović, V. (2018). School climate and school culture: A framework for creating school as a safe and stimulating environment for learning and development. Journal of Institute for Educational Research, 50(1), 113–134. https://doi.org/10.2298/ZIPI1801113H
20. Janković, L., Cvetković, V. M., Gačić, J., Renner, R., & Jakovljević, V. (2025). Integrating psychosocial support into emergency and disaster management and public safety: The role of the Red Cross of Serbia. International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies, 1(1), 99–124. https://doi.org/10.18485/fb_ijcss.2025.1.1.8
21. Khan, A. A., Rana, I. A., & Najam, F. A. (2020). Assessing school safety against natural and human-made hazards: A case study of Gilgit city, Pakistan. Journal of Geography and Social Sciences, 2(2), 133–147.
22. Kim, H., Carlson, J., & Nelson, S. (2021). Towards a Three-Dimensional Hardening of Schools to PromoteEffective School Safety Practices in the United States: ASystematic Review. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(8), 147-162.
23. Klevan, S. (2021). Building a positive school climate through restorative practices. Learning Policy Institute, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.54300/178.861.
24. Kloo, M., Thornberg, R., & Wänström, L. (2023). Classroom-level authoritative teaching and its associations with bullying perpetration and victimization. Journal of School Violence, 22(2), 276–289. https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2023.2180746
25. Lamoreaux, D., & Sulkowski, M. L. (2020). An alternative to fortified schools: Using crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) to balance student safety and psychological well-being. Psychology in the Schools, 57, 152–165. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22301
26. Lamoreaux, D.J., & Sulkowski, M.L. (2021). Crime Prevention through Environmental Design in schools: Students' perceptions of safety and psychological comfort. Psychology in the Schools, 58(3), 475–493. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pits.22459
27. Lazarus, P. J. & Sulkowski, M. L. (2024). Leadership for safe schools: The three pillars approach to supporting students’ mental health. New York: Routledge.
28. Lewno-Dumdie, B. M., Mason, B. A., Hajovsky, D. B., & Villeneuve, E. F. (2020). Student- report measures of school climate: A dimensional review. School Mental Health, 12(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-019-09340-2
29. Longobardi, C., Settanni, M., Lin, S., & Fabris, M.A. (2021). Student-teacher relationship quality and prosocial behaviour: The mediating role of academic achievement and a positive attitude towards school. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(2), 547–562. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12378
30. Maier, S.L., & DePrince, B.T. (2020). College students’ fear of crime and perception of safety: The influence of personal and university prevention measures. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 31(1), 63-81. https://www.safetylit.org/citations/index.php?fuseaction=citations.viewdetails&citationIds[]=citjournalarticle_648896_1481.
31. Mann, A., & Brock, S. E. (2020). Analysis of safety policy making: Implications for school psychologists. Contemporary School Psychology, 24(3), 279–294. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-020-00297-7
32. Metić, A. (2024). The role and importance of teachers in reducing the risk of natural disasters. Proceedings of the Scientific and Professional Society for Risk Management in Emergency Situations, 3(1), 16–27.
33. Metić, A. (2025a). The Significance and Role of Police Officers in Building the School as a Safe Environment for All Students. International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies, Vol. 1, No. 1, 17-24. https://doi.org/10.18485/fb_ijcss.2025.1.1.2
34. Metić, A. (2025b). A Holistic Approach to Multidimensional Aspect of School Safety. International Journal of ContemporarySecurity Studies, 1(2). pp. 1-8.
35. Milićević, M.Š., Stanković, S., Niklić, D., Babić, U., Rakić, Lj., Todorović, J., & Šupć-Terzić, Z. (2022). The school environment-related predictors of fights and bullying among School-Age Children in Serbia. Children, 9(10), 1502. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9594091/
36. Mubita, K. (2021). Understanding school safetyand security: Conceptualization and definitions. Journal of Lexicography and Terminology, 5(1), 76–86.
37. Portt, E., Person, S., Person, B., Rawana, E., & Brownlee, K. (2020). Empathy and positive aspects of adolescent peer relationships: A scoping review. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29(1), 2416–2433. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01753-x
38. Sonmez, E.D., & Gokmenoglu, T. (2023). Understanding the teachers' disaster preparedness beliefs. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 85, 103511. Sorensen, L.C., Avila-Acosta, M., Engberg, J.B., & Bushway, S.D. (2023). The thin blue line in schools: New evidence on school-based policing across the U.S. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 42(4), 941 970. https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.22498
39. Tadić, V. (2022). On approaches to defining and operationalizing the concept of safety in school. Teaching and education, 71(2), 249–266. https://doi.org/10.5937/nasvas2202249T
40. Tadić, V., & Kordić, B. (2024). School climate as a safety factor in secondary schools. Teaching and education, 73(1), 5–20. https://doi.org/10.5937/nasvas2401005T
41. Zacharia, M.G., & Yablon, B.Y. (2021). School bullying and students’ sense of safety in school: the moderating role of school climate. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 37(1), 190–202.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Admir Metić (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
By submitting a manuscript to the Scientific and Professional Conference ‘‘Predrag Marić‘‘, Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade, authors acknowledge and agree to the following copyright terms and conditions:
-
Author Rights and Ownership
- Authors retain the copyright to their submitted work. However, by submitting their manuscript, authors grant the Scientific and Professional Conference ‘‘Predrag Marić‘‘, Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade a non-exclusive right to publish, distribute, and archive the work in any format (print, digital, or electronic).
- Authors are free to share, reproduce, and distribute their published work, provided proper credit is given to the original publication in this journal.
-
Licensing and Open Access Policy
- The journal publishes under the [insert applicable license, e.g., Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY)], which allows others to share and adapt the work with appropriate attribution.
- Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submission complies with the journal's licensing terms and does not violate any third-party rights.
-
Originality and Permissions
- The submitted work must be original and not previously published or under consideration elsewhere.
- If the manuscript includes copyrighted materials (e.g., figures, tables, excerpts), authors must obtain the necessary permissions for reproduction and provide appropriate attribution.
-
Author Warranties
- By submitting, authors confirm that their work does not infringe on any intellectual property rights, is free from plagiarism, and adheres to ethical publishing standards.
- The journal is not responsible for any legal disputes arising from copyright infringement, misrepresentation, or unauthorized use of third-party materials.
-
Editorial and Publication Rights
- Scientific and Professional Conference ‘‘Predrag Marić‘‘, Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade reserves the right to make editorial modifications to ensure clarity, consistency, and compliance with journal standards.
- If accepted, the manuscript will be published online and made publicly available according to the journal’s open-access policy.
By proceeding with submission, authors confirm that they have read and agreed to the terms outlined in this Copyright Notice.
