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Security Solutions in Education
26 Oct 2004
Vandalism in schools
Vandalism and graffiti account for the majority of individual criminal incidents within the school environment – but reports of incidents decreasing by up to 90% are common where CCTV cameras have been installed.
Arson in schools
According to the DfES, 75% of all fires reported in schools are as the result of Arson. 1 in 15 schools are likely to suffer a fire. 75% of all fires reported in schools are as the result of Arson and over 70% of school fires are started deliberately (DFEE). On an average day three schools in the UK suffer an arson attack. There are some 1400 incidents annually, costing £43 million. Arson attack may be the result of simple vandalism but others may be the result of efforts to conceal evidence of another crime such as burglary. In 2000 the costs of fires to schools amounted to around £65m. These are frightening statistics. Most Arson attacks happen out of hours, when the risk of damage the property is increased, but the likelihood of causing harm to people is low. When school hours are extended there is an increased risk that buildings could be occupied by staff and students when fire breaks out.
In the late 1980’s around half of school fires were caused by arson. By the mid 1990’s nearly 70% of all fires were started deliberately. Fires in schools often become major due to the design of the buildings and the absence of anyone on the premises during the hours of darkness and school holidays.
The trends in malicious school fires can be seen from the data below:
UK Statistics
1989 ~ 1017
1990 ~ 1013
1991 ~ 1103
1992 ~ 1063
1993 ~ 1132
1994 ~ 1312
1995 ~ 1322
1996 ~ 1239
1997 ~ 1066
1998 ~ 856
1999 ~ 929
Source: Home Office
A study of school fires in 1995, undertaken by the Arson Prevention Bureau, found that:
• 75% of school fires were the result of malicious fires causing £31 million worth of damage, or two thirds of the total cost of fire damage to schools.
• Just 9 malicious fires caused over £13 million in damage in schools, with one arson attack alone causing a loss of £2.5 million.
• The fire brigade was only called to 45% of the fires. A large number of malicious fires in schools are not reported. However, the cost of these unreported fires is unlikely to be very large.
• Only 15% of schools are secondary schools, but they accounted for 45% of all malicious fires. In contrast, around a half of school arson attacks in 1995 were carried out on primary schools, although they represent around 80% of schools in the UK.
• Around 10% of schools, which had a fire, experienced more than one arson attack. Secondary and special schools were more likely to have more than one malicious fire compared to primary schools.
• 61% of malicious school fires occurred outside the 8 am to 4pm time period. Arson attacks were most common between 6pm and 10pm, particularly for primary schools. A high level of malicious fires in secondary schools also occurred in the afternoon period between 1pm and 3pm.
• From a sample of schools who recorded a fire, around one-third reported the evidence of someone trying to start a fire in the 12 months leading up to the recorded fire. In the same 12 month period, 84% stated that they had experienced at least one incidence of theft, criminal damage, or burglary. Of those schools who had recorded a fire, some 35% had subsequently experienced another fire.
The Prevention of arson in schools - Responsibilities.
With schools that are maintained by the local education authority, responsibility for fire safety is usually shared between the authority, the governing body and the head-teacher.
Between them they must ensure that fire precautions in such premises comply with all relevant health and safety legislation, including regulation 17 of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 (see F.S.C.13/2000). This requires that every part of a school building, and of the land provided for a school, shall be such that the safe escape of the occupants in the case of fire is reasonably assured.
Particular regard is given to:
• The likely rate at which flames would spread across exposed surfaces;
• Resistance to fire of the structures and of the materials of which the structures are made, and their other properties;
• The means of escape in case of fire
With these schools, the local education authority assumes responsibility for the installation and maintenance of the fire alarm systems and structural fire integrity of the buildings.
In independent schools, responsibility for fire safety generally rests with the proprietor, who is required to register the school under section 465 of the Education Act 1996. Registration will depend, amongst other things, on the provision and maintenance of adequate for precautions
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