At a glance
- This page provides summaries of recent research related to preventing school shootings, other firearm injuries, and suicide using technology.
- Online anonymous reporting systems or "tip lines" in schools can potentially prevent school shootings, firearm violence, and youth suicide.
- Confidential texting-based crisis lines can help provide young people critical mental health services to prevent suicide, including firearm suicide.
Overview
More than 60% of states now use statewide anonymous reporting systems or confidential tip-lines as tools to prevent firearm violence and suicide. Confidential and anonymous messaging platforms allow young people to report concerning behaviors or experiences with violence.
Studies show that people are more comfortable looking for support through confidential or anonymous platforms than by talking to someone. It reduces fear of negative consequences for speaking up.1,2 People now widely use texting-based crisis lines to get crisis and counseling support. This technology allows young people to discuss concerns more easily and receive confidential support.
In the following studies, CDC-funded researchers answered key questions related to using technology to prevent violence and suicide. They examined how information received by school-based anonymous reporting systems for firearm-related concerns help prevent firearm violence or suicide among students. Additionally, researchers looked at how mental health crisis counselors respond to text conversations that mention firearms.
Terms to know
The Say Something Anonymous Report System is a school-based system for students in sixth through 12th grades. It allows students to submit tips about incidents or concerning behaviors like threats or use of weapons. Students can submit tips through an app, online, or using a hotline. The National Crisis Center receives the tips.
Trained counselors at the center review the tips. They determine how urgent the tip is, with the most urgent classified as "life safety" tips. Then they send information to the school, emergency services, or the police. School personnel train as a response team on how to use the platform.
Crisis Text Line is a non-profit company that provides confidential crisis counseling by trained volunteer mental health counselors through text messaging. The service is available 24/7. Most people who use Crisis Text Line are U.S. residents under 25 years old. People can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
Key Findings
Researchers at the University of Michigan looked at data from one state's Say Something Anonymous Report System. Researchers collected data from 103 school districts and 156 charter schools over four years (2019-2023).
During this time, students reported 18,024 unique tips. Almost 10% of the reports involved reference to a firearm. Over half (61%) of firearm-related tips were about potential school shootings (38%) or seeing or knowing about a weapon (23%). Other firearm-related tips included:
- interpersonal violence
- bullying or cyberbullying
- suicide
- a planned fight or assault
- gang violence
- harassment or intimidation
Counselors classified more than half of firearm-related tips as life-safety events. Overall, during the four-year time period, the reporting system:
- identified the need for 1,039 mental health interventions.
- prevented 109 suicide crises.
- stopped 38 acts of violence in schools (including finding weapons on school grounds).
- prevented six planned school attacks.
Researchers at RTI International looked at data from more than 3.2 million conversations between people anonymously texting Crisis Text Line and trained volunteer counselors from September 2018 to July 2022. Over 85,000 conversations mentioned firearms.
Researchers compared how often certain topics came up in conversations that mentioned firearms versus those that didn't. They found that the most common topic in conversations mentioning firearms was suicide.
In fact, conversations that mentioned firearms were nearly four times as likely to be related to suicide. Additionally, violence-related conversations including those about bullying or physical, sexual, or emotional abuse often involved discussions of firearms.
These findings suggest that text-based crisis lines can reach people and provide assistance crises where firearms are involved.
What's important about these studies?
These studies help show how technology-based approaches to firearm violence and suicide prevention are promising approaches to save lives. Users of both systems discussed concerns about firearm violence and suicide. Both approaches provided rapid support and response to help prevent escalation of events. Further research will assess how expanding these systems can prevent firearm-related injuries and deaths.
Resources
Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.
- Call or text 988
- Chat at 988lifeline.org
Connect with a trained crisis counselor. 988 is confidential, free, and available 24/7/365.
Visit the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for more information at 988lifeline.org
- Hsieh, H. F., Lee, D. B., Zimmerman, M. A., Pomerantz, N., Cunningham, M. C., Messman, E., ... Heinze, J. E. (2022). The Effectiveness of the Say-Something Anonymous Reporting System in Preventing School Violence: A Cluster Randomized Control Trial in 19 Middle Schools. Journal of School Violence, 21(4), 413–428.
- Crisis Text Line. A Decade of Impact: Crisis Text Line's 10-Year Impact Report. (2024). https://www.crisistextline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/A-Decade-of-Impact-Report.pdf