GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Two West Michigan school districts were closed Monday so authorities could investigate threats. One of them, Grand Haven Area Public Schools, will be closed Tuesday as well.
Prosecutors have vowed to catch those responsible and several students are already charged.
We looked into how a prosecutor makes the decision whether to charge a juvenile with making a school threat.
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said school threats have always been taken very seriously. They may not charge every case, but they are investigated.
"I think we had 38 cases last year related to terroristic threats or threats on a school. I think we issued 21 of them," he said.
Becker said he reviews a threat against a school a few times a month, although he isn't reviewing any currently. Not every case can be charged the same and background and context matter.
"Just making a verbal 'I'm going to shoot up the school' could be a charge. Now, is that said on a bus between two friends and they're joking around, 'I got a test tomorrow so I'm going to shoot up the school'? That's a little bit different than someone calling the school anonymously and saying, 'I'm going to shoot up the school tomorrow,'" said Becker. "Same words, but how it may be treated, we'll take them seriously, but that may factor in."
The prosecutor's office also looks at the child's prior record, history of violence and age. They do what they can within the bounds of the juvenile system.
"The juvenile system is set up for rehabilitation," Becker said. "If you can change behavior and modify behavior as a juvenile and get them to correct that behavior, then hopefully we don't see them in the adult system."
Consequences generally range from probation, juvenile detention or mental health programming. If it's not criminal, schools can administer their own discipline as well.
Becker said the biggest change to gun laws we may see going forward involves parents. There's Senate Bill 550 right now that was introduced back in June that would hold parents accountable when it comes to safe gun storage.
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