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Can school
officials observe approaching visitors before they reach
school property?
Assess the school office location based on the following
criteria, starting with the least desirable and progressively
improving through seven levels of office design and location:
The least useful location is for the office to be hidden
deep within the building. It is not adjacent to any exterior
doorway, let alone the main entry, and there may be many
alternative points of access to the school as well. Office
staff lacks natural surveillance out of the office. They
cannot see people approaching the building, they cannot see
people in the halls, and they cannot control access.
Slightly better placement will bring the office to a location
that can be easily found, with its doorway flush with the
main hallway. It is still distant from the main entry, and
provides no opportunity for natural surveillance outside
the building. There may be a window facing into the hallway,
providing a small opportunity to view people passing by,
but staff are not a position to anticipate or control them.
Design the office to protrude into the hall. This allows
staff to look up and down the hallway, assuming window design
and internal layout accommodate this.
Position the office somewhere along the perimeter of the
school, allowing natural surveillance to the outside. On
the inside, the office should protrude into a main hallway,
allowing natural surveillance up and down at least the main
hallway, and perhaps secondary hallways as well. This still
establishes no access control over visitors.
Place the office directly adjacent to the main entry, protruding
into the hallway and to the outside of the school. Visitors
who approach the main entry are easily seen, and must pass
close by to enter the school. Staff have good visibility
outside the main entry area and down the main hallway. Unfortunately,
secondary entrances still undermine the ability of the main
office to observe or control unwanted visitors.
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