Courts should review existing information and collect new information, where necessary, to understand current court practices in the following areas:

1. Does the court have an emergency response plan in place? If so, when was the last time it was reviewed? What areas are covered by the plan? There are several checklists available to help courts determine how complete their current plans are (see "Examples and Resources", below).
   
2. Does the state court system have an emergency response plan? If so, is the local jurisdiction’s plan consistent with the state’s plan?
   
3. Does the court know the emergency management points of contact locally and at the state level? Has the court met with these individuals to determine a coordinated plan of action in an emergency situation? Does the court know who is in charge during an emergency?
   
4. Is the response plan regularly communicated and tested? Do court staff know what they are suppose to do in the event of an emergency? Does the court provide training on the plan, conduct drills, and test the equipment?
   
5. Are there any barriers (e.g., judicial or court staff reticence, lack of resources) that reduce the effectiveness of the court’s emergency management plan?
   

Examples and Resources

• Minnesota Conference of Chief Judges, Court Security Committee. Court Security Manual. St. Paul, MN: Conference of Chief Judges, 1999. (NA4472 .M6 C68 1999) (See security checklist beginning on p. 2-3-1.)
  
• Thomas, Michael F. Courthouse Security Planning: Goals, Measures and Evaluation Methodology. Columbia, SC: Justice Planning Associates, 1991. (NA4471 .C684) (See Ch. 2: Courthouse Security Evaluation System.)
  
• Jones, Tony L. Court Security: A Guide to Post 9-11 Environments. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Ltd., 2003. (NA4471 .J66 2003) (See Ch. 2: Integrated Security Systems for Judicial Facilities.)
  
• FEMA. Emergency Management Guide for Business & Industry. Pages 11-13 discuss Where do you stand right now?

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   Next Step: Step 2: Determine Areas