Judicial security and the protection of court officials, defendants, and the public at large should be improved so that all individuals who access the legal system can be safe in and away from the courtrooms. Unpredicted attacks that could be aimed against judges inside and out of the court have become a significant threat to the security of judges because they are vulnerable to direct attacks that threaten their safety. Additionally, the assets and essential personal information that judges are in charge of poses a considerable security risk to their operations. It is, therefore, vital to ensure that judges are provided with security, especially at the courtrooms where they are exposed to direct attacks.
Security measures within the courtroom should protect not only the judges but also the defendants and the public at large. Courts should ensure that there are security personnel to ensure that people maintain law and order within the courtrooms. Court threats have become a reality, and it is no longer safe for a judge to carry out court proceedings without security personnel. One way that the government can use to ensure the court system of justice is secure is to deploy security personnel in courts ( Zaruba, 2007) .
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The government must respond to ensure the system of justice remains intact. Yet no one person, not even the sheriff, the U.S. marshal, or judge, stands alone when world events catapult our ageing and forgotten halls of justice into today’s headlines of violence and death. Establishing a court security committee that would ensure security in the court chambers is a step to ensure judicial safety. This would be both a short term and long term security measure not only for judges but also for defendants and other individuals that access the court. The committee should come up with rules of how courts should respond to security threats.
Judges should advocate for the government to deploy local sheriffs and the Marshals as a way to enhance security in the courtrooms. It is, however, essential if the government could put up measures that can help to detect future security threats for early preparations oncoming threats. This step would help the law enforcement authorities to save on the time spent when responding to threats. Early developments on future courtroom attacks could improve the security personnel understand the motive behind frequent courtroom attacks and how the criminals are likely to attacks individuals within the courtroom.
The judicial officials can better protect themselves and those in the courtroom by putting up security measures that can detect, deter, and respond to security threats. There should be strict security measures within the courtroom, such as the use of metal detectors both inside and outside the courtroom. They should as well advocate for physical security in the courtroom and not accept to conduct court sessions without protection (Campbell & Reinkensmeyer, 2007) . The presence of security in courtrooms is a way to ensure that judges cannot be attacked or threatened by people with ill intentions. Judges should advocate for proper lighting in all locations within and outside the courtroom, such as in the parking lot, and ensure security cameras so that they can have a correct view in case of the perpetrators. Their cars should have bullet-proof windows, over sensor devices, together with security cameras.
Every person that enters and leaves the courtroom should be thoroughly accessed to confirm whether such individuals have a weapon that could harm those within the court chambers. This means that the judges should advocate for security personnel in all entry and exit areas of the courtroom, which are used by the public and the staff. Such measures could ensure that judges together with the people are at low risk of getting attacks within the courtroom.
References
Campbell, C. F., & Reinkensmeyer, M. W. (2007). The court security challenge: A judicial leadership perspective. Justice System Journal , 28 (1), 49-54.
Zaruba, J. E. (2007). Courthouse Security—A Direction or a Destination? Justice System Journal , 28 (1), 46-49.
