SECURING THE AMERICAN COURTHOUSE

Weak security improvements are sometimes worse than doing nothing because they give a false peace of mind and convince people that safety is being addressed when it is not. Poorly designed security foils everyone except the attacker.

GAVIN DE BECKER (B.1954)
American author and expert on violent behavior
The Gift of Fear

When it comes to our public buildings, we must re-inoculate ourselves with a commitment to fundamental values- to openness, to engagement, to accessibility.

DOUGLAS P. W OODLOCK
U.S. District Judge,
Boston, Massachusetts

Since early colonial days in American history, courthouses represented the enduring presence of government in cities and towns across the United States. As icons of American government, courthouses are targets for terrorism and crime, especially during high-profile trials, requiring high levels of security at building perimeters, exteriors, and entry points. Internal threats, stemming from family court disputes and civil cases, also pose significant security risks.

William Shakespeare said, "All power lies in the world of dreams." The power of the American justice system is based on the U.S. Constitution and the system of checks and balances among the executive, judicial, and representative branches of government. The framers of the United States Constitution had dreams for a nation built upon this solid foundation, forming the bedrock for freedom and democracy.

Balancing the need for openness and...