IT-based safety and security solutions for schools

The number of violent crimes against children has increased in recent years. Various measures have been taken by schools and communities, for example, the deployment of security sensors, surveillance cameras, guards, and local residents’ patrols; how­ ever, these measures have not been very effective. The key to protecting children is being able to quickly locate them. School administrators at least need to know the arrival and departure times of their students. In addition, rapid transmission of infor­ mation about local areas, for example, the sighting of suspicious persons, and other messages from schools has become more important for ensuring a safe social environment. The demand for IT-based support for safety and security in society will continue to grow. This paper outlines the Students’ Arrival/Departure Notification Service, which is based on radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, and the School Communication Network Service, which is based on E-mail. It also describes how these services, which are currently available only in Japan, have been developed.