Alerts are nothing new; I’m sure that during the Ice Age, whenever there was a threat, there was an appropriate alert to prevent what our Cro-Magnon predecessors didn’t want to happen.

As the world has grown more complex, alert systems have become increasingly specialized—but not necessarily more effective. I suspect that the success of mastodon warnings depended on volume and visibility. Today, however, alarm systems must account for many more factors to prevent and detect what no organization ever wants to happen: Child abuse, elder abuse, sexual harassment and assault, defalcation, fraud, discrimination – racism, theft, bribery, safety, security, and essential policy and procedure violations.

While alert systems have implications for feedback, comments, and suggestions, this blog focuses on systems designed to prevent and detect wrongful acts and conditions in organizations. Extensive research exists on the topic, and we conduct much of our own:

 Research – 1789 to present

• Deterring crimes
• Law enforcement experts, based on the findings of the National Institute of Justice
• The American Bar Association
• Organizational experts

Look 1^st surveys and interviews - ongoing

• Why people didn’t/don’t alert
• What an alert system should include to optimize report quantity, timeliness, and accuracy.
• Reviews of over 700 wrongful acts and conditions in organizations.
• Analysis of 221 incidents of child sexual abuse associated with organizations.
• Interviews of offenders, including those convicted of child sex abuse in organizations.
• What parents expect.

 Six key research-based conclusions about reporting systems stand out:

• Mandating reporting requirements alone has no impact on whether people report.
• The design and functionality of an alert system determine whether people will use it to report wrongful acts and conditions.
• The more likely people are to use an alert system, the more effective it becomes.
• The more effective an alert system is, the more likely it will prevent wrongful acts.
• Fewer than 10% of small and medium-sized organizations have an effective alert system.
• Effective alert systems are crucial to preventing wrongful acts and conditions in organizations.

Every alert system should be designed and operated to achieve specific, measurable objectives. Advances in technology provide a range of options for applying research to improve effectiveness.

Despite technological progress, the telephone remains the best tool for 911 emergency alerts and some hotlines, particularly in response to a history of wrongful acts and conditions.

Alert systems intended to prevent and detect wrongful acts and conditions should measurably optimize the quantity, timeliness, and accuracy of alerts. We rely on continually updated research—but at its core, effective alerts depend on enabling people to alert when, how, and what they want. We use that information, a virtual delivery interface, and other technology to develop and operate Guardian^SM.

Guardian^SM is the alert system most likely to prevent - and the first to detect - wrongful acts and conditions.

All leaders are first accountable for protecting the organization and its people. That requires an effective alert system.

Leaders of organizations serving children can easily and quickly start protecting them with our QR Protect package. And if they're uncertain, they can ask parents what they think.

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Want to see how Guardian^SM works? Always glad to connect.

First, protect.