Rural School Resource Officers: An Examination of Impact

• In Event: 75.061 - Roundtable Session 34
  In Roundtable Session: 75.061-5 - Evaluating Programs for At-Risk Youth

Abstract

Little research has been conducted examining the effectiveness of SRO programs and variables influencing those findings. This research focuses on the impact SROs have on reported criminal and board violation rates at predominantly rural Kentucky high schools through the utilization of two studies. One study involves a pre-post examination comparing violation rates prior to and after the implementation of full-time SROs. The second study employs a comparative examination of violation rates from high schools without SROs to high schools with full-time SROs. Research findings are consistent in both studies and variables potentially impacting results are considered. The researcher concludes that full-time SRO programs in predominantly rural Kentucky high schools improve the levels of school safety and security.

Author

• Bill Sullivan, Eastern Kentucky University