School Resource Officers and Student Suspensions

• In Event: School Safety, Security and Discipline: Core Issues in Advancing Criminological Research Across Time

Abstract

In the wake of the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida in early 2018, Florida’s governor committed to funding for increasing the presence of sworn police officers [i.e., school resource officers (SROs)] in Florida’s schools. Although this is a common strategy for maintaining a perception of school safety, this approach has also been met with criticism that suggests SROs may increase student punishment and facilitate the school-to-prison pipeline. This study examines the relationship between SRO implementation and school suspension rates in a large urban school district. Using 15 years of survey data from a single, large school district, this study examines the changes over time in suspension rates following the implementation of SROs. The study uses multiple years of suspension data from nearly 150 schools both before and after SRO implementation as well as a comparison group of schools without SROs from within the same district. This study contributes to the current body of research by enhancing the methodological rigor of examining the effects of SROs and shedding light on the impact police presence has on school punishment.

Authors

• Cherie Dawson-Edwards, University of Louisville

• Benjamin W. Fisher, University of Louisville

• Kristin Swartz, University of Louisville

• Ethan M. Higgins, University of Louisville

• Suzanne Overstreet, University of Louisville