The School-to-Prison-Pipeline: School Resource Officers’ (SROs) Impact

• In Event: The School to Prison Pipeline

Abstract

Schools have relied on School Resource Officers (SROs) over the last three decades to provide not only an environment of safety on school campuses but also order. Some research has suggested that this infusing of SROs may have unintended negative consequences particularly relating to the school to prison pipeline. Specifically, critics have suggested that instead of making schools safer, the presence of School Resource Officers (SROs) has had the unintended effect of creating negative consequences such increase in exclusionary discipline. This increase in exclusionary discipline, such as, suspensions, expulsions, arrest and juvenile courts referrals, has impacted the school to prison pipeline. The literature outline millions of children who are inappropriately caught in this spiral of a harmful punitive system. This study explores the relationship between School Resource Officers (SROs) presence in schools with zero-tolerance policies and eventual school to prison pipeline. Several policy implications are discussed.

Author

• Denise Nation, Winston-Salem State University