In this article, the authors discuss zero tolerance policies and implications for those they affect most, namely students of color (e.g., Black, American Indian, Latino/a/e) and students with disabilities. First, we present a brief history of the use of zero tolerance policies in school discipline and review the literature on their effects.…

This study evaluated the efficacy of School-Based Teen Courts (SBTCs) using a rigorous experimental trial with 24 middle- and high-schools randomly selected to receive SBTCs (n= 12) or to business-as-usual without any SBTC program (n = 12). Analyses examined school-level longitudinal growth models and individual-level pretest-posttest comparisons…

Federal data show that many girls are struggling across almost all measures of well-being--including substance use, experiences of violence, mental health, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Girls' well-being can be affected by their experiences in public schools, and the detrimental effects of removing students from the classroom for discipline…

Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) was the only high school district profiled as part of this project. The high school district is made up of 13 elementary districts that feed into it and has 11 comprehensive high schools, four small specialty schools, three micro-schools, three support schools and a digital…

Although delinquency in US schools is near historic lows, concern over delinquency in US schools remains a pressing issue among school officials, parents, and policy-makers. Many scholars argue that the current approach to discipline in the United States is highly punitive. While some projects have assessed the effect of punitive security on…

Learning is not just a cognitive process. Research shows that powerful social and emotional factors affect learning. These factors influence students' abilities to attend to and direct their learning; students' engagement in learning activities; and teachers' ability to connect with, challenge, and support students. Social and emotional factors…

In this first of a kind breakdown of data from over 26,000 U.S. middle and high schools, the authors estimate that well over two million students were suspended during the 2009-2010 academic year. This means that one out of every nine secondary school students was suspended at least once during that year. As other studies demonstrate, the vast…

Delinquency has become an import social problem in Turkey, especially in schools. Along with this trend, empirical studies have started to pay attention to delinquent acts in schools. However, most of these studies have mainly focused on the nature and prevalence of the delinquent behaviors. There are limited numbers of studies that explore…

An effective program to cope with student misbehavior should include a range of sanctions. Proposes that the juvenile justice system and school districts work together to develop an intermediate punishment of coerced community service for serious disciplinary infractions. (MLF)

A federal project introduced law enforcement and community development techniques in three urban school districts. The study found school safety and respect for students' procedural rights to be compatible. It may be possible to incorporate the techniques of the project into more promising approaches to school crime and student misbehavior.…

This report analyzes the national 2000 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), which surveyed 2,270 regular public K-12 schools regarding school crime and safety. The study asked school principals about the characteristics of school policies, school violence prevention programs and practices, violent deaths at school and elsewhere, frequency of…

This report analyzes data from the 2000 School Survey on Crime and Safety presented in "Violence in U.S. Public Schools: 2000 School Survey on Crime and Safety. Statistical Analysis Report." Principals at 3,314 nationally-representative K-12 schools described incidents of crime and violence, disciplinary problems and actions, use of…

This book presents the views of educators, intellectuals, students, and community activists to show that most students expelled from schools under new disciplinary measures are sent home for nonviolent violations; that the rush to judge and punish disproportionately affects black and Hispanic students; and that the new disciplinary ethos is…

This report examines recent qualitative and quantitative research to determine how school-related violence was both measured and perceived among various social groups. It reviews sources that addresses such questions as: What is school-related violence? What do statistics reveal about school-related violence? How diverse is public opinion…

Argues that everyday school violence, as distinct from isolated sensational incidents, is caused at least in part by the educational policies and procedures governing schools and by the way these policies are implemented. Trends affecting school disorders, including erosion of teacher authority, are discussed, and some solutions are proposed. (SLD)