JPRC

The Impact of School Police Reform on Student Safety and School Experiences: Final Summary Report

School Safety

The Impact of School Police Reform on Student Safety and School Experiences: Final Summary Report

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A first of its kind study by WestEd’s Justice and Prevention Research Center (JPRC) examined outcomes in 60 California schools across 6 districts that removed police between 2019 and 2021, comparing them to 120 matched schools that retained officers through the 2021–22 school year.

Schools that removed police saw meaningful improvements in student-staff relationships and student engagement, while showing no increases in violence, bullying, substance use, delinquency, or suspension rates. Notably, schools that retained police but had high student-to-counselor ratios (averaging 488:1, nearly double the recommended 250:1) reported higher rates of student-reported violence — an effect that did not appear in schools that had removed officers.

Successful districts in both groups shared common elements: clear protocols for when police involvement is appropriate, restorative justice practices, community partnerships, and investment in school climate. Districts that removed police stressed the importance of having safety teams, crisis support lines, and incident response protocols in place beforehand, while districts retaining officers highlighted the value of positive student-officer relationships alongside better mental health integration.

The study’s core takeaway is that police presence alone does not determine school safety — comprehensive support systems and strong implementation do, regardless of which approach a district takes.

Recommendations to Improve State School Safety Centers

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Our team developed a framework that identifies a series of best practices based on our National Institute of Justice–funded comprehensive evaluation of state school safety centers (SSSCs). The guide offers insights to enhance the focus of SSSCs, their structure, and the support services they provide.

What Do We Know About State School Safety Centers?

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This article in the Fall 2024 issue of Translational Criminology provides a brisk overview of the National Institute of Justice-funded evaluation of State School Safety Centers (SSSCs). That study focused on describing the structure, services, and stakeholder views of SSSCs. The research found that most SSSCs provided technical assistance, training, and resource development. While many educators are aware of and use SSSCs, the evaluation underscored a need for improvements in staffing, resources, and outreach. The study identifies promising practices and emphasizes ongoing research to ascertain the efficacy of SSSCs in enhancing school safety.

Policing Schools in the USA: An Evidence Summary and Future Research Agenda

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Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice has published an article by Trevor Fronius, Trent Baskerville and Anthony Petrosino entitled, “Policing schools in the USA: An evidence summary and future research agenda.” The article discusses some of the recent trends and highlights evidence from several systematic reviews of evidence on the effects of school policing, including a large-scale effort for the Campbell Collaboration. A more recent evaluation published since the reviews were done is also discussed. Finally, the article highlights a report to Congress by the National Institute of Justice and concludes with policy implications and a future agenda for research. This paper is part of a special issue in honor of JPRC Adviser, David Weisburd.

Providing Technical Assistance to Enhance School Capacity to Prevent Youth Violence

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The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) funded K–12 educational communities across the country to support their efforts to address youth violence by identifying needs and implementing evidence-based prevention and intervention efforts. In collaboration with our partner and lead organization, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the JPRC (and teammates from WestEd’s Resilient and Health Schools and Communities) will provide direct technical assistance to a selected number of these grantees. Our team will support grantees in their planning and implementation of specific programs and strategies to prevent youth violence. We will lead several broader tasks, including providing webinars and other group learning opportunities, and creating tools and other resources for the field.

Systematic Review of Research on the Effects of School-Based Law Enforcement

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High-profile incidents of gun violence in schools across the country have escalated demand from parents, teachers, policymakers, and school leaders for stronger school safety interventions. School-based law enforcement (SBLE) has become a standard intervention, growing steadily over the past several decades. However, a new report, co-written by the JPRC team with Professor Ben Fisher of the University of Wisconsin, indicates this strategy has not demonstrated effectiveness. Published by the international Campbell Collaboration, the review summarizes 32 evaluations that looked at any outcomes of SBLE implementation related to crime and behavior, perceptions of safety, and learning outcomes. Results indicate that SBLE presence is linked with an increase in school crime and behavior problems and is associated with increases in school discipline.

“Schools aiming to enhance safety might benefit by shifting resources away from using school-based law enforcement,” said Fisher, the study’s lead author. “Instead, investing in evidence-based strategies, such as school climate improvement designed to prevent problematic behaviors and improve school safety, could yield more positive outcomes.”

The following findings challenge the notion that SBLE contributes positively to students’ overall safety and well-being.

Key findings:

• There was no demonstrated reduction in crime and violence.

• Consistent with other research, SBLE was associated with an increase in exclusionary discipline such as out-of-school suspension.

• There was mixed evidence on whether SBLE makes students and staff feel safer, but this was based on very few studies.

“This study highlights the need for a thoughtful and evidence-based approach to school safety,” said JPRC Director and study co-author Anthony Petrosino. “For schools currently utilizing school-based law enforcement, we recommend a careful examination to ensure that the model has no harmful effects on students, such as exclusionary discipline—and is genuinely providing safety benefits for students and staff.”