Including School Resource Officers in school-based crisis intervention: Strengthening student support

James, Richard K.; Logan, Joan; Davis, Scott

doi:10.1177/0143034311400828

Cited by 31 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Additionally, any true positive impact of SROs might not be in reducing rates of school-based disciplinary incidents. For example, there is evidence that SROs develop healthy and helpful relationships with adolescents in some contexts (James et al 2011), something that improves outcomes for adolescents (Consortium on Chicago School Research 2011). However, as Kupchik (2010) argued, perhaps relying more on guidance counselors or social workers to fulfill this role would enable adolescents to develop positive relationships with adults outside of schools' formal disciplinary structure while mitigating some of the possible risks associated with SROs, such as increased exclusionary discipline.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

School Resource Officers and Exclusionary Discipline in U.S. High Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2015

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Over the past few decades, schools in the U.S. have increasingly relied on school resource officers (SROs) to provide safety and order within school settings. In spite of the intuitive appeal that SROs might offer for making schools safer, critics suggest that there may be unintended negative consequences to this trend, including an increase in exclusionary discipline (i.e., suspensions and expulsions) of students in schools with SROs. This study presents a synthesis of the existing quasi-experimental literature examining the relationship between the presence of SROs and exclusionary discipline in U.S. high schools. Following a systematic literature search, random effects meta-analysis was used to summarize ten effect sizes from seven reports. One meta-analytic model with seven effect sizes achieved statistical significance, yielding a mean rate ratio of 1.21, 95 % CI (1.04, 1.40), indicating that the presence of SROs in high schools was associated with higher rates of exclusionary discipline. A second metaanalytic model with three effect sizes indicated no statistically significant relationship between SRO presence and rates of exclusionary discipline [rate ratio = 1.54, 95 % CI (0.78, 3.06)]. There were high levels of heterogeneity in both models, indicating that unmeasured moderating variables would likely explain some of the variance. Implications for research are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

School Resource Officers and Exclusionary Discipline in U.S. High Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2015

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“…First, James et al. (2011) offered an example through a descriptive case study of the SRO programme used in elementary, middle and high schools in Montgomery County, Maryland. SROs received Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training and reported feeling equipped to address mental health crises within schools and to practice de‐escalation while limiting the use of force.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Police and mental health in elementary and secondary schools: A systematic review of the literature and implications for nursing

Muller

Morabito

Green

2020

Psychiatric Ment Health Nurs

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Accessible summaryWhat is known on this subject? Police are often called on to respond to student mental health needs in schools. School nurses, who are part of interdisciplinary mental health teams, may collaborate with responding police officers. Currently, there are no reviews of the literature describing the use of police to respond to mental health crises in schools. What this paper adds to existing knowledge? This systematic review found six articles addressing police response to student mental health needs in elementary and secondary schools. Articles primarily focused on the School Resource Officer programme; however, there was a lack of research on the effectiveness of this and other programmes in addressing the mental health needs of students. This paper highlights a significant gap in knowledge about how police are involved in responding to student mental health crises within schools. What are the implications for practice? Understanding how police respond to mental health crises on school campuses will help nurses serve in collaborative roles with responding officers. This study highlights gaps in research that need to be addressed for researchers and policymakers to best support students in crisis. AbstractIntroductionResponse to student mental health crises involves interdisciplinary school–community teams, which can include police officers. This paper presents the first systematic review of literature on how police address mental health in school settings. Results have implications for school nurses interacting with responding police.Question/AimHow are police involved in responding to student mental health needs in elementary and secondary schools?MethodUsing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) framework, six articles met criteria for inclusion in this review.ResultsTwo themes were identified: (1) descriptions of roles of police in schools and (2) studies presenting programmes or models of police engagement. The most common use of police in schools is through the School Resource Officer model.DiscussionThere are very few studies examining police involvement in mental health response in schools and little data available on whether prevailing models are effective. We are therefore unable to ascertain what impact school police have in responding to mental health crises or the extent to which they interact with school nurses.Implications for practiceUnderstanding mental health crisis responses in schools can inform policy, practice, research and education for police and school providers, including nurses.

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“…The discussions often centered on the police role, especially the question of whether informal social connections help reinforce confidence in the police. Comparable to school resource officers (SROs) in the United States, SROs in Canada are not often referred to as responding to criminal incidents; rather, they are referenced as an ongoing, sometimes relatively informal presence, for example, giving presentations, advising on safety, and using the opportunity to become acquainted with students and staff (Jackson, 2002; James et al, 2011; Travis and Coon, 2005). In the regions of Atlantic Canada included in our study, police officers are each assigned schools that they support as SROs.…”

Section: School Resource Officers and The Formal–informal Spectrummentioning

confidence: 99%

Canadian Rural Youth and Role Tension of the Police: ‘It’s Hard in a Small Town’

Ricciardelli¹,

Adorjan²,

Spencer³

2019

Youth Justice

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This article presents findings from a case study examining youth perceptions of the police in rural areas of Eastern Canada. A total of 20 semistructured focus group discussions were conducted with 60 youth from Canadian rural Atlantic areas, who were purposively recruited, with groups stratified by age and gender. Discussions centered on role tension regarding the police’s role, that is, along a continuum between law enforcement and public protection versus community policing and crime prevention. Our discussions highlight the arguably ironic view that it is harder to maintain trust when there are strong personal relations with the police. Discussions highlight the ‘pros and cons’ of informal familiarity with police officers, especially the presence of school resource officers and policing in the context of monitoring youth on modes of transportation germane to rural Atlantic Canada (i.e. skidoos). Implications from this study suggest that when dealing with youth, identifying and addressing youth perceptions of the police role can help improve police–youth interactions.

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Including School Resource Officers in school-based crisis intervention: Strengthening student support

Cited by 31 publications

References 24 publications

School Resource Officers and Exclusionary Discipline in U.S. High Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

School Resource Officers and Exclusionary Discipline in U.S. High Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Police and mental health in elementary and secondary schools: A systematic review of the literature and implications for nursing

Canadian Rural Youth and Role Tension of the Police: ‘It’s Hard in a Small Town’

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