abstract: The presence of police officers is not an assurance of safety for everyone. Yet, modern concerns for school safety suggest there is a need for more police officers in schools. Over the last 70 years of School Resource Officer (SRO) programs, the variations of SRO program implementation and the expectation of roles and responsibilities has produced conflicting research on benefits or harms of police in the school environment. The purpose of police in schools has shuffled from relationship-building ambassadors for the community, to educators on crime prevention and drug use, to law enforcement officers for punitive juvenile sanctions, to counselors and role models for legal socialization, and other roles for emergency management and crisis response. Plans to place more officers in schools for purposes of “school safety” requires an examination of the SROs’ roles within the school, their interactions with students, and how these roles and interactions contribute to safety. This study explores the roles of SROs to understand the variations of roles within a program and understand factors influencing the roles of SROs (e.g., school climate, initiation by others). To evaluate these roles and potential influences, cluster analysis and multinomial regression models were developed from one year of SRO-student interaction data (n=12, 466) collected daily from the Richland County (SC) Sheriff’s Department SRO Division located in South Carolina. These interactions were defined by the framework of counseling, educating, and law enforcing roles. Results indicate the variations of roles performed are largely influenced by the school type (e.g., elementary), SRO perceptions (e.g., counselor), and the engagement of SROs by school officials for specific roles. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Criminology and Criminal Justice 2019

School shootings and emergencies have created the need for educators to be proficient in emergency response procedures; yet they do not always receive the requisite training. The lack of an established delineated training program for New Jersey, kindergarten to Grade 12 institutions has created a situation where educator preparedness varies immensely at schools. Numerous national events of targeted school violence have exemplified the need for quick and proper responses by educators to mitigate the tragic results until first responders arrive. The purpose and goal of this study was to assess educators’ perceptions and to determine the best practices in creating a comprehensive safety and security training program to prepare educators for school crises in order to offer a model for stakeholders to follow or gain ideas to improve their institution’s specific school safety and security emergency plans. Guided by the U.S. Department of Education’s best practices in developing high-quality school safety plans, this study analyzed the perceptions of 60 educators in one New Jersey kindergarten to Grade 12 school on the effectiveness of training. A mixed-methods approach, using a survey questionnaire and interviews, measured changes in the perceptions of these educators after the 15-week program. Data results included a revelation of the implementation of a comprehensive school safety and security plan with related training program resulted in a statistically significant increase in the perceptions of educators’ knowledge and abilities to respond effectively to school targeted violence and emergencies. These findings support the concept that best practices in the field of school safety and security management include appropriate and comprehensive school safety and security plans and training for educators to combat and mitigate school targeted violence and emergent events.

In response to an increase of school shootings, America has seen public outcry for safer schools and the implementation of get-tough discipline policies that remove students who pose threats of violence to the safe school environment. One response to the increased rate of violence was the implementation of the Gun-Free Schools Act (GFSA). Criticism of these policies grew, unintended outcomes undermined their implementation, and research data supporting their effectiveness were lacking. The legislature sought to address issues relating to discretion in implementation, due process rights, mandatory expulsion language, and alternative education placement. This study sought to trace the evolution of GFSA legislation in Virginia. Selected sponsors of GFSA and patrons were identified and interviewed to learn their perceptions of goals and outcomes of legislation prohibiting the possession of weapons on school grounds. Interview questions sought to identify key factors that were considered throughout the legislative process. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Interview data were analyzed using QSR NVIVO 9, data analysis software. The research design incorporated the collection and analysis of extant information, as well as the use of open-ended interviews with selected policymakers in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Emerging themes were described, categorized, and analyzed within the structure of a historical timeline of the GFSA legislation. Non-legislative documents were analyzed to add support to the interview findings and legislative analysis. Twelve themes emerged, which were supported in the review of non-legislative documents and in legislative documents. The legislative intent was reinforced in the literature and in the interviews. A review of these data led this researcher to conclude that the General Assembly came full circle and virtually reversed the initial requirements for zero-tolerance discipline policies. Continued study is recommended to trace how the General Assembly ameliorates racial inequity, increased drop-out rates, increased criminalization, and other harsh and unintended consequences of GFSA legislation in the Commonwealth. / Ed. D.

Thesis (MPAM.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Safety in schools has become an issue of concern in the whole country. The Department of Basic Education’s record of safety in schools is being questioned by a number of incidents and cases that indicated that schools are indeed unsafe. Therefore, this study focuses on the role of the School Governing Bodies in the implementation of Safety Policy in the rural primary and secondary school areas of Mamabolo. The study focused on three secondary schools and four primary schools. The research concentrated only on the views of chairpersons of SGBs, principals, teachers and Assistant Director for governance in schools. Qualitative data was collected through observations, semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Data was transcribed, coded and categorised into themes. The findings revealed that the School Governing Bodies lack capacitation in the promotion of safety in schools. Challenges that were identified include lack of training, lack of funds, unavailability of police, unavailability of security officers, and lack of support from the Limpopo Department of Education. The study recommends that schools be provided with security personnel to regulate access control and conduct searches and seizures, addition of safety course or module to teacher training at institutions of higher learning and a design of a common safety policy by the circuit office. Additionally, parents should take part in the discipline of their children at home. Last, but not least, the department should provide schools with thorough training on the promotion of safety in schools.

The purpose of this dissertation is to extend General Strain Theory (GST) to examine prosocial, asocial, and antisocial behavior in response to bullying. In GST, Agnew (1992; 2001; 2013) asserted that negative emotions can lead to criminal or aggressive coping but there are a number of factors that increase or decrease the propensity to respond aggressively (Agnew, 1992; Richman & Leary, 2009). In this dissertation, I examine whether and how rejection (operationalized as bullying victimization) is associated with aggressive responding as opposed to prosocial (e.g., befriending others) or asocial (e.g., avoiding people and social events) responding. This dissertation consists of three studies testing theoretical variables of bullying victimization as well as behavioral responses to four types of bullying: physical, verbal, relational, and cyber. Study 1 of this dissertation examines risk and protective factors for types of bullying victimization. Study 2 applies GST to test the effect of social support, or the availability of alternative relationships (i.e., having others to count on or turn to for social support), on responses to four types of bullying. Study 3 tests the effect of power dynamics on responses to physical and relational bullying. In conducting this research, I hope to: 1) integrate interdisciplinary bodies of literature to examine risk and protective factors of bullying victimization and behavioral responses to bullying and 2) improve understanding of how these experiences are affected by the power dynamics involved in bullying. Overall, the results of this dissertation suggest that types of negative emotions and behavioral outcomes vary by type of bullying victimization. Cyber bullying was found to have more negative consequences than any other form of bullying. Across all four forms of bullying, social support was found to be associated with an increased likelihood of youth engaging in prosocial behavior. Implicit power, or the perception that one’s bully has a high social standing at school, significantly influenced responses based on the type of bullying. However, even when controlling for power dynamics, social support was still associated with increased prosocial behavior in response to bullying victimization. Theory and policy implications are discussed.

No description available.

School safety is widely recognized as an ongoing problem in United States public schools. Guided by the New Right, the school safety problem has been framed as an issue of school crime, violence, and student misbehavior that is best mitigated by zero tolerance policies. This stance has emerged as an agenda that has proven disproportionately detrimental to poor urban students of color who have experienced unforeseen levels of punishment since the Gun Free Schools Act of 1994 endorsed zero tolerance. Despite mounting evidence that zero tolerance approaches to discipline do little to deter school crime and violence or make schools safe, little ground has been gained in interrupting the ideology, policies, practices, and discourses of the zero tolerance agenda. The dissertation study theorizes and explores how ideology, cultural-politics, and discourse foster the tendency for policy creation and codification to legitimize the New Right's official knowledge of zero tolerance ideology and policy as a panacea for the school safety problem. To accomplish this, I conducted an ethnographic content analysis of codes of student conduct to examine the imbued ideologies, discourses, and policy changes that emerge from the cultural politics of managing school discipline over the last 15 years. Through this process, I lend empirical credence to the concepts of net-widening and net-deepening. With these guiding concepts, I push the field beyond the zero tolerance discourse on school safety and discipline to establish a generative alternative to understanding school discipline policies called the school discipline net framework. The results of the study establish a precedent for thinking more deeply and creatively about the perils and possibilities of school discipline policies. Major findings include the identification of several school policy changes that make the discipline experience both increasingly likely and potentially more punitive for students. Finally, through substantiating the school discipline net as a framework for discoursing, researching, guiding policy creation, and recognizing and locating sites of agency, this work establishes that it is indeed possible to engage issues critical in the field in ways that can transfer into the highly politicized school policy context dominated by New Right ideologies and discourses. / Urban Education

<p dir="ltr">This qualitative study explored essential characteristics attributed to highly effective School Resource Officers (SROs) as perceived by experienced Indiana high school principals. Through semi-structured interviews with five high school principals from Indiana, the study sought to identify key responsibilities, outcomes, proactive activities, and other characteristics high school principals perceive as distinguishing characteristics of high-performing and highly effective SROs. In this comprehensive study, the findings are robust and eye-opening. They underscore the indispensable role of SROs in fostering genuine connections within the school community. Through proactive engagement, highly effective SROs establish meaningful relationships with students and staff, reinforcing a sense of trust and security. Moreover, their adept understanding of school dynamics, coupled with effective communication skills, enables them to navigate complex situations with finesse. Most notably, these officers demonstrate a keen ability to address safety concerns head-on, employing strategic problem-solving tactics to uphold a secure learning environment. Data suggests that highly effective SROs are indispensable partners in promoting school safety, fostering positive relationships, and cultivating proactive approaches to addressing safety concerns. Beyond their law enforcement duties, SROs serve as valuable partners in building positive school climates. The study's findings are intended to give significant insights into the field of educational leadership, including recommendations on the recruitment, training, and assignment of SROs to improve their efficacy in promoting safe and supportive learning environments in Indiana high schools.</p>

DEd (Educational Management) / Department of Educational Management / This study focuses on safety and security in public schools. School violence is a sad reality encountered by whoever takes up the responsibility for the safety of learners and teachers. Both teachers and learners have the right to feel safe and secure at school. The aim of the study was to investigate how school management teams and school governing bodies take reasonable measures to ensure the safety and security of learners at schools. A mixed-methods research design was used in this study. The quantitative data, collected through questionnaires, were analysed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23, while the qualitative data, gathered through semi-structured interviews, were thematically analysed. The study revealed that successful school leaders have the potential to tremendously reduce safety and security challenges when necessary support is provided. Establishing partnerships with other sectors not only manage and improve the learners' behaviour and lessen learning difficulties but also create a more supportive climate within the school, home and society. Unavailability of school psychologists and/or social workers who would join forces with teachers, parents, and other professionals to create safe and supportive learning environments increase the manifestations of school safety and security challenges.

School counselors need to advocate and act as an ally for all students. Safe Space, a training designed to facilitate competency for working with and serving LGBTQ youth (i.e., LGBTQ competency), has received increased attention in the field of school counseling. However, limited empirical support exists for training interventions such as Safe Space, with only one study to date examining its effectiveness for graduate psychology students (see Finkel, Storaasli, Bandele, & Schaefer, 2003). This study used a randomized pretest-posttest control group design to evaluate and examine the impact of Safe Space training on competency levels of a sample of school counselors/school counselor trainees and to explore the relationship between LGBTQ competency and awareness of sexism and heterosexism.