Chapter 6 The Challenges of School–Police Partnerships in Large Urban School Systems: An Analysis of New York City's Impact Schools Initiative

Pages99-121
Published date25 July 2011
Date25 July 2011
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-3660(2011)0000012009
AuthorKevin P. Brady
CHAPTER 6
THE CHALLENGES OF
SCHOOL–POLICE PARTNERSHIPS
IN LARGE URBAN SCHOOL
SYSTEMS: AN ANALYSIS OF
NEW YORK CITY’S IMPACT
SCHOOLS INITIATIVE
Kevin P. Brady
ABSTRACT
Despite nationwide decreases in school crime and violence levels, a
relatively high and increasing number of students report feeling unsafe in
their school environments. In response, many school and law enforcement
officials are collaborating to develop school–police partnerships, especially
in urban areas as an effort to significantly deter student criminal activity
and violence in schools. This chapter examines the beginning efforts of New
York City’s Impact Schools Initiative, a punitive-based school–police
partnership created in January 2004 to significantly increase police
presence at some of New York City’s most violent public schools. An
initial examination of school-level demographic and environmental
variables reveal that despite increased police presence, students enrolled
Leadership in Education, Corrections and Law Enforcement: A Commitment to Ethics,
Equity and Excellence
Advances in Educational Administration, Volume 12, 99–121
Copyright r2011 by Emerald Group Publishing Limited
All rights of reproduction in any form reserved
ISSN: 1479-3660/doi:10.1108/S1479-3660(2011)0000012009
99
at New York City’s Impact Schools continue to experience higher than
average problems linked directly to future criminality, including more
student suspensions and lower attendance rates compared to other New
York City Schools. Additionally, the data revealed that compared to other
New York City public schools, Impact Schools experience greater student
overcrowding and receive less funding.
INTRODUCTION
National public concerns involving juvenile violence occurring in our nation’s
schools, including gang-related violence, shootings, bullying, and vandalism
have increased attention to school-based violence issues (Gottfredson, 1997;
Michaelis, 2001;Moak & Wallace, 2003). Beginning in the 1990s, especially in
larger urban areas, increases in youth violence combined with a growing
public perception of increased violence in our nation’s schools has made
school safety, especially the early identification of at-risk youth for criminal
activity a major criminal justice as well as educational policy issue (Dinkes,
Cataldi, Kena, & Baum, 2006;Noguera, 1995;White, Fyfe, Campell, &
Goldkamp, 2001). Extensive prior research indicates that continual school
truancy, weak school commitment, and poor academic performance are all
significant future predictors of school delinquency and eventual criminality as
an adult (Graham & Bowling, 1996;Sarnecki, 1985;Stouthamer & Loeber,
1988;Thornberry, Moore, & Christensen, 1985).
Previous research has linked school violence with notable increases in
disruptive student behavior, poor attendance rates, academic failure, as well
as stressful school environments (DeVoe et al., 2005). Additional studies
reveal that student fears of future violent incidents in schools have a
detrimental effect on student performance levels as well as feelings of school
community (Comer, 1984;Elliott, Hamberg, & Williams, 1998;Jenkins,
1995). Statistically, urban schools have been shown to be at a greater risk of
experiencing school violence compared to both rural and suburban schools
(DeVoe et al., 2005).
An increasing fear of school violence coupled with the public’s
misperceptions of the actual degree of violence in our nation’s schools has
caused school officials, especially those located in urban areas to implement
more punitive-based school discipline polices and practices for responding
to and preventing student crime and violence (Brady, Balmer, & Phenix,
2007;Casella, 2003;Civil Rights Project, 2000). One of the most popular
KEVIN P. BRADY100

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