Real School Safety Problem: The Long-Term Consequences of Harsh School Punishment

by Aaron Kupchik

Schools across the U.S. look very different today than they did a generation ago. Police officers, drug-sniffing dogs, surveillance cameras, and high suspension rates have become commonplace. The Real School Safety Problem uncovers the unintended but far-reaching effects of harsh school discipline climates. Evidence shows that current school security practices may do more harm than good by broadly affecting the entire family, encouraging less civic participation in adulthood, and garnering future financial costs in the form of high rates of arrests, incarceration, and unemployment. This text presents a blueprint for reform that emphasizes problem-solving and accountability while encouraging the need to implement smarter school policies. 

178 pages, Hardcover

Published July 12, 2016

About the author

Aaron Kupchik is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at the University of Delaware. His book, Judging Juveniles: Prosecuting Adolescents in Adult and Juvenile Courts, won the 2007 Michael J. Hindelang Book Award from the American Society of Criminology. He is also the recipient of a number of other awards for his scholarship.

His recent book, Homeroom Security: School Discipline in an Age of Fear, is intended for a broad audience. It uses empirical research to discuss ways that school security and discipline cause more problems than they solve.