Aaron Kupchik
Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice, University of Delaware
Key Findings
- School security practices are harmful and negatively affect all aspects of student life, including the family unit.
- Security practices can have harmful long-term effects including civic participation in adulthood, higher rates of incarceration, arrests and unemployment.
Description
In the study, “The Real School Safety Problem: The Long-Term Consequences of Harsh School Punishment,” Kupchik looks at how schools have changed due to the higher threats of violence and increased security such as presence of police officers, drug-sniffing dogs and surveillance cameras. Kupchik examines how these changes affect the education setting and students. The findings suggest that the increased security practices in schools has negative impacts on the student’s life at home as well as on future outcomes like adulthood unemployment, civic action and incarceration.