In light of the horrific school shootings this month in Newtown, Connecticut, some have called for increasing armed police presence in schools.
School safety should be a priority: it is not only important for protecting the physical well-being of students, teachers, and staff, but also for maintaining a productive learning environment.
However, as our research report, Education Under Arrest showed, having law enforcement in schools is not the best nor most cost-effective way to achieve those goals; this also can result in more youth becoming involved in the juvenile justice system for often minor misbehavior, with a lifetime of negative effects.
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