Beyond Policing: Understanding Threats to School Safety and Who Can Really Help

While ensuring the safety of youth in schools is of paramount importance, threats to school safety are not always clear thereby calling to question the most effective means for prevention and intervention. The current study is a content analysis of 7 years' worth of district-wide school incident reports for one of the largest school districts in the country. The study examines the types of safety issues that occur over time to determine vital personnel for addressing threats to school safety. Results from a large urban, K-12 school district reveal a mismatch between the most highly funded safety intervention – school policing – and the most enduring and prominent threat to safety in schools – declining youth health. Findings highlight an immediate imperative to divest from school policing to prioritize clinical resources, health care, and administrative support as promising solutions toward school safety.