Examining the Relationship Between School Resource Officers (SROs) and Incident Referrals to Outside Law Enforcement

This study examines whether School Resource Officers (SROs) contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline phenomenon through increased law enforcement referrals. Using nationally representative data from the 2017–18 School Survey on Crime and Safety (N = 2,762), we analyzed the relationship between SRO presence and incident reporting rates. Schools with SROs reported 16.36% points more incidents to law enforcement than those without, controlling for school characteristics. Associations varied by school level: minimal in elementary schools (3.43% points, non-significant), but more pronounced in middle schools (18.6% points, representing a 62% increase relative to the middle school average of 29.8%) and high schools (22.5% points, a 45% increase relative to the high school average of 49.5%). These findings suggest that SRO presence is associated with increased formalization of school discipline through law enforcement involvement, particularly in secondary schools, with implications for educational equity and youth criminalization.