The increase in the presence of law enforcement in schools, especially
in the form of school resource officers (SROs) has coincided with
increases in referrals to the justice system, especially for minor
offenses like disorderly conduct. This is causing lasting harm to youth,
as arrests and referrals to the juvenile justice system disrupt the
educational process and can lead to suspension, expulsion, or other
alienation from school. All of these negative effects set youth on a
track to drop out of school and put them at greater risk of becoming
involved in the justice system later on, all at tremendous costs for
taxpayers aswell the youth themselves and their communities.